Avoiding “Overlap”

May 15th, 2020

“Did you see the merchandise sales data in Haverhill, Joel?”

Tom Brady mania isn’t just in Florida.

Joe wrote this week about national TV executives getting whipped into a frenzy about night games when The Goat signed with the Bucs. But it wasn’t all about primetime contests under the lights. A long piece in Boston.com makes it clear that there was a coordinated effort to make sure the Bucs and Patriots didn’t in the same window.

“We also know that they don’t play a game the same time as the Patriots until Week 15, when the Patriots visit the Dolphins and the Bucs are at the Falcons, with both slated for 1 p.m. kickoffs. The only later overlap is in Week 17, when the Patriots host the Jets and the Bucs host the Falcons, again at 1 p.m.

… …There’s the small possibility that a Bucs game gets cross-flexed from Fox to CBS, the AFC rights holder. In 2014, the league introduced this process that allows a select number of games that would have typically aired on Fox or CBS to be aired on the other Sunday afternoon network. That means that an all-AFC matchup could air on Fox, an all-NFC game could appear on CBS, and I’ll get a barrage of emails asking why this is happening. Cross-flexing needs a better publicist.

The big spotlights are starting to overwhelm Joe, who has very simple goals right now. Tops on the list is finding a way to at least a 3-  record while opening at the Saints, then home for the Panthers, at Denver, home for the Chargers and at Chicago on a short week on Thursday Night Football.

5 Responses to “Avoiding “Overlap””

  1. adam from ny Says:

    wow people want to shoot the fair one with ndog in front of ray jay…

    we are def in wild times

  2. Joe in Michigan Says:

    The Patriots fans are now Bucs fans too!

  3. Knuckle Sandwich Delivery Service Says:

    Adam- had to go back to see what you were talking about. Too funny.

    Now the Dog is trying to church it up.

  4. El Buco Realisto Says:

    @joe in Michigan

    You are wrong again!!!!!!!! Those Patriot fans are “brady” fans!!!!!!! You will see the difference, why it matters in 1 to 1 and a half years!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Its time for the sheep to be herded, and put them back in the pen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    go bucs!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  5. JGhotier Says:

    Why “Haverhill” Joe? You been listening to the Missing Maura Murray podcast or on a true crime kick

    Weird stuff there in Haverhill…and not just Maura Murray