Why Isnt The Chiefs Game On Cbs?

Why Isn’t the Chiefs Game on CBS?

Okay, Chiefs fans, you’re probably here because you’re scratching your head, wondering why you can’t watch your favorite team on CBS this week. It’s a common question, and the answer isn’t always as simple as “CBS doesn’t want to show them.” Let’s break down the different reasons why the Kansas City Chiefs might be playing on a channel other than CBS. It’s all about television contracts, scheduling rules, and a bit of luck of the draw. We’ll look into all of these factors so you can understand how the NFL determines which game appears on which network.

The NFL’s Broadcasting Rights: A Complex Web

The NFL has a very specific way of handling how games get shown on television, and it’s not just about picking and choosing who plays where. It’s all tied up in contracts, which are basically long agreements between the NFL and television networks like CBS, Fox, NBC, ESPN, and now even Amazon Prime. These contracts give each network the right to show certain types of games. Understanding how these contracts work is key to figuring out why the Chiefs might not be on CBS in any particular week. Think of it like a big jigsaw puzzle where each network gets a specific set of pieces.

Conference Affiliations Matter

One of the biggest factors in deciding which games go where is the conference affiliation of the teams playing. The NFL has two main conferences: the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). Typically, CBS has primary rights to AFC games, while Fox has primary rights to NFC games. So, if the Chiefs, an AFC team, are playing another AFC team, the game is usually on CBS. However, this rule isn’t set in stone, and there are exceptions which we will discuss further in the article. There are some scenarios where an AFC team can appear on a NFC network.

Understanding the “Cross-Flex” and “Flex” Scheduling

Things become more complicated with “cross-flex” and “flex” scheduling. “Cross-flexing” allows the NFL to switch a game between CBS and Fox. This is to make sure that the best matchups or most interesting games get the biggest television audience. Before 2014, the networks pretty much had their games locked in by conference, but the cross-flex allows the NFL to choose better games for the bigger television audiences. This happens sometimes when a really popular NFC team is playing a less popular AFC team and vise versa.

“Flex” scheduling is a little different. This involves swapping game times on Sunday afternoons and sometimes moving games to Sunday Night Football or Monday Night Football. When the season starts, the schedule is initially set, but between week 5 to 17 of the regular season, NFL can flex games to different time slots, ensuring the best matchups are in prime time slots when more viewers are likely to watch. It doesn’t change the network but rather the time of the game. These flex scheduling decisions are based on current season performance and popularity of the teams.

The Importance of Local Television Markets

Another factor in deciding which channel a game is on comes down to local television markets. Each team has a “home market,” which is the area where they have the most fans. The home market is determined by things like proximity to the stadium and the popularity of the team within a certain area. These local channels have specific broadcast rights, and those can affect which network ultimately carries a game. Typically, if your local market has a high concentration of fans, they are prioritized for game coverage. Also, if your local TV affiliate is a Fox station, and there are more local fans for the team that’s playing in the NFC, your local CBS station may not show a Chief game. It’s all about making sure as many local fans as possible get to see their team play.

The “Doubleheader” Effect

Sometimes, CBS has a “doubleheader,” meaning they broadcast two games in the same time slot on a Sunday afternoon. When this happens, the second game will usually be on in the areas with the most fans of the teams involved. This will influence the specific game you will receive on your local CBS channels.

Prime Time Games: Sunday, Monday and Thursday Night Football

Let’s not forget about the big prime-time games! These are the Sunday Night Football (SNF) games on NBC, the Monday Night Football (MNF) games on ESPN (and sometimes ABC), and the Thursday Night Football (TNF) games on Amazon Prime. These games usually include popular matchups and will get priority over regular Sunday afternoon games on CBS or Fox. The Chiefs, being a highly popular team, are often chosen to play in these prime-time slots. But if they’re playing on Thursday, Sunday or Monday night, that means you won’t be able to see their game on CBS.

For example, if the Chiefs are playing on Sunday Night Football, their game will be on NBC. If they are playing on Monday night, the game will be on ESPN. Thursday night games are on Amazon Prime Video. So, even though they are an AFC team, it is very possible they might not be playing on CBS. These prime time slots are very important for both the NFL and the broadcasting networks because they are viewed by more people and bring in more advertising revenue.

Amazon Prime’s Role

Amazon Prime Video now also broadcasts Thursday Night Football, which affects which games appear on other networks. Having Amazon as part of the NFL broadcasting family means even fewer games can be shown on CBS, Fox and NBC. This means that certain games, that otherwise would have appeared on traditional broadcast networks, are now exclusive to streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video.

Why The Chiefs Get Picked for Other Networks

The Kansas City Chiefs have been a very successful and popular team for a few years now. That means they’re attractive to television networks. Here is a more detailed look at why the Chiefs might end up on a network other than CBS:

• National Appeal: The Chiefs have many fans all over the country due to their past success and exciting style of play. This national appeal makes them desirable for national broadcasts on networks like NBC, ESPN, or Amazon Prime Video, which will attract a wider audience than a local broadcast might.
• Big Matchups: When the Chiefs are playing against other popular teams with big followings, the NFL often chooses to put those games in the national prime time slots on NBC or ESPN because the larger television audiences attract bigger advertising revenue.
• Playoff Implications: As the season goes on, games with significant playoff implications get extra attention. If a Chiefs game is really important for the playoff race, it might be moved to a prime time slot on NBC, ESPN or even ABC.
• Flexibility of the Schedule: The NFL’s ability to flex games means that a Chiefs game initially scheduled for a Sunday afternoon can easily be moved to a more prominent slot, often bumping it off CBS or Fox in the process.

Other Factors Affecting Broadcasts

It’s not always a direct, clear reason why a game isn’t on a particular network. Here are some other less obvious things that can play a part:

• Network Scheduling Conflicts: Sometimes, CBS might have other important programming commitments that take priority over a Chiefs game. This can include a major golf tournament, other sporting events or news programs that will take up the typical time slots for the NFL games.
• Network Preferences: Sometimes, networks may simply prefer to show certain teams or matchups based on their internal strategies. For example, CBS might want to prioritize a different AFC game in that same time slot.
• Geographic Considerations: The geographic location of the games, where the teams are located in the country, and the local TV markets in different areas also affect which network will carry a game. If your local area is largely comprised of fans of the NFC team that’s playing, the game may appear on a Fox affiliate instead of a CBS one.

Key Takeaways on the Chiefs’ TV Schedule

Let’s put this all together. Here’s a summary of why the Chiefs game might not be on CBS:

• NFL Contracts: CBS has the right to show the majority of AFC games, but that’s not the only factor.
• Cross-Flexing: The NFL can switch games between CBS and Fox for better matchups.
• Flex Scheduling: Games can be moved to Sunday Night, Monday Night, or Thursday Night.
• Local Markets: Local TV markets and their network affiliations can play a key part.
• Prime Time: The Chiefs, being popular, are often in prime time slots on NBC, ESPN, or Amazon Prime.
• Other Networks: With increasing broadcasting rights distributed to other networks, like ESPN or Amazon, there is a reduced amount of games on CBS.

It’s not a simple answer, but these are the major things that influence where you can watch the Kansas City Chiefs play each week.

So, while it can be frustrating when the Chiefs aren’t on CBS, now you know the process behind it. It’s all part of the complex puzzle of NFL broadcasting rights. Now, hopefully, you understand a bit more about how games are selected for television.