FIRST OF ALL… scratch the Bears. This isn’t about them. If you’re a Bears’ fan, all I can say is… sorry. Same goes for those who follow the Minnesota Vikings. Just like the team from Chicago, they’re also none-defeated.
This is about tonight’s big matchup between the two teams at the top of the NFC North division, Detroit and Green Bay. Unless you have tickets to storied Lambeau Field, and you’re already packed and ready to roll, you might be wondering how you can watch tonight’s game.
While we used to be able to count on our usual broadcast networks for just about every game on the schedule, times have changed. Now you have to get resourceful and find out who’s carrying the game, and how you can make it appear on your big screen.
I reached out to TV6 Vice President/General Manager Rick Rhoades to find out why one of his stations, Fox or TV6, hasn’t picked it up. “The Thursday Night Football franchise belongs to Amazon now. So, we don’t have any clearance to broadcast the game. We can’t even ask for permission, trust me, I tried.”
Okay… I trust him. For one thing, being able to broadcast tonight’s game would have been a virtual gold mine for Rhoades and his sales staff. The local interest in this stand-alone Thursday night game would result in a ratings bonanza.
Beyond that, Rhoades is an unapologetic Lions’ fan, known for his endless optimism, even in the face of habitual disappointment. Which makes me wonder…why does his station choose to show the Packers over the Lions when both are playing at the same time? He explains… “The NFL/FOX allows us to choose a primary and secondary NFL team in our market. We’ve historically taken the Packers as the primary for the simple fact that it generates higher ratings and revenue for our station. The ratings difference and the revenue difference is substantial, so it’s 100% a business decision and has nothing to do with the proximity to Green Bay or the fact that we are a Michigan station. Those are not factors.”
As a Lions’ fan, just like Rhoades, it pains me to admit that the Packers have been the more compelling story for the last… well, too many years. But it’s entirely possible… dare I say it, the tide is turning.
What would happen if the Lions’ recent success continued deeper into the season? According to Rhoades, “There could be a chance that we would pre-empt a Packer game over a Lions game if the Lions game has more meaning. With that said, the Green Bay Packers will be the primary team for WLUC until the data starts to show otherwise.”
So how can one watch tonight’s game? Rhoades graciously suggests you could use your Amazon Prime Membership, or you could go to a friend’s house who has that. Beyond that, several local pubs will have the game, including, but not limited to… Rose’s Dugout, Breakers, 906 Sports Bar, and Third Base. Thomas Theater is also showing the game, free of charge.
Of course, if you have no interest in the football game, you can always watch the ‘People’s Choice Country Awards.’ That’s on TV6, at 8 o’clock. I’m pretty sure Rick Rhoades would approve.