[Bette]

For its $1.1 billion-per-year investment in the Monday Night Football package, ESPN might have gotten itself in position to help theNFL turn around the league-owned network.
According to the Wall Street Journal, ESPN and the NFL are in talks to form a partnership with NFLN.
“High-level” talks have occurred of late.

ProFootballTalk.com - ESPN TO PARTNER WITH NFLN?

[Seahawker 562]

This would be great, can never have enough nfl

[Quack Attack]

I find this very interesting and the first I have heard of this. Thanks Bette for the news.

The only way I can see ESPN helping out NFL Network is by convincing the NFL of changing the NFL Network's name to ESPN 3 or having a combined ESPN/NFL Network channel. However, ESPN will have to ask the NFL Network to take a pay cut and proceed to negotiate with all the cable/sattelite companies and demand they get it put on 1st tier channel packages. The issue all along has been cable/sattelite companies putting the NFL network on 2nd or 3rd tier packages that most subscribers don't want to pay extra for and have not. I like the NFL network and have always had it. Great network and curious how this all plays out.

P.S. I may not be accurate about NFL network having problems with sattelite packages, I do know that the cable companies for sure have been the NFL network's problem.

[Lefty Noob]

Could it be that ESPN is going to get a Monday Night Football discount in exchange for "lending" talent to the NFL Network?

[Weird harold]

I have Dishnetworks 3rd tier package. I pay huge amounts of money, and get every channel with commercials, and should therefore be free. Don't know if I'd loose NFLN if I downgraded.

[bears9]

I don't get the NFL Network, I've only watched it once at my friend's house at like 4 in the morning when I couldn't sleep, other than the live games, I could care less. But there those live, which I want to see. I want to see all the football I can.

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by bears9

I don't get the NFL Network, I've only watched it once at my friend's house at like 4 in the morning when I couldn't sleep, other than the live games, I could care less. But there those live, which I want to see. I want to see all the football I can.

I love these new Top 10 shows they've been doing: Top 10 Draft Busts, Top 10 One-Time Wonders, Top 10 Linebackers, etc.

[vincesanity82]

if the deal includes being able to have the nfl network on cable tv im all for it..

[Bette]

If I understand right, its just about those 8 games that NFLN is broadcasting during the run to the playoffs. That deal backfired on them last year. They thought fans would protest enough that they would get what they wanted and that is to place NFLN in the higher tiered packages.
Its not the satellites companies that I am aware of. Comcast and Time Warner are two of the cable companies that have been mentioned.

[bears9]

Originally Posted by Bette

If I understand right, its just about those 8 games that NFLN is broadcasting during the run to the playoffs. That deal backfired on them last year. They thought fans would protest enough that they would get what they wanted and that is to place NFLN in the higher tiered packages.
Its not the satellites companies that I am aware of. Comcast and Time Warner are two of the cable companies that have been mentioned.

You know that makes me so mad, I don't have Comcast or Time Warner, go I'd still be screwed