HARTFORD — This weekend, it’s Patriots versus Giants! No, they aren’t playing each other in week 6 of the NFL season. The two teams were both scheduled to play at the same time on the same station in Connecticut.
The local CBS affiliate, WFSB, has chosen to air the New England game Sunday at 1 p.m., leaving Giants’ fans in Connecticut with limited options.
For games not airing in primetime, when teams in different conferences play each other, the network of the visiting team gets the rights to air the game. So for this Sunday, the Ravens (AFC) are playing at the Giants (NFC) which means CBS has the right to air the game. In Connecticut, FOX is considered the NFC network and CBS is considered the AFC network.
FOX 61 does not have the option to air the Giants game. You can see the Philadelphia Eagles take on the Redskins Sunday at 1 p.m.
The rules about what games local TV stations are allowed to air are crafted between the NFL and networks which carry the games (FOX, CBS, NBC, ESPN and NFL Network). Local affiliates (i.e. FOX 61) have little control in the process – and are sometimes at the mercy of the decisions made on-the-fly by the network.
If you want to watch the Giants this weekend, you’ll need a premium channel like NFL Sunday Ticket, an online streaming option, or head to a local sports bar. Go Big Blue!
