JERRY JONES NAMED CHAIRMAN OF NFL NETWORK COMMITTEE - NFLMEDIA.COM
COMMITTEE NOW INCLUDES PAT BOWLEN, ROBERT KRAFT, STAN KROENKE & MARK RICHARDSON
The NFL announced today the appointment of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones as the new chairman of the NFL Network Committee, which acts as the executive board of the league’s year-round television service.
“NFL Network is an important long-term asset for the NFL,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “It is critical we ensure broad and affordable access to NFL Network to help better serve and grow our fan base.”
The Cowboys appear twice on NFL Network’s live game schedule this season (Nov. 29 vs. Green Bay; Dec. 22 @ Carolina) and as a result, Jones is keenly aware of fan interest in NFL Network.
"My immediate and primary objective is to ensure broad distribution of NFL Network to our millions of fans across the land,” said Jones. “Today there are more options than ever before for consumers in terms of choosing a television provider. Satellite companies like DirecTV and Dish Network and telecommunications companies like Verizon and AT&T offer NFL Network on broad packages without extra costs to consumers. Those fans whose access to NFL Network is still being blocked by their cable provider will have both the opportunity and the incentive to switch providers if cable continues to deny customers the programming they want.”
Joining Jones on the NFL Network Committee are:
· Denver Broncos President and CEO Pat Bowlen
· New England Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft
· St. Louis Rams Owner/Vice Chairman Stan Kroenke
· Carolina Panthers President Mark Richardson
“Steve Bornstein and his team have launched a high-quality, must-see, year-round network for football fans,” added Jones. “As a committee, we plan to help the broader NFL ownership harness the value that our clubs can provide locally to NFL Network distribution partners. NFL Network is extremely important to the future of the NFL and our fans.”
NFL Network, the 24-hour, 365-day programming vehicle of the NFL, has taken on greater importance to the league and its long-term goals as the digital media landscape continues to evolve.
From content deals with Apple’s iTunes, Sprint NFL Mobile, Sirius Satellite Radio, Verizon FiOS, MyNetworkTV, and ION Networks, to the recent move bringing the NFL’s Internet operations in-house and utilizing NFL Network video at the center of the new NFL.com, the strategic use of NFL Network’s content requires important decisions to be made on a regular basis.
Recently, the NFL filed comments with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) drawing attention to large cable companies’ regular practice of content discrimination, where they use their market power to deny independent channels they do not own broad distribution on their systems. Like many other independent programmers, NFL Network supports a mandatory arbitration process to ensure that content disputes are resolved in a timely manner so that consumers have access to the channels they want on fair terms.
NFL ownership committees are made up typically of four to six principal owners. Committees meet regularly to analyze issues and recommend strategy and policies to the Commissioner and broader ownership.
NFL Network airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis and is the first television network fully dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football. For more information, log onto www.nfl.com/nflnetwork.
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