NFL on FOX

In 2006 the NFL introduced “flexible scheduling,” a new system of game scheduling.
Below are the answers to some common questions about flexible scheduling:

What is Flexible Scheduling?
“Flexible scheduling” describes a new system of scheduling late-season NFL games on FOX, CBS, and NBC. Instead of being locked into certain games at certain times, each network will have some freedom to make their game choices as the season goes on depending on which match ups appear to be the most attractive.

For FOX and CBS, flexible scheduling means more freedom to move games from the more crowded 1pm window into the less crowded 4:15 “National Game” window. In Weeks 10-17, all FOX and CBS games in the Eastern and Central time zones are tentatively scheduled for 1pm. As the season goes on, FOX and CBS will declare a few weeks in advance which games they want to move into the 4:15 window. In the past, FOX and CBS had some freedom to make moves like this, but the new system will guarantee more marquee games in the Sunday late-afternoon windows, the top-rated NFL window on television.

For NBC’s new Sunday Night package, flexible scheduling means that the NFL will choose a game from either the FOX or CBS schedule for NBC to air in Primetime. There will be Primetime flexibility in Weeks 10-15, and in Week 17. Week 16 is excluded because there is no Primetime game on Sunday, December 24th. Like FOX and CBS, NBC will have to make their schedule requests a few weeks in advance.

Can NBC Take Any Game They Want From FOX and CBS?
NO. FOX and CBS have the right to protect five games over the seven weeks of Primetime flexibility. This is a key point that is widely misunderstood. FOX and CBS will be able to protect attractive late-season games. It’s still unknown when exactly FOX and CBS will have to choose which games are protected, but the choices will be made during the season at a time when FOX and CBS can make informed choices about what games to protect.

Can FOX and CBS Move Any Game They Want From 1:00 to 4:15?
YES. Because the games in question are not coming from a different network, FOX and CBS are free to move any games they want into the strong 4:15 window. Although most of the publicity on flexible scheduling has focused on NBC, the fact is that FOX and CBS actually have more unrestricted flexibility than NBC has.

Who Benefits Most From “Flexible Scheduling”??
Flexible scheduling has the potential to be win-win for all networks, for the league, and for fans. For FOX, flexible scheduling brings more strength to the FOX National Game, already the highest-rated NFL telecast on any network. For NBC, flexible scheduling means a chance to improve a package that has posted record-low ratings in nine of the last ten seasons. For viewers, flexible scheduling should mean more high-quality match ups on all NFL networks.