Goodell Helping Bob With PR Via NFL Network- Quid Pro Quo?

[RobertWeathers]

Crazy thought before I start my workday. Wondering if others have the same thought.

I have a little professional experience in marketing, PR and dealing with the press and a common tactic used to change public perception is to show visuals or tell a story that provide the audience an opportunity to relate to the character in question. Showing humanity, facilitating self-deprecation and providing unfiltered insight into their lives are methods in accomplishing this.

The NFL did a great job vilifying the Pats with Spygate and Deflategate and in particular, BB. While the NFL has done little to repair the image and admit it's failures, I believe Bob asked Goody and the team at the NFL Network in providing a helping hand (in exchange for lying down) in repairing the brand and produce programming the shines the Pats in a favorable light and message that the monster really isn't all that bad.

We all remember the "A Football Life" featuring BB. This focused on the 2009 season. It showed him fishing, putzing around on his boat, golfing, driving to work, eating Ramen noodles at his desk. All stuff the average person does. BTW I don't think BB volunteered to do this. He was asked to by Bob or Jonathan.

I also think the "Do Your Job" production was also something Bob or Jonathan pushed for. Whether Bob asked for this from Goody in exchange for accepting the sanctions is an unknown, it would not surprise me if this was a condition that the NFL offered up.

I also wonder about the 95 Cleveland Browns and The Brady 6 shows but that might be a stretch.

To sum it up, I'm not contending that the programming has helped the Patriots' brand, but I do think that there is an orchestrated effort to try.

Thoughts?

 

[Galeb]

Crazy thought before I start my workday. Wondering if others have the same thought.

I have a little professional experience in marketing, PR and dealing with the press and a common tactic used to change public perception is to show visuals or tell a story that provide the audience an opportunity to relate to the character in question. Showing humanity, facilitating self-deprecation and providing unfiltered insight into their lives are ways to to accomplish this.

The NFL did a great job vilifying the Pats with Spygate and Deflategate and in particular, BB. While the NFL has done little to repair the image and admit it failures, I believe Bob asked Goody and the team at the NFL Network in providing a helping hand (in exchange for lying down) in repairing the brand and produce programming the shines the Pats in a favorable light and message that the monster really isn't all that bad.

We all remember the "A Football Life" featuring BB. This focused on the 2009 season. It showed him fishing, putzing around on his boat, golfing, driving to work, eating Ramen noodles at his desk. All stuff the average person does. BTW I don't think BB volunteered to do this. He was asked to by Bob or Jonathan.

I also think the "Do Your Job" production was also something Bob or Jonathan pushed for. Whether Bob asked for this from Goody in exchange for accepting the sanctions is an unknown, it would surprise me if this was a condition that the NFL offered up.

I also wonder about the 95 Cleveland Browns and The Brady 6 shows but that might be a stretch.

To sum it up, I'm not contending that the programming has helped the Patriots' brand, but I do think that there is an orchestrated effort to try.

Thoughts?

I think that a large market team that has experienced unprecedented success for 15 years with the GOAT QB and coach would justify at least as many specials as NFL films has made about the Pats. Considering the quality of the product that NFL films has steadily produced, I suspect that Roger and the NFL FO have very little involvement.

 

[RayClay]

Crazy thought before I start my workday. Wondering if others have the same thought.

I have a little professional experience in marketing, PR and dealing with the press and a common tactic used to change public perception is to show visuals or tell a story that provide the audience an opportunity to relate to the character in question. Showing humanity, facilitating self-deprecation and providing unfiltered insight into their lives are ways to to accomplish this.

The NFL did a great job vilifying the Pats with Spygate and Deflategate and in particular, BB. While the NFL has done little to repair the image and admit it failures, I believe Bob asked Goody and the team at the NFL Network in providing a helping hand (in exchange for lying down) in repairing the brand and produce programming the shines the Pats in a favorable light and message that the monster really isn't all that bad.

We all remember the "A Football Life" featuring BB. This focused on the 2009 season. It showed him fishing, putzing around on his boat, golfing, driving to work, eating Ramen noodles at his desk. All stuff the average person does. BTW I don't think BB volunteered to do this. He was asked to by Bob or Jonathan.

I also think the "Do Your Job" production was also something Bob or Jonathan pushed for. Whether Bob asked for this from Goody in exchange for accepting the sanctions is an unknown, it would surprise me if this was a condition that the NFL offered up.

I also wonder about the 95 Cleveland Browns and The Brady 6 shows but that might be a stretch.

To sum it up, I'm not contending that the programming has helped the Patriots' brand, but I do think that there is an orchestrated effort to try.

Thoughts?

Of course. Why else would they produce programming about a failure of a team that's never won anything; that doesn't have a marquee quarterback?

 

[RobertWeathers]

I think that a large market team that has experienced unprecedented success for 15 years with the GOAT QB and coach would justify at least as many specials as NFL films has made about the Pats. Considering the quality of the product that NFL films has steadily produced, I suspect that Roger and the NFL FO have very little involvement.

Highly possible. I thought the same thing before the "Do Your Job" special was announced.

I'm suspicious by nature...

 

[borg]

Three points
1) Winners of Super Bowls have shows made about them
2) Pulling back the curtain on sports' greatest mystery....must see TV for sports junkies
3) Krafty Kraft definitely wants this positive attention....and BB would never publicly admit to it but I suspect he understands the value added to his reputation/legacy and secretly welcomes the opportunity

 

[IllegalContact]

I don't believe the Commissioner has any authority over the NFL media arm of the league legally or otherwise....in fact, by now it may be a separate corporation.

In fact, I think Bob Kraft is the leading board member of that arm of the league.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Three points
1) Winners of Super Bowls have shows made about them
2) Pulling back the curtain on sports' greatest mystery....must see TV for sports junkies
3) Krafty Kraft definitely wants this positive attention....and BB would never publicly admit to it but I suspect he understands the value added to his reputation/legacy and secretly welcomes the opportunity

There is also a Patriots' America's Game coming out on top of the DYJ special. I can't recally anything like that being produced.

Agreed on the pull back the curtain. I just don't think the idea came from the NFL.

Agreed on BB. You don't work with David Halberstam unless you want your story told and don't care about your legacy. However being wired and having cameras following you around is not a BB thing.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I don't believe the Commissioner has any authority over the NFL media arm of the league legally or otherwise....in fact, by now it may be a separate corporation.

In fact, I think Bob Kraft is the leading board member of that arm of the league.

Yep- Bob is chair of the broadcast committee.

I'll need to dig into it but I thought that Goody has control NFL Network as well and Bornstein reports to him...or maybe he reports to the chair? Not sure.

 

[JMC00]

This is something the nfl films wanted to do, that's the only reason why BB did it. No way ****dell authorized this. Wouldn't even surprise me if there was a tiny bit of push back from his office about this. But at some point before ****dell's reign of terror people smarter than ****dell and his cabinet said "let's give nfl films carte blanche to do whatever they want".

This is one of those times.

 

[RelocatedPatFan]

I think this might be the preferred vision, by me:

1. Identify the slum lords at 345 Park Ave
   • Honestly, they shouldn't attempt to cannibalize part of their business segment to push others up
2. Burn (metaphorically) the NFL League office to the ground
3. Get high integrity people to replace them
   • Get people who think win-win
   • People who try to send positive messages
4. Build a shiny new office with transparency into any public actions and resolve all conflicts behind the scenes whenever possible

 

[Rob0729]

This has nothing to do with Goodell. This is all about ratings.

Everyone, both fans and haters, want to see what is going on behind the scenes in New England. The fact that they are going to have Ernie Adams on the show is going to be huge for ratings. Pats fans want to see what he does because we think he is a genius who feeds Belichick all the scenarios. Haters want to see what he does because they think he is Emperor Palpatine pulling the strings behind Bill Belichick's Darth Vader.

Goodell has nothing to do with this. I seriously doubt he would give the Pats any favors to rehab their image for Spygate and Deflategate especially since his strategy with Brady has be to spin a biased report that stated he more likely than not had a general awareness of an equipment violation into a criminal mastermind who is trying to single handily destroy the integrity of the NFL.

 

[RobertWeathers]

This is something the nfl films wanted to do, that's the only reason why BB did it. No way ****dell authorized this. Wouldn't even surprise me if there was a tiny bit of push back from his office about this. But at some point before ****dell's reign of terror people smarter than ****dell and his cabinet said "let's give nfl films carte blanche to do whatever they want".

This is one of those times.

No question that Goodell does defer to the media and the network personnel's expertise and does provide them with autonomy to do their jobs.

However I do think Bob floated this by Goody and even an idiot like him knew that the Pats fetch ratings and supported it.

 

[chasa]

I think you need to seek help for all of these outlandish conspiracies you think up.

for all intents and purposes NFL films and the NFL are too completely different entitities, NFL films has always treated football, and the teams,/players with the respect they deserve, producing high quality content, that tells the truth. because of that teams/owners/players RESPECT the NFL films teams, so when they show up and say, hey we want to do a special about your season, mind if we have some cameras around you guys during the year so we can get some good stuff? teams say "yes" NFL films hold themselves to a higher standard.

the NFL office however is the completely opposite.

 

[RobertWeathers]

This has nothing to do with Goodell. This is all about ratings.

Everyone, both fans and haters, want to see what is going on behind the scenes in New England. The fact that they are going to have Ernie Adams on the show is going to be huge for ratings. Pats fans want to see what he does because we think he is a genius who feeds Belichick all the scenarios. Haters want to see what he does because they think he is Emperor Palpatine pulling the strings behind Bill Belichick's Darth Vader.

Goodell has nothing to do with this. I seriously doubt he would give the Pats any favors to rehab their image for Spygate and Deflategate especially since his strategy with Brady has be to spin a biased report that stated he more likely than not had a general awareness of an equipment violation into a criminal mastermind who is trying to single handily destroy the integrity of the NFL.

I think you are overestimating the popularity of Ernie Adams. Other than the ESPN article from 2007 he is an unknown. His appearance will not boost ratings. They'd be the same without him.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I think you need to seek help for all of these outlandish conspiracies you think up.

for all intents and purposes NFL films and the NFL are too completely different entitities, NFL films has always treated football, and the teams,/players with the respect they deserve, producing high quality content, that tells the truth. because of that teams/owners/players RESPECT the NFL films teams, so when they show up and say, hey we want to do a special about your season, mind if we have some cameras around you guys during the year so we can get some good stuff? teams say "yes" NFL films hold themselves to a higher standard.

the NFL office however is the completely opposite.

@chasa - I don't have a track record of starting crazy conspiracy theories on this board. I am not the only one that has speculated that in exchange for Bob calling off the dogs, Goody gave him something- leniency for Brady's hearing, etc. Producing something to help the Pats' brand is not unreasonable.

BTW NFL Films and NFL Network is under the NFL Media umbrella. If you don't think NFL Films and the NFL Network do not coordinate their programming you are kidding yourself.

 

[Rob0729]

I think you are overestimating the popularity of Ernie Adams. Other than the ESPN article from 2007 he is an unknown. His appearance will not boost ratings. They'd be the same without him.

He is the boogyman to many Patriots haters and an intrigue to Patriots fans. His appearance alone will not boost ratings, but the inside look of the Patriots will attract fans and haters in droves (at least for NFL Network standards).

 

[Patriot Missile]

 

[RobertWeathers]

He is the boogyman to many Patriots haters and an intrigue to Patriots fans. His appearance alone will not boost ratings, but the inside look of the Patriots will attract fans and haters in droves (at least for NFL Network standards).

I agree- the casual NFL fan will watch. I'll be cool.

Ernie is a mystery. He looks like someone who does your taxes.

 

[JMC00]

However I do think Bob floated this buy Goody and even an idiot like him knew that the Pats fetch ratings and supported it.

Or while they were doing 3 Games to Glory they heard the phrase "do your job" and it spiraled from there.

I just don't believe Kraft went to ****dell and asked for this.

 

[PatsFanSince74]

Of course. Why else would they produce programming about a failure of a team that's never won anything; that doesn't have a marquee quarterback?

You mean you haven't heard about the five part NFLN series planned for the Fall? "The New York Jets. From Broadway Joe to Glass Jaw Geno: Five Decades of Futility in Defense of the Shield."