Secondary Markets, NFL rules and the last 8 seconds

[ziggy29]

With the ongoing fiasco about cutting off the last 8 seconds in a lot of markets, I found this:

http://the506.com/nflmaps/

At one point they define what a "secondary market" is in terms of NFL blackout and in-game switch rules:

Most teams also designate secondary markets. In order to be designated as a secondary market, a portion of it must be located within 75 miles of the stadium. Not all teams designate all markets within 75 miles as secondary markets. For instance, the Bengals designate Dayton, Ohio and Lexington, Kentucky as their secondary markets, although not Louisville even though Louisville stations reach within 75 miles of Cincinnati.

OK, so Austin and San Antonio are not "secondary markets" according to the NFL (I don't think any part of the Austin or San Antonio markets are within 75 miles of Jerryworld in Arlington). Therefore there would seem to be no rule *requiring* that these markets switch over to the Cowboys game before the completion of the Texans game. These are not secondary markets for the Cowboys per NFL rules. So any claims that the NFL forced the switch appear to be BS.

But here's another thing in the section on "in-game switches" (my boldfacing for emphasis):

If the local team is playing in the second game of a doubleheader, the affiliates in primary and secondary markets, as well as a small number of other markets that request it, must switch out of the early game if it goes past 4:10 PM ET, in order to get to the kickoff of the local game. This is known as a "mandatory pullout".

Couple of questions here.

1. Are the Cowboys the "local team" as defined by the NFL in the Austin and San Antonio markets? I doubt it. (Would like to know if there is a precise definition of "local market" here.) That must not apply.

2. Maybe the switchover has to take place at 4:10 ET (3:10 local), not 4:15, which is stupid. Having said that, it sounds like the Austin and San Antonio affiliates are part of a "small number of other markets that request it" -- since we've already seen that these are not Cowboys "secondary markets."

Bottom line, if these explanations are accurate (and I've found this to be a reputable site), seems to be this: These affiliates decided that they would crap on Texans fans for the almighty Cowboys, and they asked Fox to cut over to the Cowboys coverage at 3:10 local time. Once the network has notice that these affiliates want to leave the Texans game at 3:10, they are all moved over to the Cowboys coverage (which might explain why they all cut over at exactly the same time).

 

[Yankee_In_TX]

The Texans are aware of this and ask you complain to your local station about it.

(seriously)

 

[TexanBorn51]

I as well as many fans had to deal with this for years. I've been an Oilers and Texans fan since the 60's. I lived in Houston in the 60's in San Antonio since the 70's and most of my family live in the Rio Grande Valley McAllen Mission area. They got to see the whole game today and that is definitely Cowboy country and Tom Landry is from Mission Texas. So you figure. I've written to tv stations and such with no avail. I remember the days they would cut off most of the game for another. At least that's improved much only because the Texans are playing better. But as I always say "isn't Houston in Texas too?"

 

[Hookem Horns]

The Texans are aware of this and ask you complain to your local station about it.

(seriously)

OK, but what are THEY going to do about it?

 

[drs23]

Quote:
If the local team is playing in the second game of a doubleheader, the affiliates in primary and secondary markets, as well as a small number of other markets that request it, must switch out of the early game if it goes past 4:10 PM ET, in order to get to the kickoff of the local game. This is known as a "mandatory pullout".

I SURE don't like this part!

 

[Texan_Bill]

"Mandatory pull-out" is what my ex wanted.

 

[GuerillaBlack]

Maybe it also has something th do with Fox being the NFC channel. May not have happened on CBS. Anyway, it was bs regardless. Only eight seconds left and its not like the Cowboys game had started. There was still pregame things going on.

 

[ziggy29]

Maybe it also has something th do with Fox being the NFC channel. May not have happened on CBS. Anyway, it was bs regardless. Only eight seconds left and its not like the Cowboys game had started. There was still pregame things going on.

I've dug some more, and I don't think the network had anything to do with it other than that Fox had the doubleheader and the Cowboys were the late game on said doubleheader.

The bottom line is that most of the Texas affiliates worship the almighty Cowboys to the point where they request -- despite not being primary OR secondary markets for the Cowboys -- to be able to switch over at 3:10 local time. They can't do so conditionally; they can't say they'll switch if the game is a blowout but stay if it's close (that's the *mandatory* pullout). Since they don't want to miss Cowboys coverage if the early game is a blowout, they regularly opt to always switch over at 3:10 even though "NFL rules" don't force them to do so. If they CHOOSE the mandatory pullout option they have to leave the early game per NFL rules -- but the NFL isn't forcing them to take that option.

I can respect something as a business decision even if I don't agree with it. But those who make the decisions should own up to it and take responsibility for it when it goes wrong. The affiliates are apparently CHOOSING to opt for mandatory pullout, but when it happens in a close game involving an in-state team with a fan following, they blame the NFL for their decision to choose the pullout. They don't mention that it happens because they *chose* to dump on Texans fans if the game ran long.

I SURE don't like this part!

Yeah, the mandatory part is dumb. You'd think the affiliates could make that decision on the spot rather than commit ahead of time. I mean, if the game was 34-7 in the 4th, sure, cut over -- but it would be nice if the affiliates had the leeway to make that decision on the fly depending on the situation in the early game they are carrying.