Since 2006, the NFL has implemented a flexible schedule that allows the league to move more favorable matchups into prime time Sunday Night Footbal, making the changes two weeks ahead of the game. That system could be headed for a bit of a change, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the flexible scheduling could impact the afternoon matchups as well:
NFL creates flexible Sunday schedule options for 2014
The NFL’s flexibile scheduling system could impact FOX and CBS broadcasts as well next season.
Matthew Emmons-US PRESSWIRE
Keepers Week 11
Matt Ufford offers you fantasy advice on Riley Cooper, Colin Kaepernick, Bills running backs and more.NFL creating new weekly cross-flexing system for Sunday's next season in which 1 pm games on FOX can be 4 pm games on CBS and vice versa.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 17, 2013
The current system, only utilized in Weeks 11-17, has allowed for the league to “flex” a game into the NBC Sunday night time slot if there is a better overall matchup that was originally scheduled for earlier in the day. This allowed the league to ensure that the biggest prime time game of the week featured the best game possible, rather than late-season duds between two teams that underperformed compared to expectations when the schedule was made.
The NFL has long used a flexible schedule moving games between the 1 p.m. ET and 4:15 p.m. ET slots as needed, and this new system would allow games to not just be switched between time slots but also be switched between networks. Currently, CBS broadcasts only games featuring an AFC team as the road team and FOX broadcasts games where an NFC team as the road team.
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