by Chad Jones
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| Tebow with the Patriots. Photo credit SI.com |
Commissioner Roger Goodell announced future NFL Drafts will take place in May, a move aimed at extending the offseason through the lull period that invariably emerges after the drafts conclusion. The NFL once was a September-February business, covering half the calendar year. Efforts to make the NFL a year round business have paid extraordinary dividends.
Even casual fans are drawn into the annual NFL draft, which was moved to Primetime to accommodate TV audiences. The NFL Combine has lure, with fans talking 40 times & hot QB prospects around the water cooler. The merger of sports & entertainment was inevitable, but under Commissioner Goodell it's catalyzed significantly.
Television Executives meet to brainstorm intriguing NFL topics. Increased viewership equates to more earnings. Let's be honest, the NFL Top 100 & ESPN's opinion of the Top 20 Coaches aren't exactly must-see television. In the past lull period (June & July), newsworthy headlines were the league wide Police blotter. The past two offseasons have been different, with Tim Tebow becoming the media darling, a polarizing national icon that has an unparalleled strength: The Ability to generate fan interest & thus ratings during the lull period of NFL coverage.
Realistically, Tim Tebow is a media star that has likely begun brainstorming future careers. He will undoubtedly have a host of options, but quarterbacking an NFL team over a 16 game schedule is not one of them. So as Tebow signs with the Patriots, analysts will wax poetically about how guru Bill Belichick will use the untalented starlet. But make no mistake, this was a Robert Kraft Move.
Bob Kraft is the most influential owner, the man who led the NFL through the lockout to labor peace & sits on numerous important committees. The NFL is currently a $ 9 Billion dollar business, largely attributed to television contracts. So what does Kraft do? He signs the media darling, providing a discussion topic & fan interest catalyst. From the Patriots team perspective, it reduces fan criticism on Wes Welker's departure, and helps Coach Belichick avoid unending Gronkowski health questions. But make no mistake, this was a Robert Kraft Move.
Even casual fans are drawn into the annual NFL draft, which was moved to Primetime to accommodate TV audiences. The NFL Combine has lure, with fans talking 40 times & hot QB prospects around the water cooler. The merger of sports & entertainment was inevitable, but under Commissioner Goodell it's catalyzed significantly.
Television Executives meet to brainstorm intriguing NFL topics. Increased viewership equates to more earnings. Let's be honest, the NFL Top 100 & ESPN's opinion of the Top 20 Coaches aren't exactly must-see television. In the past lull period (June & July), newsworthy headlines were the league wide Police blotter. The past two offseasons have been different, with Tim Tebow becoming the media darling, a polarizing national icon that has an unparalleled strength: The Ability to generate fan interest & thus ratings during the lull period of NFL coverage.
Realistically, Tim Tebow is a media star that has likely begun brainstorming future careers. He will undoubtedly have a host of options, but quarterbacking an NFL team over a 16 game schedule is not one of them. So as Tebow signs with the Patriots, analysts will wax poetically about how guru Bill Belichick will use the untalented starlet. But make no mistake, this was a Robert Kraft Move.
Bob Kraft is the most influential owner, the man who led the NFL through the lockout to labor peace & sits on numerous important committees. The NFL is currently a $ 9 Billion dollar business, largely attributed to television contracts. So what does Kraft do? He signs the media darling, providing a discussion topic & fan interest catalyst. From the Patriots team perspective, it reduces fan criticism on Wes Welker's departure, and helps Coach Belichick avoid unending Gronkowski health questions. But make no mistake, this was a Robert Kraft Move.
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