NFL on TNT

The NFL on TNT was the weekly United States television broadcast by Turner Network Television (TNT) of Sunday evening National Football League (NFL) games.

History

Sunday night games (1990–1997)

TNT televised NFL games from 1990 through the 1997 season. They broadcast Sunday night NFL games during the first half of the season, with ESPN taking over for the second half. TNT got a couple of Thursday night games to show, as ESPN did in the second half (TNT's Thursday night games were aired in place of Sunday night games that would have otherwise conflicted with the World Series). As has always been the case for cable NFL broadcasts, TNT's games were simulcast on regular over-the-air television stations in each participating team's local market so that households without cable television could still see the telecasts.

ESPN anchor Chris Berman referred to TNT's football programming by its original "Nitro" brand,^[1] even after TNT abandoned that moniker. (This is not to be confused with the professional wrestling show called WCW Monday Nitro.)

It does not appear that TNT's coverage ever used the title Sunday Night Football, and indeed ESPN filed for a trademark on that title in 1996 (the trademark was later assigned to the NFL, allowing for its eventual use by NBC).^[2]

The last game was aired on October 26, 1997. Fittingly, one of the teams involved was the Atlanta Falcons, based in the home city of Turner Broadcasting - Atlanta, Georgia (they played at their division rivals, the Carolina Panthers, located up Interstate 85 in Charlotte, North Carolina). Unlike the Braves, Hawks and Thrashers, however, Turner never owned the Falcons at any point in time (due to NFL ownership rules).

Schedules

Studio shows

The network had a one-hour studio pregame show, titled The Stadium Show,^[3] from 1990 to 1994. In 1995, this was reduced to a half-hour and retitled Pro Football Tonight,^[4] running though 1997. Ernie Johnson was one of the studio hosts during this time, and Mark May (now of ESPN) was one of the studio analysts before moving to the booth for the final season.

Fantasy Football legacy

The Sunday night TNT halftime show was the first major network NFL broadcast to utilize a player statistics "crawl" at the bottom of the screen. With Fantasy Football in its early stages of popularity, and the internet not being readily available to the general public, this was the only way for most fans to get updated Sunday player stats without waiting until the 11:00 PM or midnight sports highlight shows on CNN and ESPN. However, in the second half of the NFL season when ESPN would broadcast Sunday night games, Fantasy Football fans would be disappointed since ESPN did not provide the same detailed crawl during their halftime show.

Super Bowl Television

In addition to the Sunday night games, TNT also presented an annual special, Super Bowl Television. The program, which aired on Friday and Saturday night, mixed a preview of that season's game with entertainment segments. Ernie Johnson hosted the show from the Super Bowl host city.

The end of TNT's coverage

TNT lost their rights to the NFL following the 1997 season after ESPN chose to bid on the entire regular season package beginning in 1998.

Personalities

In the booth

Play-by-play

• Skip Caray^[5] (1990–1991)
• Gary Bender^[6] (1992–1994)
• Verne Lundquist (1995–1997)

Color commentary

• Pat Haden (1990–1997)
• Mark May (1997)

Sideline reporters

• Craig Sager (1990–1997)
• Bryan Burwell (1997)

Studio

Hosts

• Ernie Johnson (1990–1994)
• Vince Cellini (1995–1997)

Analysts

• Lawrence Taylor (1994)
• Mark May (1995–1996)
• Warren Moon (1995)
• Randall Cunningham (1996)
• Keith Jackson (1997)
• Sean Jones (1997)

References

1. TNT "Sunday Nitro" promo - 1990 on YouTube
2. USPTO Trademark Assignment Search for no. 75045443. Retrieved September 8, 2010.
3. TNT "Silver Bullet Stadium Show" clip with Jerry Jones preseason interview - 1991 on YouTube
4. Larry, Stewart (21 July 1995). "ABC Getting a Major Chance With British Open Coverage". Los Angeles Times.
5. 1990 Raiders at Bills - 1 on YouTube
6. 1994 Browns at Oilers - 1 of 4 on YouTube

External links

• 1997 NFL on TNT Schedule
• CNN/SI story regarding B.Smith fainting incident (bottom of page)