Editing NFL Network (section)

=== 2007 Patriots vs. Giants controversy ===
{{Main|2007 New England Patriots–New York Giants game}}
In December 2007, [[United States Senate|U.S. Senator]] [[John Kerry]] of [[Massachusetts]] wrote a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell asking for the league to settle their differences in time for the [[2007 New England Patriots season|New England Patriots]]-[[2007 New York Giants season|New York Giants]] game on December 29 that would be broadcast on ''[[Run to the Playoffs|Saturday Night Football]]''. The game was the Patriots' record-sealing win that made them the first undefeated team through the regular season in 35 years. Kerry urged for a solution to be decided upon in time so that Americans could witness "a historic event".<ref>Reiss, Mike. [https://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/2007/12/kerry_presses_t.html Kerry presses on NFL Network] ''The Boston Globe'', December 6, 2007.</ref> An agreement was worked out between the NFL and two of the league's television partners, NBC and CBS, to allow the NFL Network broadcast of the game to be [[simulcast]] on those networks, resulting in the first NFL simulcast since [[Super Bowl I]] and the first three-network simulcast in the history of the league.<ref name="07PatriotsGiants">{{cite web | last = Donohue | first = Steve | title = NFL to Simulcast Patriots-Giants Game on CBS, NBC | publisher = Multichannel News | date = December 26, 2007 | url = http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6515305.html | access-date = December 26, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071229075239/http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6515305.html | archive-date = December 29, 2007 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

In addition, [[New York City]] area [[MyNetworkTV]] owned-and-operated station [[WWOR-TV]] (channel 9), and [[Hearst Television]]-owned [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliates [[WCVB-TV]] (channel 5) in [[Boston]] and [[WMUR-TV]] (channel 9) in [[Manchester, New Hampshire]], expressed dissatisfaction over the CBS/NBC simulcast, stating it violated their agreements with the network. The stations had already been scheduled to air the game, as per NFL rules. Greg Aiello, an NFL spokesperson, stated that NBC and CBS would not have agreed to present the simulcast without clearing the game nationally, including the aforementioned markets. WWOR came to an agreement with the network and showed the game along with WNBC and [[WCBS-TV]] (channel 2) in the New York City market. WCVB also would still televise the game and stated that it was still working toward resolving issues with the NFL Network over additional coverage rights.<ref name="07PatriotsGiants2">{{cite web | last = Reynolds | first = Mike | title = NFL Working Toward Local Accords Over Patriots Game | publisher = Multichannel News | date = December 28, 2007 | url = http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6515726.html | access-date = December 29, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080101123638/http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6515726.html | archive-date = January 1, 2008 | url-status = dead }}</ref> The result of these arrangements was that viewers in the New York, Boston and New Hampshire areas could see the game on up to four networks. Also in addition, satellite provider [[Dish Network]] and radio companies [[Sirius XM Radio]] and [[Entercom]], expressed dissatisfaction over the NBC/CBS simulcast.

[[RCN Corporation]], the 12th-largest cable provider in the U.S., stated that the league's deal with CBS and NBC "devalues its contract with the league’s in-house service." Greg Aiello, an NFL spokesperson, said he was unaware of dissatisfaction among NFL Network affiliates over the simulcast and if any were seeking a rebate or other form of compensation because the game was being more widely distributed. If that were the case, he said, those discussions would “take place privately with our TV partners.”<ref name="07RCNNFL">{{cite web | last = Reynolds | first = Mike | title = RCN Calls For Penalty On NFL Network Simulcast | publisher = Multichannel News | date = December 28, 2007 | url = http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6515727.html | access-date = December 29, 2007 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080108053212/http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6515727.html | archive-date = January 8, 2008 | url-status = dead }}</ref>