OT: Why was the Pats vs. Bills game yesterday...

[orangecuse]

Broadcast by Fox vs. CBS? Both are AFC teams which CBS does, Fox does the NFC games. Had the Bills been at home playing an NFC team, that's when the broadcasts are Fox. When the Bills play on the road against an NFC team, those games are broadcast by CBS. Just curious as to the reason, as I've haven't seen this done prior to yesterday's game?

 

[orange79]

Latest TV contract allows for 'cross-flexing'. This allows for each network (not just NBC, which benefited from flexing games to Sunday night) to benefit from moving games between networks. This allows for a network to have 'more intriguing' match-ups on a week where there might not be any for a given network. This was the first time it was used for an intra-conference game.

http://awfulannouncing.com/2014/first-flex-2014-nfl-season-moves-new-england-buffalo-fox.html

 

[TDTOrange]

It's a new thing with the new TV deals started this year. They can shift games between networks to maximize viewership. Most of the country got Denver v. NYJ on CBS at 1, and since they didn't have a doubleheader this week the NE v. Buffalo game would have only been seen in a few markets. By moving it to Fox it was on in a much larger number of households.

There will be a few more instances going forward, I just read of a trade in a couple weeks where CBS is getting Car/Sea and some really bad game is going back to Fox.

 

[orangecuse]

Got it! Thanks for your responses...