A showdown between the NFL and the rest of the (multi)media world has been looming for quite a while now.
Ever since the NFL network launched, there were grumblings amongst the print media about unfair levels of access for the NFL network versus the ESPNs, SIs, etc. Still, the coaches and players are bound by the league's rules on media access, and the NFL has the right to allow or deny access as they please!
Now they're taking on the (historically quite evil, and no champions of the average joe) cable companies by directly broadcasting games. The networks and cable companies buy the broadcasting rights to the games, but if the NFL chooses not to sell a specific game and broadcast it themselves, that's also their right!
This year will be interesting, because it's really the first phase of the showdown that affects the fan. The fact that big games like GB-DAL and NE-NYG aren't going to be available to most peopls is going to result in one of two things:
a) Fans go nuts, boycotting, protesting and writing letters to congressmen, the president and God. It's a PR fiasco for the NFL, and they give up their rights to the games to appease the common fan. Winner: Cable companies and a return to the status quo.
b) Fans whine and complain, but ultimately succumb to the desire to see the games they love and NFL network subscription rates rise dramatically. The NFL network can start carving the regular networks more and more out of the picture, and capturing all of the advertising revenue directly. Winner: The NFL.
