NFL Commisioner Roger Goodell and ESPN President George Bodenheimer held a conference call Thursday to discuss ESPN’s new Monday Night Football package, among other things.
A few highlights from the call:
1. Goodell said in an answer to SI’s Richard Deitsch that the NFL didn’t anticipate a new Thursday night package of games being handed out this year. Still, we’d be surprised if that can’t be handled in time for the 2012 season.
2. While it may have just been a trial balloon, Goodell mentioned it would be possible for the playoffs to expand after 2013. Let’s hope this idea doesn’t fly.
3. ESPN mentioned the NFL has to option to let ESPN broadcast a Wild Card game as part of the new deal, if the NFL chooses to do so.
4. The Worldwide leader really stressed the digital rights they are picking up as part of the agreement. As we know well here, digital rights is a huge part of any big sports business deal these days.
Which reminds me: SNF Extra makes a special Thursday night debut tonight, with Florio on the keyboard for a livechat.