Booger Flex: ESPN Hopes NFL Will Also Allow Them to Jack Games
When NFL schedules are set, on paper, some match ups look like must-see-TV until inevitably, late in the year, for a myriad of reasons usually, there can be some real stinkers down the stretch for the prime time games on Monday night.
The NFL schedule makers have to keep in mind, the better you were last year, the more difficult your schedule is "supposed" to be. But, playing each team twice in your division, (why do you think the Patriots have such a great record every year?) plus when your team plays every team in a different conference's division, schedulers hands are somewhat tied. So to avoid putting "who cares" contests in prime time later in the season, there is the concept of flex scheduling.
NBC gets to flex, ESPN does not.
This would not take effect until the 2023 season, if at all, but ESPN (ABC/Disney) has made it known schedule flexing will be part of their negotiations for a new NFL broadcast/media rights contract.
With the amount of money ABC shells out for their slice of the NFL pie, only getting limited playoff games, no Super Bowls and yawnfest contests with little-to-no playoff implications after Week 10, I'm kind of surprised they haven't raised a stink about the crummy scheduling and the inability to do anything about it sooner.
But why? Why flex to the Booger factor? Sorry, not a fan of Booger McFarland in the MNF announcing booth, and flexing games so he gets to gaffe his way through the cliches of the English language? Ugh.
Flexing times on Sunday is one thing, but a full day different? Travel agency back-and-forth nightmare type of stuff. And how long is the window? A week? Two weeks? Your thoughts?
The NFL is currently accepting feedback from the 32 teams in the league.
Stay tuned. Unless we get all up in your business, flex on you, and tell you to tune in differently.