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Morning Edition

December 20, 2024

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Saturday will feature an abundance of football riches, with two good NFL games and three first-round clashes from the newly expanded College Football Playoff. How does Christmas impact this schedule, and which networks stand to win over viewers?

— David Rumsey [[link removed]] and Eric Fisher [[link removed]]

NFL vs. College Football Playoff: Two Giants Set to Clash for Viewers [[link removed]]

Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

This weekend’s busy sports schedule is bringing about the first NFL vs. College Football Playoff TV clash.

On Saturday afternoon, the two behemoths compete for viewers during four intertwining game windows (all times ET):

Noon, TNT: SMU–Penn State 1 p.m., NBC: Texans-Chiefs 4 p.m., TNT: Clemson-Texas 4:30 p.m., Fox: Steelers-Ravens

The head-to-head battle has been anticipated since April 2023, when conference commissioners agreed on 2024 and 2025 game dates for the expanded CFP. Immediately, the Playoff’s encroachment on NFL territory—the league typically holds multiple nationally televised games on late-December Saturdays—was evident.

“It’s not meant to be anything at all disrespectful or frustrating,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said at the time [[link removed]]. “We have a good relationship with them,” former CFP executive director Bill Hancock said.

Just over a year later, the NFL released its 2024 regular-season schedule, which includes two games this Saturday, in part, to facilitate the league’s Christmas Day doubleheader [[link removed]] on Netflix, despite the holiday falling on a Wednesday.

The NFL ended up with two great games, as all four teams have winning records. Kansas City (13–1) and Houston (9–5) have clinched their divisions but are still playing for playoff seeding, while Baltimore (9–5) is just one game behind Pittsburgh (10–4) in the AFC North.

Both NFL games will have the advantage of being on broadcast networks, while the CFP matchups are on cable.

Weekend Watch List

While Disney is the CFP’s media rights holder, it will get to avoid the NFL clash thanks to its deal for TNT Sports to sublicense two first-round Playoff games [[link removed]] this year.

On Friday night, ABC and ESPN will simulcast Indiana–Notre Dame, becoming the first non-NBC networks to broadcast a Fighting Irish home game since 1990 [[link removed]]. On Saturday night, the two channels will air Tennessee–Ohio State. ESPN’s College GameDay will pull a rare double assignment, airing from South Bend, Ind., on Friday afternoon, and then Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday morning.

ESPN’s presence will still be felt during the TNT games (which are simulcasting on TBS, truTV, and Max), as ESPN talent will be in the broadcast booth for both SMU–Penn State and Clemson-Texas. TNT will have its own personalities for pregame coverage.

Philadelphia Approves $1.55B Sixers Arena Despite Demonstrators [[link removed]]

Philadelphia 76ers

After several years of proposals, planning, and plenty of local friction [[link removed]], the 76ers’ planned $1.55 billion downtown arena is officially a go.

The Philadelphia City Council approved Thursday the NBA team’s controversial bid to leave the south Philadelphia sports complex and pursue a new venue development, 76 Place at Market East, near Philadelphia’s Chinatown. The 12–5 vote on multiple bills related to the arena project was the largest and most dramatic step yet toward making the arena a reality following a prior, preliminary council approval [[link removed]], an improved community benefits agreement [[link removed]], and ardent support from Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker [[link removed]].

The council vote, however, still contained plenty of drama as anti-arena demonstrators locked arms in the chamber and briefly delayed the start of the meeting before they were removed. The arena effort has long been controversial—particularly with the neighboring Chinatown neighborhood fearful of potential gentrification and the forcing out of incumbent ethnic communities. Many other opponents who packed the chamber chanted “Council sellout!”

The team, however, has been strongly pushing to get the needed city approvals by the end of the year to stay on a timetable targeting the new venue to open for the 2031–2032 NBA season—when a current lease for the Wells Fargo Center expires. The council’s approval arrived at its final session of 2024. The building will be privately financed.

“The leadership [the] council and the mayor have displayed embodies a greater vision for Philadelphia,” David Adelman, 76ers co-owner and lead developer, said in a statement. “They recognize how important this project is for the revitalization of our city.”

While the arena plan is progressing, the 76ers continue to struggle on the court after holding championship aspirations. The team is 8–16, the fourth-worst mark in the Eastern Conference, and 2022–23 MVP Joel Embiid has missed most of the season dealing with a series of injuries.

Big Progress in D.C., Too

Just a little farther south on Interstate 95, the parent organization of another NBA team also made sizable progress Thursday on its new facility dreams. Monumental Sports & Entertainment—the parent organization of the Wizards, the NHL’s Capitals, and the WNBA’s Mystics—and the District of Columbia broke ground on a planned renovation of Capital One Arena [[link removed]] worth at least $800 million.

The project, contemplated since a dramatic reversal from a proposed arena project in Virginia [[link removed]], is slated to be complete in time for the 2027–2028 NBA and NHL seasons. MSE also released a new set of building renderings, with the Gensler-produced design showing a sweeping new vision [[link removed]] for both the facility’s exterior and interior.

“The arena will be a marvel of modern design and technology, the intersection of style and comfort and a futuristic and first-class fan experience from street to seat,” said MSE founder and CEO Ted Leonsis.

SPONSORED BY SAILGP

Making Waves in Sports and Equality

SailGP is redefining high-performance sailing [[link removed]] with heart-stopping races and a bold commitment to gender equality. With foiling catamarans hitting speeds of 60+ mph, the league captivates a global audience—and last season set a 30-year U.S. broadcast record.

Beyond the action, SailGP’s Women’s Performance Program [[link removed]] is breaking barriers, ensuring female athletes compete at the highest levels. From history-making sailors like Martine Grael to groundbreaking initiatives like women-only training camps, SailGP is steering the sport toward a more inclusive future.

Read the full article. [[link removed]]

Money Talks: Oklahoma Lands Top QB As CFB Portal Chaos Continues [[link removed]]

James Snook-Imagn Images

As more dominoes fall in college football’s record period of transfer portal movement [[link removed]], quarterbacks continue to be the biggest stories among programs with the largest donor bases and NIL (name, image, and likeness) money to spend.

Oklahoma landed Washington State transfer John Mateer, who was the consensus top quarterback in the portal. Mateer has signed a deal with the 1Oklahoma collective, which is the university’s primary NIL partner.

The Sooners had previously lured Washington State offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle to Norman with a three-year contract, along with former Cougars quarterbacks coach John Kuceyeski.

Mateer will replace Jackson Arnold, who transferred to SEC rival Auburn for an undisclosed NIL deal that is raising some eyebrows [[link removed]].

More Talent for Coach Prime

As Colorado gets ready for its Alamo Bowl matchup with Big 12 rival BYU, the Buffaloes have landed a potential replacement for Shedeur Sanders, who is widely projected to be a top-five pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.

Liberty quarterback Kaidon Salter is transferring to Colorado, which already has an incoming five-star freshman signal-caller, Julian Lewis. It’s another win for Colorado coach Deion Sanders as he prepares to field a team without his son as well as Heisman Trophy–winning two-way star Travis Hunter [[link removed]]—also a projected top-five NFL Draft pick.

The Portal’s Dark Side

As of Thursday afternoon, Penn State backup Beau Pribula had not signed with a new school, but the quarterback’s decision to transfer and miss out on his team’s College Football Playoff run led to some questions about the logistics and timing of the portal’s opening.

“I don’t think it’s in the best interest of the student-athlete,” Penn State coach James Franklin said [[link removed]]. “I don’t think it’s in the best interest of college football.”

NEWS

Nike has struggled, with its stock falling 28% this year and former CEO John Donahoe stepping aside for Elliott Hill. Thursday, the Swoosh released its first earnings report under Hill. Is the apparel giant bouncing back? FOS editorial director of news Lisa Scherzer dives into the data and what Hill had to say [[link removed]].

SPONSORED BY CISCO

From Defense to Digital: New Career Paths

For retired NFL linebacker Josh Carraway and Air Force veteran Janette Suarez, Cisco’s Networking Academy [[link removed]] provides the answer to new challenges after their first career ends.

By teaching IT and cybersecurity skills, the program helps former athletes and veterans leverage their unique traits for a second career. From securing Super Bowl networks to guiding others into tech, Carraway and Suarez are proving the transition is possible—and impactful.

Discover how Cisco and the NFL are rewriting the playbook for what’s next.

Read the full article [[link removed]].

Conversation Starters Netflix released the first trailer for its documentary chronicling the history of the Cowboys and owner Jerry Jones: America’s Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys. Watch it here [[link removed]]. It appears inevitable that MLB will have a $1 billion player in the sport—and perhaps soon. Whom will it be? [[link removed]] With the first 12-team College Football Playoff getting underway Friday, take a look [[link removed]] at how much money each conference is getting for their participating schools. Editors’ Picks Woody Johnson’s Fingerprints Are All Over the Jets Disaster [[link removed]]by Alex Schiffer [[link removed]]Players’ “Madden” ratings factored into some decisions. NFLPA Blasts DraftKings’ Attempt to Wriggle Out of $65 Million NFT Lawsuit [[link removed]]by Margaret Fleming [[link removed]]The union sued the NFL partner over a failed deal. Boston Mayor Defends NWSL Stadium Renovation Going $100 Million Over Budget [[link removed]]by Margaret Fleming [[link removed]]Costs to renovate the 75-year-old stadium have roughly doubled. Question of the Day

Are you planning to watch CFP or NFL games on Saturday? Or both?

CFP [[link removed]] NFL [[link removed]] BOTH [[link removed]]

Thursday’s result: 57% of respondents prefer NFL games to be concentrated on Sundays.

Advertise [[link removed]] Awards [[link removed]] Learning [[link removed]] Events [[link removed]] Video [[link removed]] Podcast [[link removed]] Written by David Rumsey [[link removed]], Eric Fisher [[link removed]] Edited by Matthew Tabeek [[link removed]], Or Moyal [[link removed]], Catherine Chen [[link removed]]

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