All four networks want cowboys’ home opener

BasX · Mar 10, 2009

NFL Network kept for itself the final game ever played at Texas Stadium. Now, the league’s four primary broadcast partners want the first game at the new one.

According to Barry Horn of the Dallas Morning News (via SportsBusiness Daily), CBS, ESPN, FOX, and NBC have each included the regular-season opener on their list of preferred games for the 2009 season.

Last year, NBC scored the first regular-season game at Lucas Oil Field, the Colts’ new Indy digs.

The Dallas 2009 home schedule features games against the Giants, Eagles, Redskins, Falcons, Panthers, Seahawks, Raiders, and Chargers.

Under the current NFL broadcasting contracts, FOX broadcasts Sunday afternoon NFC home games when the road team is also an NFC team. CBS gets Sunday afternoon NFC home games when an AFC team is the visitor.

NBC airs Sunday night games (but for the Week One Thursday nighter), and ESPN televises Monday night games.

This year, the Cowboys will host an AFC team (Raiders or Chargers) on Thanksgiving as part of the FOX-CBS rotation of Lions and Cowboys home games on the fourth Thursday in November. So it seems that the chances of the other CBS/AFC game in Dallas being the first home game of the year would be fairly low.

Our guess is that the league will be inclined to put the Cowboys home opener in prime time, either in Week One or Week Two. We’re leaning toward Week Two, since the glitz and the glitter of the opening of a new stadium for South America’s Team isn’t needed to spruce up an already highly-anticipated Week One.

And regardless of whether the game lands on Sunday night or Monday night, it would be fitting if the other prime-time game that week involves the Bills.
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http://www.profootballtalk.com/2009/03/10/all-four-networks-want-cowboys-home-opener/

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All four networks want cowboys’ home opener

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