|
NFL
Unveils 1999 Schedule By George Stahl NEW YORK (AQB)--The National Football League released its 1999 schedule Thursday, and it appears that CBS is the preseason winner, thanks to a strong American Football Conference and the return of the Cleveland Browns. The biggest change, though, this year is that ABC and the NFL returned Monday Night Football to its original time slot of 9 p.m. ET, after one year of poor ratings at 8:20 p.m. Click here to read more about Monday Night Football's schedule. The eye network, which begins its second year of AFC coverage, will televise 111 regular-season games this season (nine more than Fox's NFC coverage) and handle nine doubleheaders (one more than Fox). CBS' television schedule features the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos and the AFC Eastern Division champ New York Jets 10 times each, including an Oct. 3 rematch in Denver of their AFC Championship. Other interesting CBS games include Jimmy Johnson going back to Dallas when his Dolphins face the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 25); the battle for New York City bragging rights when the Jets and Giants meet Dec. 5; and a Christmas present of Terrell Davis vs. Barry Sanders when the Lions host the Broncos. That means the Lions will play at home on Thanksgiving and Christmas. CBS had an average rating last season of 10.2, down slightly from NBC's rating of 10.3 in 1997. Fox's average rating, meanwhile, was slightly ahead (10.8) of its 1997 number (10.7). Each rating point represents 994,000 homes. This season, Fox will heavily feature perennial NFC powers Green Bay (11 games), Dallas (10 games) and San Francisco (nine games). Some of the more highly anticipated games on The Simpsons network include a rematch of the NFC Championship when Minnesota visits Atlanta on opening day (Sept. 12); a rematch of Super Bowl XXXII when Green Bay visits Denver (Oct. 17); and what-might-have-been Super Bowl XXXIII when Minnesota travels Denver two weeks later (Oct. 24). Fox, beginning its sixth season with the NFC, also features what has become an annual clash between the Packers and the Cowboys, this time from Texas Stadium on Nov. 14. However, ESPN may have the season's most anticipated game in week one when the Cleveland Browns host traditional rival Pittsburgh in the brand new Cleveland Browns Stadium on Sept. 12. Week one is a week later this year because of the potential conflicts between NFL playoff games and college bowl games had the NFL started on Labor Day, as it has in recent years. Because of the late start, though, there will be only one week between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl, to be played Jan. 30 in Atlanta on ABC. ABC also has some good games during the season, including Mike Holmgren's return to Lambeau Field when the Seahawks and Packers meet at Lambeau Field Nov. 1; a great NFC rivalry and rematch of the classic 1998 wild card game when the Packers and 49ers play in San Francisco Nov. 29; and the last NFL game of the 1900s when the Jets battle the Dolphins in Miami Dec. 27. This past season, ABC's Monday Night Football recorded its lowest average rating, 13.9, in the program's 29-year history. However, ESPN's ratings rose in 1998 to 8.12, up nine percent from TNT/ESPN's 18-game combined 1997 package. ESPN's Sunday Night Football, cable television's highest-rated and most-watched series every year since its launch in 1987, had nine of cable television's top 10 most-watched programs in 1998. This year, ESPN has an 18-game schedule that features appearances by all 12 of last season's playoff teams and led by the Cleveland's first regular-season NFL game since 1995. The addition of the Browns gives the NFL 31 teams and means that at least one NFL team must be off every week. That's why San Diego will start the season a week later than everyone else, while Cleveland will end its season a week earlier. Unlike previous seasons, bye weeks aren't grouped by divisions but are at random. Back
to top |
||
Today's Lineup | Sports
Pages | Features | Newsstand
| Sports Links
Speak Out | Mailing
List | Spotters | About
Us | Home
