Wednesday, January 14, 1998

NFL can thank Jerry Jones for television gold mine

By Randy Galloway

Dallas Morning News

(KRT)

DALLAS - Only last week, a Fox national network executive made a confession to our man Barry Horn. With ratings at a sharp decline for NFC playoff games, he admitted, "We miss the Cowboys."

This week, however, Fox agreed to pay $550 million a season to the NFL for continuing rights to do NFC games. That's up 39 percent from the last contract four years ago, a staggering increase under any conditions. But this was also a season when ratings, like the Cowboys, nosedived from September on.

Admittedly, it's all funny money to me, but here's a thought:

If Fox is going to push itself to the financial ledge for a product that's in viewership decline, and if the Cowboys are the one team in the league that can drive national ratings - which they are, and that's been proved - then why weren't the Fox brains a bit more creative?

If it's me in the Fox box, I take an unsigned check for $550 million to the office of the commissioner, and then wave it under Paul Tagliabue's nose.

"Tags," I say, "Fox signs off on this check for 1998 only if you, the high priest of football, straighten out that mess in Dallas. And our plan is simple.

"You, as commissioner, will hereby order the Green Bay Packers to immediately turn over coach Mike Holmgren and general manager Ron Wolf to the Dallas Cowboys Football Club. We at Fox don't want Green Bay being the best team in football. There are more TV sets in Waco than all of Wisconsin.

"In addition, Tags, you will order owner Jerry Jones to be placed under house arrest, and not be allowed to leave his University Park residence for a minimum of three years, or possibly ever. In no way do we want Jones interfering with real football guys.

"Without question, Mr. Commissioner, I think you, of all people, will agree this is in the best interest of the NFL, of Fox, and of the Dallas Cowboys."

A perfect plan, even if I say so myself. And Tagliabue would have loved it, particularly that part about indefinite house arrest for Jones. Unfortunately, the Fox people fumbled and signed the check anyway.

Therefore, Jones and the rest of the NFL are now in the process of reaping unheard of financial gains from this latest round of TV negotiations. Over the eight-year life of the new contract, Fox is agreeing to pay $4.4 billion. CBS, shut out the last time, took away the AFC games from NBC for $4 billion. NBC tried to recoup by challenging ABC for the Monday night package, but ABC won out. Everybody gets rich.

And who should receive the most credit?

Our man Jones, that's who. They are rather touchy in the New York league office about heaping praise on Jones for the TV billions, but go back almost exactly four years and consider three decisions Jones made almost simultaneously.

All three are now having a monster impact on the NFL and, by testimony of TV networks executives, on the one team most important to national ratings, Jerry's Cowboys.

(1) Jones parted company with a dynasty-building coach. (2) Jones replaced that coach with a hire out of left field. (3) Jones ignored the disbelief of fellow owners and openly invited a rank network outsider, Fox, to become involved in the rights bidding.

As we sit here today, the logical question is, why wasn't Jones as brilliant with his coaching hire as he was with his television revenue brainstorm?

The Cowboys are in shambles while the NFL TV package, because of Fox's involvement, has exploded beyond belief.

So what if the football ratings are down, which in TV normally means the seller's market takes a hit. But with the addition of big bucks Fox, four networks now compete for three major packages (NFC, AFC and Monday night). And when CBS didn't tote the note last time, it was crippled as a network.

Not that he will ever hear it, because it's almost impossible for fellows NFL owner to do so, but they owe Jerry a round of thanks.

Meanwhile, back in Dallas, Jerry hears nothing but jeers for screwing up a great thing. Deserved jeers, by the way.

The Jones' master plan from four years ago that didn't (at)work is the one that now hits closest to home.

(Randy Galloway is a sports columnist for the Dallas Morning News. Write to him at: Dallas Morning News, Communications Center, Dallas, Texas 75265.)