The NFL season kicks off Thursday with a Chiefs-Patriots
matchup, and along with that opener featuring the defending champions it’s
already been an eventful first week.
Before the next game kicks off, Hurricane Irma has forced
the Bucaneers-Dolphins game off the schedule. It will be played later this
season. Even without Mother Nature, it’ll be an interesting season. Here are
just a few of the TV-related storylines:
Anthem awareness
-- Player protests during the national anthem were blamed for some of the NFL’s
ratings problems last season and gameday directors and producers, who decide
which shots end up on viewers’ TVs, plan to acknowledge on-field demonstrations
if they happen this year. Most believe it’s a matter of simply sharing what
happens at an event -- perhaps to the chagrin of NFL officials and some fans.
Anthem, anniversary
-- Week 1’s “Monday Night Football” matchup between the Saints and Vikings
provides an interesting challenge. “It’ is the anniversary of 9/11. … 3,000
people died, 6,000 people were injured, hundreds of rescue workers were lost,
and it was the greatest terrorist attack in our country,” said Jay Rothman,
“Monday Night Football” producer during a recent conference call. “We feel good about showing (the anthem). Should
there be protests, I think we do have a responsibility to show it.”
Less but lengthier
commercials -- League and TV officials promise just four commercial breaks
per quarter this season, and no more scoring play-commercial-kickoff-commercial
pattern. Still, commercial breaks will be slightly longer.
Tons of technology
-- Chips that conveyed speed and force data were embedded in players’ pads last
season, with information sometimes integrated in broadcasts. Expect more of the
same this season. Plus, the footballs will have chips in them, opening the door
for even more data to be shared. Making that information relevant will be the
biggest challenge.
Simms to studio
-- CBS Sports has benched analyst Phil Simms (he’ll now work in studio) and
replaced him with former Cowboys QB Tony Romo. As one of the AFC’s best teams,
the Steelers should draw CBS’s Jim Nantz-Romo pairing somewhat consistently.
While Nantz has his own problems, shaking things up and losing the unhelpful
and wordy Simms should be good -- even if Romo has some rookie challenges.
Tuner tidbits
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The Week 1 TV crew for the Browns-Steelers
matchup at 1 p.m. Sunday is Greg Gumbel, Trent Green and reporter Jamie
Erdahl.
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An ESPN 30 for 30 series documentary about
former heavyweight boxer Tommy Morrison will debut at 8 p.m. Sept. 27. It’ll be
available Wednesday online (ESPN3) and with the ESPN and Watch ESPN apps.
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Fox Sports took some heat for hiring Michael
Vick as an analyst for its NFL programming. Still, they remain committed to
using him in that role and will have a ratings excuse of the shows do not
perform well. Honestly, it feels like he’s paid his debt to society, and it’s
also hard to imagine how strong he’ll be on TV anyway.
