Pats/Giants Net Most Viewers Since '95

NFL agrees to let CBS, NBC broadcast the game, too

(NEWSER) - The Patriots' pursuit of perfection will be on national TV after all. The NFL relented to widespread complaints today and announced that Saturday night's game will be broadcast on CBS and NBC along with the NFL Network, the Boston Herald reports. Original plans to air the game only on the latter network rankled fans who didn't want to miss a chance to see the Patriots beat the Giants to finish 16-0. More»

CBS execs expect to lose millions, but hope Favre will draw viewers

(NEWSER) - Tom Brady’s season-ending knee injury may have crippled the New England Patriots, but what will it cost in dollars and cents? As the NFL’s marquee player, Tom Brady is a money-making machine—yet executives at CBS, which pays $622 million for the AFC package, won't say how many millions his torn ACL will cost them. "You can't really quantify it," one tells Newsweek. More»

But in Super Bowl XLVI, Manning made a hero of himself

(NEWSER) - Last night's big game was intensely fought, undeniably exciting—and a little mystifying, thanks to Eli Manning's unusual brand of heroism. Analysts weigh in on the game's place in football history:

• Last night brought us "the most Eli Manning moment of Eli Manning’s career." During the game-winning touchdown, we saw "a hero shot in which the conqueror looks totally confused by his conquest," with "arms half-raised in quasi-triumph." His quiet humility was the polar opposite of Tom Brady's "aggro posture," but it remains "difficult to understand," writes Josh Levin at Slate .

NFL commentator ends 476-game streak to see the grandkids

(NEWSER) - For the first time in 28 years, sportscaster John Madden will not call a regular-season NFL game this weekend, ending an impressive run of 476 without absence, the Washington Post reports. The hiatus is expected to be short for Madden—now 72 and working NBC’s Sunday-night broadcast—who crisscrosses the country in a bus due to his fear of flying. More»

Average team worth over $1B

(NEWSER) - The NFL is the richest pro sports league in the world, with the average value of each franchise topping $1 billion, reports Bloomberg. The combined value of the league jumped 7% from last year and has more than tripled since Forbes began ranking the teams 10 years ago. The jump is primarily attributed to new stadiums and increased sponsorship deals. The Dallas Cowboys remain at the top of the list, with a value of $1.61 billion. More»