In one of the most anticipated moves of the new NFL TV contract, it has been announced that ESPN will air one of the NFL Wild Card games. During January's post season, ESPN will air one of the two Wild Card games, presumably the Saturday afternoon broadcast, the first playoff game broadcast for the network. The game will air exclusively on the World Wide Leader and expected to be simulcasted to local broadcast markets of the competing team. Bristol wasted no time in announcing their Monday Night Football team of Mike Tirico, Jon Gruden and Lisa Salters will have the call. No official plans announced, but expect a tremendous multifaceted, multi-platform build up and broadcast (much like successful broadcast of the last BCS Championship game), to what will be a historic presentation by ESPN.
With ESPN taking over the Wild Card, NBC will own the rights to two prime time playoff broadcasts, as they will take over the prime time Divisional playoff game the following weekend. With the new format, CBS and FOX will lose one playoff game per season, as they it is expected they will rotate the remaining divisional game every post season. As Awful Announcing has pointedly noted, this appears to be the end of network B teams getting playoff assignments, with the CBS & FOX splitting 3 divisional games for the next 8 post seasons.
The new contract will runs through 2021.
Projected 2015 NFL Playoffs Broadcast Schedule:
Saturday, January 3
NFL Wild Card Game, ESPN 4:45 p.m. ET*
NFL Wild Card Game, NBC, 8 p.m. ET*
Sunday, January 4
NFL Wild Card Game, CBS or FOX 1 p.m. ET*
NFL Wild Card Game, CBS or FOX 4:45 p.m. ET*
Saturday, January 10
NFL Divisional Playoff, CBS or FOX 4:45 p.m. ET*
NFL Divisional Playoff, NBC, 8 p.m. ET*
Sunday, January 11
NFL Divisional Playoff, CBS or FOX 1 p.m. ET*
NFL Divisional Playoff, CBS or FOX 4:45 p.m. ET*
Sunday, January 18
NFC Championship Game, FOX 3 p.m. ET*
AFC Championship Game, CBS 6:30 p.m. ET*
Sunday, January 25
NFL Pro Bowl, from University of Phoenix Stadium, AZ, ESPN, Time TBD
Sunday, February 1
Super Bowl XLIX, from University of Phoenix Stadium, AZ, NBC 6:30 p.m. ET
* - project and not officially announced.
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