How long have the networks been switching to the ends of NFL games?

[danderson400]

How long has the networks been bringing viewers bonus coverage of games after their scheduled game was done? E.g. like last year on CBS viewers who got Saints-Rams were shown the end of the Jaguars-Cardinals game. Also, when did the networks start the practice of sometimes switching viewers to another game if the competitive phase of the one they were viewing was over?

[sandfan]

For certain in 1968. Remember the Heidi game? Maybe before that.

[Rollers]

For certain in 1968.  Remember the Heidi game?  Maybe before that.

They didn't switch to a game.  They switched to the movie

[danderson400]

Last year, CBS switched us to the Bengals-Ravens game, it was for the last playoff spot. The Bengals won, and the Bills the last playoff spot in the AFC. Fox did the same thing in 2006, switching us to 49ers-Broncos, since it decided the last playoff spot too.

[danderson400]

I'd say it was no earlier than 77, because i once watched the Patriots-Colts game from the last week of that season, and Dick Enberg welcomes the viewers who were watching the Steelers-Chargers game. He later does the same thing for viewers watching the Cowboys-Broncos game, since it was also a 4pm game.

[SteelCity343]

I remember three instances where CBS brought me two games of bonus coverage. My local CBS station is KHOU Channel 11.

Example 1: Once the Texans/Cowboys game (Ian Eagle PBP) in Week 5 of 2014 ended in overtime, James Brown brought us bonus coverage of the end of the Ravens/Colts game (Kevin Harlan PBP), followed for some reason by the Browns completing a 25-point comeback vs. the Titans, which remains the largest comeback on the road in NFL history. Andrew Catalon, the PBP voice of the game, welcomed viewers watching BAL/IND, since that and the HOU/DAL game were at 1pm EST.

Example 2: The ending of the low-scoring affair between the Steelers and the Rams in Week 3 of the 2015 season meant bonus coverage for Colts/Titans (called by Tom McCarthy), which had a pretty thrilling finish. Afterwards, for whatever the reason, James Brown brought the IND/TEN viewers to Bengals/Ravens, and Catalon, who was calling said game with Steve Tasker and Steve Beuerlein, welcomed viewers watching the IND/TEN game, since that and the PIT/STL game (called by Greg Gumbel) were 1pm EST games.

Example 3: I watched the Titans/Texans game in 2014 Week 13, and the CBS telecast had bonus coverage of the Bengals/Buccaneers game precede bonus coverage of the Chargers/Ravens game. James Brown introduced viewers to bonus coverage of both of those games. Spero Dedes called the CIN/TB game, while Ian Eagle called the SD/BAL game.

[danderson400]

Another one- can't remember what week, but at the end of the Steelers-Patriots game last year, CBS gave us bonus coverage of the Titans-49ers game.

[danderson400]

I remember three instances where CBS brought me two games of bonus coverage. My local CBS station is KHOU Channel 11.

Example 1: Once the Texans/Cowboys game (Ian Eagle PBP) in Week 5 of 2014 ended in overtime, James Brown brought us bonus coverage of the end of the Ravens/Colts game (Kevin Harlan PBP), followed for some reason by the Browns completing a 25-point comeback vs. the Titans, which remains the largest comeback on the road in NFL history. Andrew Catalon, the PBP voice of the game, welcomed viewers watching BAL/IND, since that and the HOU/DAL game were at 1pm EST.

Example 2: The ending of the low-scoring affair between the Steelers and the Rams in Week 3 of the 2015 season meant bonus coverage for Colts/Titans (called by Tom McCarthy), which had a pretty thrilling finish. Afterwards, for whatever the reason, James Brown brought the IND/TEN viewers to Bengals/Ravens, and Catalon, who was calling said game with Steve Tasker and Steve Beuerlein, welcomed viewers watching the IND/TEN game, since that and the PIT/STL game (called by Greg Gumbel) were 1pm EST games.

Example 3: I watched the Titans/Texans game in 2014 Week 13, and the CBS telecast had bonus coverage of the Bengals/Buccaneers game precede bonus coverage of the Chargers/Ravens game. James Brown introduced viewers to bonus coverage of both of those games. Spero Dedes called the CIN/TB game, while Ian Eagle called the SD/BAL game.

I remember the Browns-Titans game. CBS took us to that game at some point. I guess it was after the Ravens-Colts game.

[Crash]

The first "bonus coverage" I recall on Sunday ticket was 1999 Raiders at Chiefs which decided a playoff spot and the whole AFC country saw it.

Derrick Thomas' last game. Which caused a delay in showing Titans at Steelers at which many thought Bill Cowher may be fired at seasons end due to his rift with Tom Donahoe.

[danderson400]

A few from 97

In week 11, the Patriots-Bills game became one-sided, so NBC sent us to the Seahawks-Chargers game, and Don Criqui welcomed viewers of that game. Later on, when the game in Buffalo ended, he welcomed the viewers in the 2 home markets who saw the rest of the Patriots-Bills game.

in week 13, when the Chargers-49ers game ended, NBC sent us to the Chiefs-Seahawks game.

in week 16, when the Dolphins-Colts game became a blowout, NBC sent us to the Jaguars-Bills game.

[SteelCity343]

Another one- can't remember what week, but at the end of the Steelers-Patriots game last year, CBS gave us bonus coverage of the Titans-49ers game.

That was in Week 15 of last season. I remember that scenario too.

[SteelCity343]

Got a couple of examples from 2012-2013:

The first time I've ever heard of a game-switch when one team is blowing out the other was when my TV station KHOU switched from the Broncos/Panthers game (which became a blowout) to the Bills/Patriots game (which was much more competitive) in Week 10 of 2012.

Another example of this happened in Week 16 of 2013, when the Patriots were beating up the Ravens in one CBS' two late games, KHOU switched to the other CBS late game in Steelers/Packers, a game that would go down to the wire.

[mcmillenandwife]

Got a couple of examples from 2012-2013:

The first time I've ever heard of a game-switch when one team is blowing out the other was when my TV station KHOU switched from the Broncos/Panthers game (which became a blowout) to the Bills/Patriots game (which was much more competitive) in Week 10 of 2012.

Another example of this happened in Week 16 of 2013, when the Patriots were beating up the Ravens in one CBS' two late games, KHOU switched to the other CBS late game in Steelers/Packers, a game that would go down to the wire.

They've been pulling the plug and switching to more competitive games during blow-outs since I was a kid. I can distinctly remember it happening during the late '70's.

As to bonus coverage, that's a different issue. 

I did notice while watching the '78 Steelers/Saints game that they were showing other games live (real time) during halftime.

[danderson400]

Got a couple of examples from 2012-2013:

The first time I've ever heard of a game-switch when one team is blowing out the other was when my TV station KHOU switched from the Broncos/Panthers game (which became a blowout) to the Bills/Patriots game (which was much more competitive) in Week 10 of 2012.

Another example of this happened in Week 16 of 2013, when the Patriots were beating up the Ravens in one CBS' two late games, KHOU switched to the other CBS late game in Steelers/Packers, a game that would go down to the wire.

They've been pulling the plug and switching to more competitive games during blow-outs since I was a kid. I can distinctly remember it happening during the late '70's.

As to bonus coverage, that's a different issue. 

I did notice while watching the '78 Steelers/Saints game that they were showing other games live (real time) during halftime.

NBC started switching to to more competitive games during blow-outs in 78. i know because i've seem them mention that most stations were switching to  a better game. I guess you had Colts games switched because they were awful back then.

[danderson400]

The first "bonus coverage" I recall on Sunday ticket was 1999 Raiders at Chiefs which decided a playoff spot and the whole AFC country saw it.

Derrick Thomas' last game.  Which caused a delay in showing Titans at Steelers at which many thought Bill Cowher may be fired at seasons end due to his rift with Tom Donahoe.

I remember we had the Colts-Bills game and CBS switched us to the Raiders-Chiefs game because the Colts-Bills game was a blowout. At the same time, Fox switched to the Cardinals-Packers game when the Saints-Panthers game was over.

[SteelCity343]

Two example for FOX:

In Week 1 of the 2014 season, once the Redskins/Texans game (the game my local FOX station KRIV had) ended, the network brought me bonus coverage for the Saints/Falcons game which ended in the Falcons winning 37-34 in overtime. Then in Week 17 of that same season, after the Jaguars/Texans (which was 'crossflexed' or should I say, 'traded' from CBS to FOX in exchange for the Panthers/Falcons game that would decide the NFC South championship) came to an end, FOX sent viewers out to Washington for the end of the Cowboys/Redskins game, which strangely was the game that FOX took the viewers who got that game out of for JAX/HOU because the DAL/WSH game was beginning to become a blowout.

[danderson400]

A few more form the NBC era:

in 1993, when the Chiefs were pulling away from the Bucs, NBC switched us to the Dolphins-Colts game. Later that season, when the Broncos were pulling away from the Steelers, NBC sent us to the Raiders-Chargers game.

I do remember seeing the end of Steelers-Chargers in week 17 of 94, can't remember what game we got that week.