CBS to Broadcast Eight Thursday Night NFL Games

CBS Sports has made my life and the lives of others more complicated by announcing that they'll broadcast eight NFL games on Thursday nights next season.

Bad enough I have to choose between Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, and the college game on ESPN. Now this.

Let's see how the network's propaganda department pitched it:

“We are very pleased to build on our outstanding partnership with the NFL by expanding our coverage to Thursday nights,” CBS Corporation President and CEO Les Moonves is alleged to have announced in his own words.

“CBS is a premium content company and the NFL represents the best premium content there is. I look forward to all this new deal will do for us, not only on Thursday nights, but across our entire schedule.”

CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus also had these words released in his name:

“The NFL is the most powerful programming in television. To add a primetime NFL package to our successful Sunday AFC package further strengthens our position in the sports marketplace. We look forward to having Jim and Phil and our top production team showcased in prime time on Thursday nights.”

Jim Nantz and Phil Simms will broadcast the games. 

Normally, the NFL Network had the Thursday night game, which was usually either two bad teams facing each other or one good team facing a bad team, which usually meant a blowout and a quick return to Grey's Anatomy, Scandal, and/or the college game on ESPN

Now that the NFL is going to be seen by the whole country on Thursday nights, I would think we'd see a better product.

The NFL is bold to be taking this kind of step. As I mentioned, they'll be going up against ABC's Thursday night line-up -- which is very popular -- and ESPN's Thursday night game, which normally showcases a pretty good match-up too. After all, ESPN is the driving force in arranging them, and don't think they haven't done their marketing to make them as attractive as possible to both hardcore fans and casual viewers. It's the latter for whom they'll be competing with the NFL.

So, thanks CBS for making my Thursday nights even harder. And I know I'm not alone. Damn them.