You could hear the groaning in the upper Midwest when the NFL playoff schedule appeared Sunday night and fans saw that Prime Video would broadcast the Packers-Bears wild-card game Saturday night. Though it might not be the most convenient outlet for fans, the NFL sent a clear signal that streaming is a priority for the present and future of its media rights.
The Sun-Times has learned that all five NFL TV partners — CBS, ESPN, Fox, NBC and Prime — politicked to carry Packers-Bears or 49ers-Eagles, viewed as the top two first-round matchups. The NFL’s general principle is to put the biggest game in the time slot with the biggest viewership, which is 3:30 p.