NFL Network NFL Network ( NFLN ) is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League ( NFL ) . It was launched November 4 , 2003 , only eight months after the league ' s 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation . The league invested $ 100 million to fund the network ' s operations . NFL Films produces commercials , television programs , and feature films for the NFL . It is a key supplier of NFL Network ' s programming , with more than 4 , 000 hours of footage available in their library . Thus , much of the network ' s highlights and recaps feature NFL Films ' trademark style of slow motion game action , sounds of the game , and the talk on the sidelines . Beginning with the 2006 season , the channel began to broadcast eight prime time regular season NFL games , currently running under the banner of " Thursday Night Football " . In addition to live games , the network has covered the NFL Draft since 2006 ; its coverage has competed with ESPN and ESPN2 . The NFL Network logo changed to match the new NFL logo , which premiered officially at the 2008 NFL Draft . Unlike the updated logo for the league , the NFL Network ' s new logo saw more subtle changes such as using a darker shade of blue and changing the " NFL " lettering to match that of the new NFL logo . The NFL Network works from studios in Culver City , California , near Los Angeles , and broadcasts their worldwide feed from Crawford Communications in Atlanta , GA . Starting with the 2010 season , the channel started broadcasting the Arena Football League . Each Friday , the NFL Network has a Game of the Week , going through the playoffs and culminating with the ArenaBowl . Also beginning in 2010 , the channel began to broadcast 14 regular season CFL games . It will also air the Grey Cup . Live NFL games . NFL Network televises eight live regular season games during the season . They run on either Thursday or Saturday nights , beginning in November . Five games usually air on Thursday nights and three on Saturday nights . As with the games broadcast by ESPN ' s " Monday Night Football " , they are also aired on broadcast TV in the primary media market s of the participating teams , although the home team ' s market broadcasts the game only if it is sold out 72 hours before game time . Veteran TV announcer Bryant Gumbel was the play - by - play announcer , and former Fox and current NBC analyst Cris Collinsworth was color commentator for six games . In 2006 , Collinsworth missed two Saturday games due to his NBC commitments . Dick Vermeil was his replacement in that event . Collinsworth won the Sports Emmy for best game analyst for his work on the NFL Network telecasts . Marshall Faulk and Deion Sanders replaced Collinsworth when needed in 2007 . These games are also broadcast on Westwood One Radio in the United States and Canada , by Sky Sports in the United Kingdom , and usually by Rogers Sportsnet in Canada ( except for games involving the Buffalo Bills , which are instead carried on CITY - TV ) . In August 2007 , the network televised the Pro Football Hall of Fame Game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New Orleans Saints due to NBC wanting to cover , the later cancelled , preseason game in China . The 2007 schedule began on Thanksgiving night , November 22 , with a game between the Indianapolis Colts and the Atlanta Falcons in Atlanta ' s Georgia Dome . Gumbel and Collinsworth returned as the booth announcers . On April 11 , 2008 , Gumbel resigned as play - by - play announcer . Four days later , the season schedule was released , with the Run to the Playoffs schedule modified . It will now begin the first Thursday in November instead of Thanksgiving and there will be no game in Week 17 . Bob Papa , who is also the radio voice of the New York Giants on WFAN , has announced the games since 2008 . Until the 2008 season , Cris Collinsworth also announced on the network . He has since been hired to replace John Madden on NBC games , who retired on April 16 , 2009 . Matt Millen , former general manager of the Detroit Lions , was named Collinsworth ' s replacement shortly thereafter . Former Washington Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann joined Papa and Millen in the booth for the 2010 - 11 season . In May 2011 it was announced that Brad Nessler and Mike Mayock would serve as the network ' s new game announcers . Other football . NFL exhibition season . NFL Network televises all 65 NFL exhibition games each August . Some are aired live , but a majority of these contests air on a tape - delayed basis , using the home team ' s local broadcast for the first half and the visitors ' broadcast for the second half and overtime if necessary . In 2007 , eight live broadcasts were scheduled ; two of them were produced by NFLN using the " Run to the Playoffs " production crew and the other six used the format just mentioned . Arena Football League . NFL Network carries the Arena Football League national broadcasts , which began in 2010 . NFL Network broadcasts a weekly Friday Night Football package every week at 8 : 00 ET , with the season running from March to August . The NFL stated that unlike when the NFL last showed interest in arena football , there will be no attempts to buy into the league . The NFL Network broadcasts the regular season each Friday and goes through the playoffs , culminating with the ArenaBowl . The NFL Network broadcast ArenaBowl XXIII in 2010 . Broadcasters include Kurt Warner , Tom Waddle , Paul Burmeister , Fran Charles , Charles Davis , and Ari Wolfe . College football . NFL Network televised the 2006 Insight Bowl between Minnesota and Texas Tech on December 29 , 2006 , from Tempe , Arizona . The game featured the biggest comeback in NCAA Division I - A bowl history , with Texas Tech coming back from a 38 - 7 third - quarter deficit to win 44 - 41 in overtime . The network has made the game available for free online viewing at its site . The network also broadcast the Texas Bowl in Houston , whose promotion rights are owned in part by the NFL ' s Houston Texans . It was played December 28 , 2006 . Rutgers defeated Kansas State , 37 - 10 . The network also showed a college all - star game after the season . The Under Armour Senior Bowl , in Mobile , Alabama which was played on January 27 , 2007 . NFL Network was also expected to show the Las Vegas All - American Classic in Henderson , Nevada on January 15 , but the game was canceled due to lack of sponsorship . On April 14 , 2007 , the network showed the Nebraska Cornhuskers ' spring football game . The network again aired the Insight , Texas , and Senior bowls in late 2007 and early 2008 . In addition , it showed two games between historically black colleges and universities in the 2007 season , one of which was the Circle City Classic at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis , Indiana . As of 2011 , with ESPN purchasing the rights to almost every bowl game except the Sun Bowl and Cotton Bowl Classic , NFL Network no longer airs any bowl games , although they continue to carry the Senior Bowl . High school football . NFLN aired two broadcasts of high school all - star games in June 2007 : the Bayou Bowl between players from Texas and Louisiana on June 9 ( NFLN carried the FSN Southwest feed live ) , and the Big 33 Football Classic between players from Pennsylvania and Ohio on June 16 ( sharing its feed with CN8 ( now Comcast Network ) and cable outlets in Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania and Ohio . Canadian Football League . On July 1 , 2010 , NFL Network began airing live Canadian Football League games simulcast from Canada ' s TSN . NFL Network will air Thursday games , three Saturday games in July , and then Friday night games beginning again in September ( after ArenaBowl XXIII ) . NFL Network won ' t air CFL games in August due to a large number of NFL preseason broadcasts . In addition , NFL Network does not show any playoff games , including the Grey Cup championship , as those games are all played on weekends . NFL Network HD . NFL Network HD is a 1080i high definition simulcast of NFL Network that launched in August 2004 . It is available nationally on DirecTV and Dish Network , and regionally on Verizon FiOS , AT & T Uverse , and some Comcast and Cox Communications cable systems . Shows that air in HD include " NFL Total Access " , " Around the League " , " NFL GameDay " , " Live Wire " , " Sounds of the Game " , " Starting 11 " , " Thursday Night Football and Saturday Night Football " , " NFL Replay " , and pre - season games . In mid - October 2008 , studio shows began to air in " enhanced HD " , and have contained extra scores and stats on the right side of the screen that are only seen on the HD version of the channel . Other content that ' s only available in standard definition is shown with stylized pillarboxes , or for some footage , blurred edges . On May 1 , 2009 , " NFL Total Access " began to air in full HD without pillarboxes or enhanced graphics . " NFL GameDay " began airing in HD the following September . NFL RedZone Channel . The NFL RedZone Channel is a special game day only channel with extended highlights , available on Sundays during the regular season , which premiered on September 13 , 2009 ; although a DirecTV produced channel under the same name was available to DirecTV subscribers as part of NFL Sunday Ticket prior to this date and in fact continues to run concurrently . It is hosted by Scott Hanson who explains and describes situations in transition from game to game . So far AT & T U - Verse , Comcast , Cox Communications , Dish Network , Verizon FiOS , Blue Ridge Communications , BendBroadband , Buckeye Cable , and several smaller cable companies have picked up the new channel . The channel is available in both standard and high definition . ESPN partnership . In a report from The Wall Street Journal Steve Bornstein , chief executive of the NFL Network and the former chairman of ESPN , has been in “ high - level discussions ” with NFL and Disney executives including CEO Robert Iger and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell . An analyst quoted in the report suggested combining NFL Network with ESPN Classic which has a wide distribution on expanded basic cable line - ups but attracts a modest audience . ESPN could use its market weight and demand more than the 16 to 17 cents per month that it currently receives from ESPN Classic . Though such a merger has yet to occur as of 2010 , ESPN Networks and NFL Network do share some programming ( such as " NFL ' s Greatest Games " ) . Distribution controversies . The NFL Network and various cable companies have been involved with carriage or lack of carriage of the NFL Network . The NFL Network has created controversy of its own with its site IWantMyNFL . com by encouraging cable customers to make the switch to DirecTV to receive the channel instead of asking cable customers to contact their cable provider and request the network . The site even goes as far as to ask Comcast customers to switch because of their recent decision to place the network on a digital sports tier . Comcast . On November 10 , 2006 Comcast announced it would add NFL Network on digital tiers in time for the eight - game Thursday - and Saturday - night package . On August 6 , 2007 Comcast moved NFL Network from the digital tiers to the " Sports Entertainment Package " . This led to a court battle between NFL Network and Comcast , with the ruling in favor of Comcast but the NFL Network appealed the ruling . Comcast sent NFL Network a cease - and - desist letter to stop encouraging subscribers to leave Comcast . Comcast ' s agreement with the NFL Network ends in mid - 2009 . On February 26 , 2008 an appellate court in New York reversed field on a judgment made in May 2007 that allowed Comcast to move the network from its second most distributed tier to the company ' s sports tier . At the time a court date has not been set . Four judges at New York ’ s Supreme Court , Appellate Division , First Department , ruled the language " concerning " additional programming package " was ambiguous and that " neither party has established that its interpretation of the relevant contracts is a matter of law . " " Comcast ' s deal with the NFL Network was set to expire on April 30 , 2009 . According to messages sent out to Comcast , Midco , and some Cable Systems customers with or without set - top boxes , NFL Network may be removed from some customers channel lineups . The message said : " In spite of out efforts to continue carrying NFL Network / NFL Network HD , the NFL may terminate our rights . As a result these networks may be removed from lineups as soon as 5 / 1 . " On April 10 , 2009 it was confirmed that Comcast would remove the channel on that date due to failing to reach a carriage agreement . However , as of April 30 , 2009 NFL Network has posted that they would keep running on Comcast so both sides can agree to terms on a good contract . On July 30 , 2009 NFL Network was made available to lower tiered Comcast Digital Cable subscribers . NFL Network later filed a discrimination case against Comcast with the FCC , claiming that since Comcast doesn ' t charge extra for its owned and operated sports channels Versus and The Golf Channel , it ' s unfair to charge extra for NFL Network . On October 10 , 2008 , the FCC ruled as follows : The Comcast trial . The trial before an administrative law judge ( as ordered above ) began on April 14 , 2009 . On April 17 , 2009 , Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts testified that Comcast is willing to move the channel from the Sports Entertainment Package to a lower priced base package if the subscriber fee was reduced to 25 cents per month . NFL Network currently charges a 75 cents per month fee . He claimed that overall , Comcast saves $ 50 million a year in license fees by leaving the channel on its Sports Package , which in turn leads to savings for its customers . On April 30 , 2009 , NFL Network Total Access correspondent Lindsey Soto reported Comcast will continue to broadcast NFL Network after their contract expires at midnight as negotiations proceed . On May 19 , 2009 , the NFL and Comcast reached a 10 - year agreement to place NFL Network on Comcast ' s Digital Classic package by August 1 , 2009 for a price between 45 and 50 cents , instead of the 70 cents the NFL originally requested . This deal has led to speculation that other cable operators will end their hold outs and try to reach deals that would bring the network to a wider audience . As of January 3 , 2011 the NFL Network is available only on the Digital Preferred or Sports package on Comcast ( Xfinity ) in Atlanta , GA and not on a Digital Classic package ( which does not exist ) . This is contrary to the above mentioned agreement between Comcast and the NFL . With Comcast ' s acquisition of NBCUniversal ( thus integrating some of Comcast ' s assets into that company ) , NBC ' s rights to air Sunday night games might also come into play . Cox Communications . Announced on November 10 , 2006 , Cox and the NFL Network made a carriage agreement for Cox to carry the NFL Network on their " Sports & Information Tier " . NFL Network had previously insisted that it would only allow cable providers to carry the network on basic tiers , Time Warner has stated it will only carry the network on a digital - sports tier . This makes Cox the only major cable provider to make a deal with the NFL Network by placing the network directly on a digital sports tier without repercussions from the network . When it was announced that NFL Network would carry " Run to the Playoffs " on Cox but not on a digital basic tier , It was stated that Cox ' s " Sports & Information Tier " " has about 30 % penetration across all Cox subscribers and 60 % penetration among Cox digital - cable homes . " Insight Communications . Insight and the NFL Network made a carriage agreement for the network to be placed on Insight ' s digital tier in 2004 . The deal also included NFL Network On Demand and NFL Network HD . At first , Insight didn ' t carry the " Run to the Playoffs " games due to the extra surcharge providers pay to carry the games . Insight did not show the first - ever game , between the Denver Broncos and the Kansas City Chiefs on November 23 , 2006 , but the next week ' s game and future games were available thanks to an agreement that was later reached . Dish Network . On February 20 , 2008 Dish Network moved the NFL Network from its " America ' s Top 100 " package to the higher " America ' s Top 200 " package . Dish Network notified customers that the NFL Network was " moving out of Free Preview into America ' s Top 200 package " on February 20 , 2008 . The move cost the network four million subscribers . On February 27 , 2008 the NFL Network announced it would file suit against Dish Network for moving the network to " America ' s Top 200 " . The move stems from the NFL Network ' s decision to simulcast the 2007 New England Patriots - New York Giants game on CBS and NBC in addition to the game being shown on the NFL Network . As of March 3 , 2008 the NFL no longer encourages customers to switch to Dish Network on the site IWantMyNFL . com instead the network only encourages customers to switch to DirecTV , Verizon FiOS or AT & T U - verse if their provider doesn ' t carry the network or has placed the network on a higher priced tier . On January 15 , 2009 New York State Supreme Court Judge Rich Lowe ruled in favor of NFL Network , claiming their 2006 agreement for carriage on America ' s Top 100 package is still valid and Dish Network violated it by moving it to the America ' s Top 200 package , but he did not order Dish Network to move the channel to the lower package immediately . On April 10 , 2009 , it was announced that NFL Network and Dish Network have reached an out of court settlement to place the channel on the " Classic Silver 200 " package . Former agreements . Charter Communications . Charter Communications was one of the first MSO ' s to provide NFL Network in 2004 . Initially the deal called for the network to be carried on Charter ' s digital - basic programming and included NFL HD and NFL On Demand . However in December 2005 the network pulled the signal from Charter and filed breach of contract suit against Charter in New York Supreme Court over contract language regarding distribution . It was reported that NFL Network wanted a 125 percent rate increase and placement on expanded basic tiers . Major cable providers not carrying NFL Network . Background . The NFL Network is embroiled in a dispute with several cable companies . Perhaps the most public controversy is over its removal on some systems owned by Time Warner Cable , the second - largest system in the United States , which occurred in September 2006 . NFL Network has insisted that it be placed on basic service and wish to charge the cable companies a monthly rate of $ 0 . 61 per subscriber , while Time Warner and other major cable companies wishes to place it on a sports tier . Cable companies feel that a channel with such marginal interest and few live games with filler programming would be tough to sell during non - football season months . NFL Network ' s position is that demands are unreasonable and many other providers place NFL Network on a basic tier without subscriber backlashes . 2006 free preview . NFL Network offered a free preview from December 24 through December 30 , 2006 to West Texas area cable systems run by Suddenlink Communications and to New York area cable systems run by Time Warner Cable and Cablevision . The package included the Texas Bowl and Insight Bowl , but not that week ' s NFL game between the New York Giants and Washington Redskins , which was shown on WNBC . ( NFL policy dictates that games that originate nationally on a cable / satellite network be simulcast on a broadcast station in the participating teams ' market . ) However , Time Warner Cable and Cablevision were only interested in showing the Texas Bowl , which featured the Rutgers Scarlet Knights , who developed strong local appeal in 2006 and barely missed a berth in the Bowl Championship Series . The NFL denied that request and would only offer this free preview if Cablevision and / or Time Warner make the entire preview week available to customers . Time Warner then offered to carry the free preview on a digital tier . Cablevision , however , continued to refuse to carry any NFL Network programming other than the Texas Bowl . They even announced that they would put it on channel 14 ( a TV listings channel used for overflow sports from MSG Network and FSN New York ) at 6 : 00 p . m . until the end of the network ' s postgame coverage . The NFL , however , stated that it would not accept that request . On December 21 , however , after New Jersey legislators threatened legal action , Cablevision changed its mind and indeed showed not only the game between Rutgers and Kansas State , but also the entire free preview schedule . Time Warner had made a similar announcement only hours earlier . Suddenlink agreed on December 22 to carry the entire free preview for their customers in the West Texas area . The free preview did not lead to long - term carriage deals , and the standoff continued between all three cable companies and the NFL Network . 2007 Packers vs . Cowboys controversy . 2007 saw fresh controversy against the NFL Network . That year the network turned out to possess the rights to matchups with major implications . The first came in late November when one - loss Dallas hosted one - loss Green Bay . Green Bay ' s Brett Favre was also having one of the best seasons of his career and would eventually lead the resurgent Packers to the NFC Championship Game . Most fans could not see the game because of carriage restrictions , now even more noticeable because it involved nationally respected teams in a highly anticipated matchup . This controversy would pale in comparison to the final game the NFLN would broadcast that season , and of course the Rodgers - Favre - Packers media storm ( which started after that game ) . 2007 Patriots vs . Giants controversy . In December 2007 , Massachusetts Senator John Kerry wrote a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell asking for the league to settle their differences in time for the New England Patriots - New York Giants game on December 29 that would be broadcast on " 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 can witness " a historic event . " An agreement was worked out between the NFL and two of the League ' s TV 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 . In addition WWOR " My 9 , " the MyNetworkTV affiliate in the New York City area , and ABC affiliates WCVB 5 in Boston and WMUR 9 in Manchester , New Hampshire , expressed dissatisfaction over the CBS / NBC simulcast stating it violated the agreements . The stations had already been scheduled to show 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 would air the game along with WNBC and WCBS 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 . 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 . RCN Corporation , the twelfth largest U . S . cable company , stated that the league ' s deal with CBS and NBC " devalues its contract with the league ’ s in - house service . " Greg Aiello , a 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 . ” Suddenlink , NFL Network reach carriage agreement . On August 20 , 2010 , an agreement was reached between NFL Network and the National Cable Television Cooperative , of which Suddenlink is a member . As a result , Suddenlink announced they would offer NFL Network and NFL RedZone and immediately began launching the channels . Suddenlink expected substantially all of the launches to be completed by or before September 12 , the first Sunday of the NFL ’ s 2010 regular season . < / a > < / ref > = = = = Binding = = = = Binding arbitration = = = = On December 20 , 2007 the NFL Network proposed to Time Warner Cable to enter binding arbitration which will have a neutral third party determine the price and tier for NFL Network on the operator ’ s systems , based on fair market value of the service . The NFL Network noted that the process could take some time and offered the network and the December 29 , 2007 game between the then unbeaten New England Patriots and New York Giants immediately available to Time Warner Cable , upon “ written agreement to participate in the arbitration process and to be bound by its result . ” The network is willing to make the binding arbitration available to cable providers not carrying the NFL Network and for an extension of Comcast ' s current contract . Time Warner Cable denied the binding arbitration proposal saying " the operator has successfully reached agreements with hundreds of programming networks without the use of arbitration . We continue to believe that the best way to achieve results is to privately seek a resolution and not attempt to negotiate through the press or elected officials . ” Time Warner stated that it would be willing to make the network available on their sports tier , as a premium service , or make the game available to its subscribers on a per - game basis , at a retail price set by the NFL , with 100 % of attendant revenue going to the league .