Why are the Bengals playing on a Saturday again?

Following their 27-24 overtime win against the Minnesota Vikings last Saturday, the Cincinnati Bengals are set for another Saturday kickoff for their Week 16 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec. 23.

Here’s why the Bengals are hitting the field on Saturday and why it’s actually illegal for them to take up the Saturday spot during the majority of the season.

Why are there no Bengals games on most Saturdays?

Believe it or not, it is illegal for the NFL to have games on both Fridays and Saturdays on select weeks due to the Sports Broadcasting Act of 1961. According to a story from USA TODAY’s Jon Hoefling, the act says that the NFL can’t broadcast a game within 75 miles of a high school football or college football game taking place at the same time. The law effectively tries to protect viewership for and attendance at high school and college football games (making sure fans don’t have to decide between supporting the UC Bearcats or the Cincinnati Bengals).

And since nearly the entire country is within 75 miles of a high school or college, the legislature essentially prevents the NFL from broadcasting on Fridays or Saturdays for the majority of their season.

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jake Browning calls a play.

Why are the Bengals playing on Saturday this weekend?

Once the second Saturday of December rolls around (when college football and high school football have wrapped up for the most part), the NFL takes advantage of the open weekend spot and schedules a couple of Saturday games.

This weekend, there are 7 postseason bowl games, none of which include any ranked college teams. So, the same football fans who tuned in to watch powerhouses like Michigan, Georgia and Washington aren’t going to tune in as often when the biggest game this Saturday is South Alabama vs. Eastern Michigan.

Thus, the NFL takes advantage…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/bengals-v-steelers-dec-23-040007162.html

Author : Cincinnati.com | The Enquirer

Publish date : 2023-12-22 04:00:07

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