In a continuing attempt to build up its 24-hour cable network, the National Football League this season will show condensed versions of four game broadcasts from the previous weekend on its NFL Network each week.
The re-airs come on the heels of the League’s decision to pass up a rights fee for its new eight-game Thursday-Saturday regular-season package and keep the games on its own network.
NFL Network will run the re-airs Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 5:30 pm and 8:30 pm ET, and will show them in high-definition if they were shot in that format originally.
The cable network will cut the games down to a 90-minute show, omitting halftime and other breaks. NFL Network will use the graphics packages and footage from the original broadcasts, but will supplement them with elements such as NFL Films footage and additional on-field sound.
The network will also weave in post-game interviews--for instance, going to a split screen to have a team member talk about a play as the replay rolls.
The network will announce the week’s re-airs on Monday, but does have the option to swap in the Monday Night Football game if it wishes. However, games that receive 100% clearance, such as NBC’s Sunday-night game and ESPN’s Monday-night contest, probably won’t be used as often.
“The goal is to use the re-airs for games not widely seen over the weekend,” says NFL Network Director of Media Services Seth Palansky.
In all, the network says it expects to re-air 75 games, including Super Bowl XLI.
It is the first time in the NFL’s 87-year history that games will be shown outside of the live TV window.
