Owners' Support for NFL Network Wavering?

When the NFL's franchise owners decided, along with former commissioner Paul Tagliabue, to pass up rights fees from a TV network and put a package of prime time games on Thursdays and Saturdays on the league-owned NFL Network, they said they wanted to create a unique business asset. They thought they already had plenty of television money coming in and could afford to take such a risk.

The ratings for games on the NFL Network have been lower than expected over the past couple seasons, and ongoing disputes with large cable carriers over pricing and distribution have kept the channel in far fewer homes than the owners had anticipated. Still, the owners and Tagliabue's successor, Roger Goodell, consistently have maintained that they continue to support the NFL Network.

That support could be wavering, however. Several media outlets, beginning with the Wall Street Journal, reported late last week that the NFL and Disney-owned ESPN are in discussions about a possible partnership involving the NFL Network. It's not clear if an agreement is imminent, but the league appears to be at least considering its options for the Thursday-Saturday package.

By Mark Maske |  June 23, 2008; 11:10 AM ET  | Category:  League , Television
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