2012 Redskins Schedule Released Today

[mooby]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/20/sp...pagewanted=all

Excellent article, really gives a lot of great insight into how the schedule is made each year.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by mooby

Excellent article, really gives a lot of great insight into how the schedule is made each year.

It's a beast of a job. Working on scheduling was one of my most demanding, yet satisfying jobs ever

[mooby]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

It's a beast of a job. Working on scheduling was one of my most demanding, yet satisfying jobs ever

What goes into it from ESPN's end? From the story, it sounds like ESPN puts in requests for what games it wants, and then the NFL decides who gets what games.

Also, not sure if you can answer this, but does the NFL decide on the weekly schedule first and then decide what games will be the primetime matchups?

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by mooby

What goes into it from ESPN's end? From the story, it sounds like ESPN puts in requests for what games it wants, and then the NFL decides who gets what games.

Also, not sure if you can answer this, but does the NFL decide on the weekly schedule first and then decide what games will be the primetime matchups?

Yeah ESPN will build out multiple scenarios/schedules. Taking into account various factors.

There is a lot of back and forth with ESPN and the league (and indirectly the other networks). For example, let's say the NFL tells NBC we want that Bucanneers vs. Falcons game in early October because ESPN working on renewing a deal with the cable affiliate in Tampa and we want to apply some pressure marketing and heavy advertising in October, then the NFL will come back to ESPN and say "that Ravens game you wanted in November, NBC wants that now in exchange for giving you the Tampa game."

Or Fox could say we've got no room on the schedule for a 1pm Dolphins game and Miami doesn't want it at 4pm because the Heat are already playing at home and traffic would be a mess, so the NFL puts them on the road that week and so on.

Ultimately, it's what the NFL wants to do. But there is a lot of back and forth negotiating.

There are also contractual obligations regarding prime time games. Some that are known, like max number of prime time games for each team. Others that are not as well known, such as geographic obligations.

[Chico23231]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

It's a beast of a job. Working on scheduling was one of my most demanding, yet satisfying jobs ever

How tough was it when you got something basically set in stone like Skins vs Cowboys for a Monday night, and then Jerrah calls back and says "I just signed Nickleback for a 5 night stand at Jerryworld for all the douchebags in Dallas, its basically our adopted hometown band. I must change the Monday night game b/c of this conflict."

Is it back to the drawing board or do you tell Jerry to go to hell? Or do you try to score some Nickleback tickets?