NFL Schedules Season Opener on Night of McCain Nomination Acceptance
The NFL’s Thursday night season opener will match the Super Bowl-champion New York Giants and the Washington Redskins, with the game possibly starting an hour-and-a-half earlier to avoid clashing with the Republican National Convention.
The game is now scheduled for 8:30 p.m. EDT on Sept. 4 — the concluding night of the Republican convention — and will be televised by NBC. League spokesman Greg Aiello said Wednesday that the NFL is talking with the network about changing the game’s starting time to 7 p.m.
The Super Bowl winner traditionally hosts the game. The Redskins’ participation was confirmed by a person familiar with the NFL schedule who spoke on condition of anonymity because the league has not announced it.
The highlight games of the NFL’s first weekend will be announced Monday during league meetings in Palm Beach, Fla. The rest of the schedule will be announced later next month.
The National Football League should reconsider their timing for the opening season. They have placed fans in the middle of being a good citizen or a football fan. This seems very careless on the part of NBC but then they are part of the “main stream media” which tends to try and sway opinions about presidential candidates. When they can’t be successful at swaying opinion they just don’t cover the news!!!!!
The NFL should hold the season opener when it’s schedule permits, without regard to politics. The RNC should be smart enough to figure out how to use that schedule to its benefit- that what this great country is about!
The NFL should stay far away from even showing a hint of political favoritism by competing with an event such as a major political convention - either Republican or Democratic, or both. While I am a fan of the NFL, it would cause me to reconsider my support.
If you conflict with the acceptance you are going to turn off many nfl fans. I will think again of ever watching a game on NBC again. Sounds like someone is trying to sabatage the Convention. We don’t need NBC anyway if they won’t change the schedule then I will change mine.
So if it gets re-scheduled the season opener will start at 4:00 on the west coast? I’ll still be at work. The NFL needs to keep in mind life exists outside of EDT… Maybe the RNC should re-schedule.
Oh well! It will be played repeatedly on the Republican stations the remainder of the night and the next day and for upcoming months.
Great!!! Since McCain is a huge disappointment to conservatives everywhere there will be something to watch!
I love football and do hope the time will be changed from 8:30 to 7pm. If the time isn’t changed, then football misses out! I must watch Senator McCain on the most important and well deserved night of his life. Lord, the man has earned it! From POW to POTUS! Only in America! Now that’s loving your country.
NBC’s BIASED is BLATANT!!
The only thing I watch on NBC (Nothing But Chatter) is the weather report, and it is usually WRONG!
I know what I’ll be watching.