Green Bay Packers in HD ??

[Todd Wiedemann]

The NFL released the 2003 schedules today.

Here's a wish list for our Pack in HD !! (Potential HD in BOLD)

Code Select Expand

[B]Aug. 4 Kansas City Chiefs ABC[/B]
Aug. 9 at Atlanta Falcons State
[B]Aug. 15 at Cleveland Browns CBS[/B]
Aug. 23 Carolina Panthers State
Aug. 28 Tennessee Titans State

Sept. 7 Minnesota Vikings FOX
Sept. 14 Detroit Lions FOX
Sept. 21 at Arizona Cardinals FOX
[B]Sept. 29 at Chicago Bears ABC[/B]
Oct. 5 Seattle Seahawks FOX
[B]Oct. 12 Kansas City Chiefs CBS[/B]
Oct. 19 at St. Louis Rams FOX
Oct. 26 Open Date
[B]Nov. 2 at Minnesota Vikings ESPN[/B]
[B]Nov. 10 Philadelphia Eagles ABC[/B]
Nov. 16 at Tampa Bay Bucs FOX
Nov. 23 San Francisco 49ers FOX
Nov. 27 at Detroit Lions FOX
Dec. 7 Chicago Bears FOX
Dec. 14 at San Diego Chargers FOX
[B]Dec. 22 at Oakland Raiders ABC[/B]
[B]Dec. 28 Denver Broncos CBS[/B]Keeping fingers crossed for all of them !!

[gb4fan92]

The Monday Nite games on ABC will be HD. All Monday nite games this year are HD. Also the Sunday nite game on ESPN will be HD. Here's hoping that TWC has ESPNHD by then!

[Todd Wiedemann]

I appreciate your optimism, Ken.

After the ESPN-HD carriage debacle, I'm not going to believe anything until it's in 1080i (I know, 720p, my Mits converts )

[John L]

WTMJ-TV and DT will carry the games listed as either "State" or "ESPN".

-John L.

[Todd Wiedemann]

Hmm ... perhaps that's something Sean from TMJ could answer:

WTMJ-TV and DT will carry the games listed as either "State" or "ESPN".

Will TMJ grab the ESPN-HD feed and put it on 4-1 (28) ?

That sure would be a bonus as about 10 people in Las Vegas are the only people currently receiving ESPN-HD !!

Ok, maybe 10 is a bit of exaggeration.

[Kevin Arnold]

YES!  Hadn't thought of that.  Each and every Packers ESPN game can be broadcast OTA in the Packer's home market.  And since everyone now has a digital station - - -it should work.  Now is the time to push for this.  Probably will take time to set the thing up so let's start now.  I always thought WISN carried the ESPN games, though.  Anyone???

[Todd Wiedemann]

The rights switched this off-season. Here's a quote from packers.com:

The Green Bay Packers, Green Bay's WFRV-TV (NewsChannel 5), the CBS station that is part of the Viacom Television Stations Group, have reached agreement on a new and comprehensive three-year broadcasting partnership that will bring year-round Packers programming in addition to preseason games, to fans throughout Wisconsin and the upper Midwest, it was announced today by Craig Benzel, the Packers' director of corporate sponsorships, and R. Perry Kidder, vice president and general manager of WFRV-TV.

Under terms of the far-reaching agreement, which includes a major alliance with WTMJ-TV in Milwaukee, the Packers will present the most comprehensive and varied team programming in the club's 74-year broadcasting history, Benzel said.

WFRV-TV and WTMJ-TV will create a television studio in the Lambeau Field Atrium for the origination of regular on-site programming, including news, sports and/or weather, throughout the year.

The new broadcasting package will include:

... Televising, by CBS Sports and WFRV-TV in conjunction with Milwaukee's WTMJ-TV, Packers preseason games over an expanded, eight-station network throughout the state of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, with CBS network production, personnel and the latest network quality technology;

... An informative half-hour show prior to each preseason game;

... A half-hour preview show during training camp;

... A new Packers "Fifth Quarter" show Sunday nights during the regular season, originating from the Lambeau Field Atrium, that will include player guests;

... A half-hour Holiday special highlighting the Packers' extensive and ongoing community relations efforts;

... The involvement and expertise of Larry McCarren, WFRV-TV sports director and Packers Radio Network analyst, as well as WTMJ-TV personnel, in the telecasts.

In addition to WFRV-TV and WTMJ-TV, the games will be televised over WKOW/ABC, Madison, Wis.; WAOW/ABC, Wausau/Rhinelander, Wis.; WXOW/ABC, La Crosse, Wis.; WQOW/ABC, Eau Claire; WYOW/ABC, Eagle River, Wis.; and WJMN/CBS, Marquette, Mich.

[Kevin Arnold]

I think that for the one ESPN evening game, the rights for that are still with the local ABC affiliate i.e. WISN.  The article you have seems to refer to the pre-season schedule.

[Todd Wiedemann]

A good point ...

Perhaps Sean can answer this too !!

[borghe]

heh.. so the list pretty much means everything is potentially HD except for pre-season and fox.. got it.

[John L]

I guess it wouldn't matter since Faux-6 puts out a low power signal that nobody can receive.

[Tom Snyder]

Chuck Steinmetz (Fox 6's GM) told me last Fall, that, as soon as the weather improves, they will have their tower guys back at work.  They should be at full power well in time for the beginning of the season.  

So although not HD, they will be Fox "enhanced definition"  and will be widely available throught the Milwaukee DMA.

[mhz40]

Originally posted by Tom Snyder
Chuck Steinmetz (Fox 6's GM) told me last Fall, that, as soon as the weather improves, they will have their tower guys back at work.  They should be at full power well in time for the beginning of the season.  

So although not HD, they will be Fox "enhanced definition"  and will be widely available throught the Milwaukee DMA.

IMO, don't hold your breath.
It was my understanding that while it is true that current plans are to relocate the antenna on the tower, no new transmitter was on the radar screen.

MHz40

[Matt Heebner]

Faux needs to get with the game here. Even the worst produced HD broadcast still makes any 480p (yea right) broadcast look shameful. I guess it will just be a matter of time till FAUX will be feeling the pressure of "true HD" from ESPN-HD, and HDNet Sports, as well as the regular broadcast stations.


Matt

[oflaherty]

Yes, the games listed as "State" will be on WTMJ, but they will only be standard definition.

And yes, Kevin is correct, the local ABC station gets the first shot at the ESPN game. If they don't want to show it, then the other stations get a shot at it.
---
Sean at TMJ