NFL Season Will See ‘Unfortunate’ Upside Amid TV Strikes, Says Commissioner Roger Goodell
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The “reliable” nature of the imminent NFL football season is poised to give the sport an even greater competitive edge amid a Fall TV season diluted by the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, says NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
As TVLine readers have seen firsthand in recent weeks/months, the broadcast networks have leaned hard into fall schedules chockablock with reality-TV fare, acquired series and even themed rerun blocks, all as the industry waits for the AMPTP to negotiate in good faith and get the writers and actors back to work making new episodes of scripted shows.
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As a result, the NFL — which already puts up reliably big numbers — stands to benefit from the lackluster viewing options on traditional TV.
“NFL content is the best reality television going,” NFL boss Goodell told our sister site THR, then quipping: “I know people say I script the season, but I don’t.”
As the Hollywood strikes continue to close down the pipeline of fresh scripted fare, “There’s going to be opportunities during this period of time, which is unfortunate,” Goodell noted, “but it exists, and I think our content is going to have more opportunities during this fall season. It’s reliable content, and it’s reliable from an advertising standpoint.”
NBC Sunday Night Football kicks off tonight at 8/7c (then has its regular time slot premiere this Sunday); Monday Night Football opens Season 54 this coming Monday (on both ESPN and ABC); and Thursday Night Football returns Thursday, Sept. 14 on Prime Video.
Do you see yourself watching more NFL (and college) football than usual this fall?
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