I just got off the phone with the Program Manager at the Orlando Fox station, WOFL. I left him a message complaining that they hadn't aired any Dolphin games in several weeks and, instead, showed the Jets and Patriots in consecutive weeks. He said that the NFL restricts what games they're allowed to show. Is this true? He said it was based on the "NFL RULES", but couldn't be explicit. Can someone tell me if he is BSing me? If not, exactly WHY would the NFL not allow the Orlando Fox affiliate to carry the Dolphins games, either at home or on the road?

I'm not sure as to the specifics of the NFL's broadcasting policy, but the WOFL Program Manager is probably not the person to talk to regarding the Dolphins; Fox handles NFC games, remember? Perhaps for the 49ers game, but even then, WOFL has a tendency to show Bucs games so, given a conflict, the TB game would be aired.

You should probably ask the P.M. of Local 6, the CBS affiliate, what the deal is. They usually play Jags games, which leads me to believe that for whatever reason Orlando is tied to Jacksonville's market.

While I lived in the Orlando broadcast area, I witnessed a few instances where their P.M. came on the air right before game time and personally apologized for the fact that, despite the Jags playing later in the day, NFL policy prevented him from showing the Fins game. Paid programming then ensued, to much ire from me. Still, I firmly believe that the station itself is receptive to playing Miami games, but their hands are tied.

AWW THATS SUCKS. PARTY AT MY HOUSE


<---- SUNDAY TICKET

The rules are sort of convoluted. Orlando is a secondary market for Jacksonville and Tampa Bay... which means the CBS affiliate is REQUIRED to play the Jags games anytime they are on the ROAD and the Fox affiliate is required to show the Bucs when they are on the road.

They can choose whatever game they want when those teams are at home.

I don't know if it applies to SECONDARY markets like Orlando, but I know if a team has two teams designated PRIMARY markets (like is the case with NY and SF Bay Area) the opposite network is not allowed to broadcast a game opposite the local teams' televised games... which means no double headers most of the time, unless one of the local teams is blacked out for a home game.

So, since Jacksonville is on the road, the Orlando market is required to air the game...

Blastfire Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm not sure as to the specifics of the NFL's
> broadcasting policy, but the WOFL Program Manager
> is probably not the person to talk to regarding
> the Dolphins; Fox handles NFC games, remember?
> Perhaps for the 49ers game, but even then, WOFL
> has a tendency to show Bucs games so, given a
> conflict, the TB game would be aired.
>
> You should probably ask the P.M. of Local 6, the
> CBS affiliate, what the deal is. They usually play
> Jags games, which leads me to believe that for
> whatever reason Orlando is tied to Jacksonville's
> market.
>

That's strange, since CBS has been airing NFC games and the AFC East matchups have been on Fox.
> While I lived in the Orlando broadcast area, I
> witnessed a few instances where their P.M. came on
> the air right before game time and personally
> apologized for the fact that, despite the Jags
> playing later in the day, NFL policy prevented him
> from showing the Fins game. Paid programming then
> ensued, to much ire from me. Still, I firmly
> believe that the station itself is receptive to
> playing Miami games, but their hands are tied.

Only if they're inter-conference...

The network is determined by the conference of the ROAD team... that way each network gets access to a home game for every stadium in the league.

CBS = AFC road games
FOX = NFC road games