CBS And NBC To Simulcast Climatic NFL Game

(From The Hollywood Reporter -- By Steven Zeitchik and Kimberly Nordyke)

Saturday's potentially historic football game between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants will be simulcast on both NBC and CBS under an unusual deal hammered out by THE NFL NETWORK.

The full NFL Network telecast will be shown on both networks, which will pick up the production work, halftime show and booth calls of NFL Network broadcasters CRIS COLLINSWORTH and BRYANT GUMBEL.

Sources said the game also will be shown mainly with NFL NETWORK commercials, providing a massive boost to the network's advertisers by increasing by tens of millions the number of households that will see the ads. It's possible that some local spots could be sold by network affiliates.

It was unclear whether CBS and NBC would be allowed to swap in their own in-game sponsorships or air their own pregame and postgame shows.

No money is believed to have changed hands in the deal.

The pact essentially will have two broadcast networks showing the same programming in primetime.

In several markets -- including New York, Boston and Manchester, New Hampshire -- the game will be seen on as many as FOUR networks since it will be telecast on a local station, as previously planned, as well as on the NFL NETWORK.

The local New York station, WWOR, was reportedly unhappy about the new arrangement, saying that the NFL had violated its deal giving the station exclusive over-the-air rights for the area.

While the situation of having a game on so many networks is unusual, the NFL was believed to be in a position where they couldn't really play favorites.

CBS And NBC To Simulcast Climatic NFL Game