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D. Developments Affecting the NFL and the Bengals in 1982
1. Television and Radio in 1980 and 1981
NFL television ratings for the 1980 season were the second
best in history, exceeded only in 1976. Ratings for all three
major networks were higher in 1980 than in 1979.
In the 1981 season, the NFL had its best year in regular
season combined television ratings. Both ABC and CBS had record
high ratings. The NFC playoff game between Dallas and San
Francisco had a record rating for a Conference championship game
and was the eighth most watched sports event in history.
Television ratings dropped in the 1982 season from the 1981
season for two of the three major networks, as shown below:
Television and Radio Ratings
Audience Size
(millions)
1979 1980 1981 1982
NBC-TV 14 15 13.9 13.9
CBS-TV 15 15.3 17.5 16.5
ABC-TV Monday Night 19.6 20.8 21.7 20.6
CBS-Radio 7 8
In March 1982, NFL Commissioner Rozelle announced a new
television contract between the NFL and NBC, CBS, ABC, and ESPN
for the 1982-86 seasons. This agreement increased each NFL
team's shared television revenues from $5,465,000 in the 1981
season to a projected $17.5 million in the 1986 season. The
agreement provided that a team would not receive national
television revenue for games not played because of a strike.
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