NFL Television Maps

[MattS]

 

During the course of some research (read: filling some "hurry up and wait"-induced downtime), I came across these maps of NFL game coverage. For those of us without Sunday Ticket, what you see is what you get.

 

The Source for all of this, including detail by week and for weeks upcoming, is JP Kirby.

 

In and of itself, this has zero practical use outside winning a nicely stacked bar bet, ("Yeah, Dick, I bet I know what game they were watching in Billings in November..."); the real interest is in how the borders drawn in the maps reflect the identity of places better than traditional (and somewhat outdated, in a sense) geographic boundaries.

 

The other harsh reality is that geography is far, far less interesting than even American Football -- itself slightly more interesting than chess with an average 12 minutes of action during a three-and-a-half hour showcase salesfest of cars, beers and very, very shapely women.

 

How much more interesting would geography potentially be if you could take immutable force (plus 3) over immovable object ... if only they could make the games move faster.

 

But I digress.

 

 

 

This first one is nice as it includes an all-Ohio game (Bengals/Browns), while coverage extends into four other states, it doesn't cover all of Ohio. Steelers fans will be Steelers fans, after all.

 

 

 

 

Here is how Illinois divides when the Bears, Colts and Rams are all on the same network at the same time (not often).

 

 

 

 

The Republic of St Louis and the Duchy of San Francisco ... note how Boston gets a Cowboys/Chargers affair rather than the Giant game shown in the rest of New England. Your hardcore Bostonite would rather watch a pile of poo than the Giants.

 

 

 

 

Brett Favre's hometown in Mississippi disrupts the plan, while the Duchy of SF contracts considerably when blackout rules are applied (oh, YES, another episode of the Simpsons).

 

 

 

 

The Tennessee Titans home market extends into 9 other states when nearby larger markets don't have a dog in the hunt. Note the complicated geography of the Steelers/Ravens game.

 

 

 

 

Bizaaaah ... while the rust belt regales Ravens/Bears, Arizona doesn't see its own Chicago Cardinals, having not sold out the house. Oh yeah, they're playing the Titans.

 

 

 

 

This is one of these weeks where 80% of the men in America say at some point during Sunday, "Why the fock is THIS game on?"

 

 

 

 

While in New England, 88% of precincts are reporting for the Boston Patriots, while a couple of western counties sleep with the enemy. New York shows its true blue (and red) colors here, pink and green to confuse the issue.

 

[Bob Palin]

the Duchy of SF contracts considerably when blackout rules are applied

 

Surely that is caused by the Oligarchy of Oakland rather than the Duchy of SF.

[ClearwaterBMW]

matt

you always find the best maps

and i..... the map geek, thank you for it

 

greg

[beemerman2k]

... note how Boston gets a Cowboys/Chargers affair rather than the Giant game shown in the rest of New England. Your hardcore Bostonite would rather watch a pile of poo than the Giants.

 

Actually, not true. The Giants have quite a large fan base in New England, apparently dating back to a time before the Patriots existed. I would have guessed the Giants game would have been televised there.

 

Now, what you say is definitely true of the Jets! New Englanders do not like that team one bit.

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

the Duchy of SF contracts considerably when blackout rules are applied

 

Surely that is caused by the Oligarchy of Oakland rather than the Duchy of SF.

 

Maybe, but I watched that game smack in the middle of the Duchy of SF. On Satellite.

[ghaverkamp]

Surely that is caused by the Oligarchy of Oakland rather than the Duchy of SF.

 

Either way, having overlapping territories, when neither can consistently sell out a game (or even when they can) sucks, just as I'm sure it does in every other market with multiple teams (which I guess is... New York? Am I missing another?)

 

We never get double headers. And better yet, when the Raiders fail to sell out, we not only do not get the Raider game, we don't get any game on CBS.

[MattS]

...when neither can consistently sell out a game (or even when they can) sucks, just as I'm sure it does in every other market with multiple teams (which I guess is... New York? Am I missing another?)

 

We never get double headers. And better yet, when the Raiders fail to sell out, we not only do not get the Raider game, we don't get any game on CBS.

The Giants and the Jets are sold out through something like the 88th century AD or something like that. In the New York market, there are mostly doubleheaders, with the rare tripleheader or even 4 games if both local teams are playing at night or Thursday or something like that.

 

Not sure if the Raiders and Rams were consistent sell-outs back when those teams shared the LA market.

 

Well, Boney doesn't have much on this guy ... Al Jessup of Beckley, West Virginia gets 5000 channels with 12 satellite dishes ... and a 13th is on its way. Must skew the Nielsen ratings, and account for recent surge of national advertising supporting the Polident message. Or does he just have a nice set of hooters? Source

 

[sgendler]

 

Imagine how many Tivo's that guy must own!

 

--sam

[ClearwaterBMW]

THAT picture above.....

my new favorite picture

 

greg