How do you become a second rate sports league? Take a lesson from the NFL. Today the Patriots play the Giants in a bid to complete the first undefeated regular season since the 1972 Dolphins. Unfortunately, in order to actually see one of the biggest regular seasons games in league history you will have to be one of about twelve Americans who subscribe to the NFL network. In a bid to make more money the NFL is moving some of its games on to this obscure cable network with few subscribers. In the process it is alienating its fan base. Granted, sports fans are consumers, but they aren't just consumers yet that is how the league is treating them. Perhaps the NFL's goal is to be a league with high profit margins but with few fans. Good luck with that.
Update: That was quick. Bob Schwartz emails me:
While I agree the NFL Network thing is a debacle, the NFL relented 2 days ago and the Patriot-Giant game is being simulcast on CBS and NBC so the rest of us that do not have the NFL Network will be able to see it.
Well, that's what you get for being on vacation. I hadn't heard the news.
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