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The NFL announced today that starting this season it is shifting the start time of the late afternoon games from 4:15 to 4:25. They say that in doing so, they'll reduce overlap of games by 66%.
↵↵↵In researching the kickoff time shift, the NFL analyzed games from the 2009-11 seasons and found that 44 games required part of the audience to be switched to a mandatory doubleheader game kickoff. With a 4:25 PM ET kickoff time, that number that would have been reduced by 66 percent to only 15 games.
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The change will only affect doubleheader games on CBS or FOX. So if either of those networks only have a late game, it will start at 4:05.
↵Really, this is a no brainer type move. I'm sure anyone that lives outside of the Philly broadcast area has had experienced that rage moment when the Eagles game is cut off so the network can get to coverage of the late local game. Same thing when a really great 1pm game is running late and they have to cut to the Eagles.
↵So, really good move by the NFL here and one I'm surprised hasn't happened sooner.
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