Sony email leaks, or how the NFL picked the wrong producer to mess with

[BrandonFG]

The Sony leaked emails have been a pretty big story this week, and now it looks like Sony's two games are involved. This is related to how the NFL (mis)handled the preemptions of Wheel and Jeopardy! for NFL coverage. The article also explains how this might impact the two shows' ratings situations.

http://deadspin.com/how-cbs-and-the-nfl-teamed-up-to-screw-wheel-of-fortune-1670315974

[TLEberle]

I feel a little dirty reading somebody else's e-mails when they weren't for public consumption, but I did, and holy cow.

[BrandonFG]

Yeah...I stayed away from the emails, especially the more controversial ones, but the back story itself here is pretty fascinating.

[Fedya]

How is the NFL supposed to know what the OTA affiliates are going to do with preempted programming?  Or is this another example of people deciding to dump on the easy-to-hate Roger Goodell because they can get away with it?

[irwinsjournal.com]

Or is this another example of people deciding to dump on the easy-to-hate Roger Goodell because they can get away with it?

Not sure where I stand on that, though I did find this comment following the Buzzerblog story amusing:

Looking forward to Goodell appearing on Celebrity Jeopardy and being unable to phrase his responses in the form of a question and changing his Final Jeopardy wager after the fact.

[PYLdude]

Does this seem overblown to anybody else?

[parliboy]

Does this seem overblown to anybody else?

No, not really.  Not if you read the e-mail chain.

1) The NFL mislead (because I'm too classy to say "lied to") Harry Friedman about the severity of how his two properties would be affected by CBS channels carrying the NFL on Thursday night.

2) At the same time it also wanted Jeopardy to write a category promoting the NFL Thursday games.  Said category involved Jeopardy doing all of the work, paying for photos because the NFL didn't bother to provide any, and having the clear the material with the NFL.  The NFL called it "cross-promotion" but never reciprocated.

3) This all happened in Wheel and Jeopardy's renewal year, which has a lot to do with how much Sony can charge for its shows, and for that matter whether stations are even willing to carry them.

4) The result of this will be many millions of dollars of lost revenue to Sony.

[TLEberle]

2) At the same time it also wanted Jeopardy to write a category promoting the NFL Thursday games.  Said category involved Jeopardy doing all of the work, paying for photos because the NFL didn't bother to provide any, and having the clear the material with the NFL.  The NFL called it "cross-promotion" but never reciprocated.

Where I'm curious is to how NFL would reciprocate back. Ads on NFL network or during NFL on CBS?

From what I've read, Jeopardy is very willing to do synergistic things when it comes to categories for New York Times, National Geography Week or several other cross-promotional opportunities and NFL has burned a bridge here.

I think what might be the most galling thing for Sony is the fact that the TNF games have been awful; Plan 9 from Outer Space levels of bad.

[clemon79]

This is related to how the NFL (mis)handled the preemptions of Wheel and Jeopardy! for NFL coverage.

I dunno if I'd call it "mishandling." They got what they wanted and farked over Sony just fine.

[BrandonFG]

What the NFL fails to realize, is that with their misleading (to borrow Gene's phrase), that's a bunch of Sports Jeopardy material that might not happen should it get a second season. SJ, from what I've seen, uses quite a few pro football clues, as it should.

[BrandonFG]

This is related to how the NFL (mis)handled the preemptions of Wheel and Jeopardy! for NFL coverage.

I dunno if I'd call it "mishandling." They got what they wanted and farked over Sony just fine.

Good point.

[jjman920]

How is the NFL supposed to know what the OTA affiliates are going to do with preempted programming?  Or is this another example of people deciding to dump on the easy-to-hate Roger Goodell because they can get away with it?

Should that matter? Do affiliates air Wheel/J! early if it is going to be preempted? Some stations might not want to preempt their news or other syndicated programming to shoehorn Wheel/J! in early. The latest a preempted episode would air would be sometime after midnight after the post-game show, the news, and late night programming, and CBS had to know that.

Reading the e-mails, it seems as if Harry was way too trusting of CBS and the NFL. If I were told that CBS picked up a four hour block of football to air in primetime, I'd immediately know what was up instead of being somehow blindsided by it.

[Fedya]

From what I've read, Jeopardy is very willing to do synergistic things when it comes to categories for New York Times, National Geography Week or several other cross-promotional opportunities and NFL has burned a bridge here.

I for one have always found the synergy categories mildly off-putting, although I can't quite put my finger on why.  Probably the same reason some of the in-game sports advertising (eg. The team is in the [insert sponsor name here] red zone) is off-putting.

[dale_grass]

I for one have always found the synergy categories mildly off-putting, although I can't quite put my finger on why.  Probably the same reason some of the in-game sports advertising (eg. The team is in the [insert sponsor name here] red zone) is off-putting.

"Say what, now?"

[BrandonFG]

From what I've read, Jeopardy is very willing to do synergistic things when it comes to categories for New York Times, National Geography Week or several other cross-promotional opportunities and NFL has burned a bridge here.

I for one have always found the synergy categories mildly off-putting, although I can't quite put my finger on why.  Probably the same reason some of the in-game sports advertising (eg. The team is in the [insert sponsor name here] red zone) is off-putting.

The borderline product placement aspect? Although the CFB (Sponsor) Red Zone is prolly a bit worse. When my employer's football team started up a few years back, they had sponsors for the red zone and first down whenever they played on offense. The local paper had a field day with it.

I'm more bothered by everything from the starting lineup to the halftime show to the highlight reel having a sponsor.

/Don't even get me started on the bowl games