So, I Watched NFL Big Game Night On Channel 5....

With the NFL returning for the first Sunday of the 2025 regular season, I decided to give Channel 5's coverage a try. 

I came away from the experience with mixed feelings. Mainly siding to the negative.

As I covered on August 29th, the broadcaster secured the rights to air one 6pm and one 9pm (UK time) game as well as other NFL content. The 6pm offering, on 5's main channel, was set to be focused towards a broader family audience with Dermot O'Leary hosting along with Sam Quek and Osi Umenyiora what should best be described as a game show alongside the game coverage.

In the aforementioned post, I thought the premise sounded convoluted. Now, after having seen one example, I believe my instinct was closer to right than it is to incorrect.

To try and dumb it down: there are two teams of four players. Each team represents one of the sides playing in the 6pm game game. They then compete against each other throughout most of the game to win footballs. Those balls are then entered into a big glass football. Then - at the end of the game show segments - one of the balls are drawn from the ball. Whichever team added the winning ball to the tombola gets a chance of winning tickets to the USA.

There were some lame side games played to win those footballs. For example, one player had to sit on a bucking bronco and see how many balls he could catch. There was also a doughnut throwing game where they had to throw a ring doughnut into Sam Quek's finger. 

Oh, I should point out that Quek was pointing her finger while dressed with an Uncle Sam beard.

The social media consensus hated the show's format. They felt that the NFL UK once again laid an egg by not knowing its audience (or potential audience) as well as they should.

I get it.

The game within a game concept doesn't offer anything to fans of the sport who would likely have preferred to have insight during breaks in the actual games (you have to wait until the 9pm fixture for that on 5Action). 

The choice of a special guest for week one was also questionable with Joel Dommett coming on and making it absolutely clear he has no idea about American football. It's insulting to BOTH fans and non-fans for such a guest to be booked on an American football programme.

If Dommett had no care, why should those at home?

Which leads me on to the people I suppose this idea is targeting: those who don't know anything about American football.

Why would they stick around to watch if they aren't learning anything? The only thing they would hang on for is the result of the game within a game. And that turned out to be a waste of time because the winning team were unable to secure the trip to the USA. 

As noted, I came away with mixed feelings. I hated it, but I sensed I would going in. I also got to watch a game on Channel 5 HD at a decent time.  That was the silver lining of the entire thing.