NFL Steps Back

I woke up to the news that the NFL and Sky TV have finally reached an agreement that will see games return to the channel for the next three years.

On one hand, it's good news - on the other, not so.

Sky will be showing games at 6pm and 9pm each Sunday as well as Thursday and Saturday night games when they begin in the latter part of the season.

Last year, Sky had two games at 6pm and 9pm (the extra games were available via the red button). They also had the late Sunday game as well as Monday Night Football.

Fortunately, Channel Five secured the rights to Sunday Night Football although they too didn't get the Monday Night Football matches.

There is speculation that ESPN may end up capturing the Monday game. They are the network which airs it in the United States and as they are now a brand in the UK it is understandable that a rival channel like Sky Sports would not want the ESPN logo appear on their product.

Regardless of what happens with Monday Night Football, this is a major step backwards for the sport in the UK despite how the people at NFL UK would like to spin it.

The UK fan got:

2 Sunday night games
All Thursday and Saturday night games
Sunday Night Football on terrestrial TV

The UK fan lost:

Live draft coverage (2009)
2009 Pre-season
Sunday Night Football on Sky Sports
Monday Night Football on Sky Sports
2 red button games on Sunday evening

Alistair Kirkwood of NFL UK , a few weeks ago, claimed that the negotiations would result in the sport in this country moving three steps forward and two places back. The evidence above looks more like three steps forward and four back.