National Football League Kickoff game
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The NFL Kickoff game, and related festivities, mark the start of the National Football League season. The first game of the season falls typically on the Thursday following Labor Day. A single game is held, preceded by a concert and other ceremonies. Since the 2004 season, the defending Super Bowl champion has hosted the showcased Kickoff game. The remainder of the league plays their opening weekend game the following Sunday or Monday. The pregame concert and game is televised live, currently on NBC.
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[edit] History
While the Kickoff Game had not been introduced until 2002, the concept of the NFL champion playing in an opening game was in no way new. From 1934 to 1976, the first game of the season was the College All-Star Game, an exhibition match featuring the Super Bowl champions against an all-rookie team of college all-stars held annually in Soldier Field in Chicago, Illinois. The game was eventually canceled after the games had become lopsided in favor of the NFL.
The game was introduced in the 2002 season, as an effort to boost economical recovery in the New York City and Washington, D.C. areas in the wake of 9/11. ESPN televised the first game. In order to do so, ESPN eliminated its traditional late-October Thursday night game (held the weekend of Games 1 and 2 of the World Series), and replaced it with the opening night kickoff game.
For 2003, the game's popularity and success saw it move to ABC as part of the Monday Night Football package. In order for the kickoff game to fit into the schedule, ABC dropped the Monday Night Football game held in the last week of the NFL season, which had become increasingly unpopular because it had to be scheduled before the season, meaning it often lacked playoff significance. In return, ESPN got a week 17 Saturday Night game.
2004 saw the addition of the stipulation that the kickoff game would always be hosted by the defending Super Bowl champions.
In 2006, with the change in television contracts, the Kickoff Game was moved to NBC, who held the rights to Sunday Night Football. The game opposite the World Series was once again removed to compensate. (The Monday Night game at the end of the season, however, was not revived. Instead, after an impromptu experiment in 2005, a Monday Night doubleheader was scheduled for the same weekend as the kickoff game.
In 2008, the league and NBC agreed to move up the opening kickoff of the kickoff game, to 7:00 PM Eastern Time, so that John McCain will have a chance to address the nation during the 2008 Republican National Convention without having to compete with the game. That game will feature the Washington Redskins and New York Giants.
[edit] Brief cancellation
After the "Wardrobe malfunction" incident at Super Bowl XXXVIII, the NFL initially canceled future plans for concerts in conjunction with the NFL Kickoff game.[1] Later in the year, however, the decision was reversed, and instead a 10-second broadcast delay was put in place.[2]
[edit] Results
| Season | Date | Visitors | Score | Home | Score | Location | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002* | September 5 | San Francisco 49ers | 16 | New York Giants | 13 | Giants Stadium | ESPN |
| 2003* | September 4 | New York Jets | 13 | Washington Redskins | 16 | FedEx Field | ABC |
| 2004 | September 9 | Indianapolis Colts | 24 | New England Patriots | 27 | Gillette Stadium | ABC |
| 2005 | September 8 | Oakland Raiders | 20 | New England Patriots | 30 | Gillette Stadium | ABC |
| 2006 | September 7 | Miami Dolphins | 17 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 28 | Heinz Field | NBC |
| 2007 | September 6 | New Orleans Saints | 10 | Indianapolis Colts | 41 | RCA Dome | NBC |
| 2008 | September 4 | Washington Redskins | New York Giants | Giants Stadium | NBC |
Winning team and score labeled in bold.
* - Game was not hosted by the Defending Super Bowl Champions
[edit] Standings
| Team | W | L | T | Pct. | PF | PA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New England Patriots | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 57 | 44 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 28 | 17 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 16 | 13 |
| Washington Redskins | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 16 | 13 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 | 65 | 37 |
| Miami Dolphins | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 17 | 28 |
| New Orleans Saints | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 10 | 41 |
| New York Giants | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 13 | 16 |
| New York Jets | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 13 | 16 |
| Oakland Raiders | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | 20 | 30 |
[edit] Pre-game concerts
- 2002: "NFL Kickoff Live from Times Square" started at 4:30 p.m. and led up to kickoff of the game at the Meadowlands. The concert was headlined by Bon Jovi (who also performed at halftime), and also featured Enrique Iglesias, Eve and Alicia Keys. The event included recognition and support of New York City's 9/11 memorial events.
- 2003: The event moved to the National Mall in Washington, D.C. and was billed as "NFL Kickoff Live From The National Mall Presented By Pepsi Vanilla." Britney Spears, who was introduced by Air Force Staff Sergeant Richard W. Duken II from Leesville LA, stationed at Tinker AFB, Aerosmith and Mary J. Blige headlined the concert. The activities started at 6 p.m. and featured a tribute to troops active in Iraq and Afghanistan, and was attended by thousands of American military personnel. ABC televised the concert live from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. eastern. Aretha Franklin concluded the concert by singing the national anthem from the National Mall leading up to kickoff.
- 2004: After initially being cancelled, the event was reinstated, and the 2004 "NFL Opening Kickoff" took place in two locations. At Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, the New England Patriots were honored as Super Bowl XXXVIII champions. Performers at the stadium included Mary J. Blige, Destiny's Child, Elton John, Toby Keith and Lenny Kravitz. Jessica Simpson performed from Metropolitan Park in Jacksonville, Florida, site of the upcoming Super Bowl XXXIX. The concert aired live on ABC from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., just prior to gametime. The 2004 festivities firmly established the tradition of holding the game and concert at the home of the defending Super Bowl champion, and also linking the event to the location of the upcoming Super Bowl.
- 2005: The fourth annual "NFL Opening Kickoff" featured concert activities from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Detroit (host of the upcoming Super Bowl XL), and Los Angeles. The Super Bowl XXXIX champion New England Patriots again were honored at the event, hosted by Freddie Prinze, Jr., and broadcast live on ABC. Performers at the stadium included Green Day, Carlos Santana, Michelle Branch, and a surprise appearance by Ozzy Osbourne, who emerged from a giant-sized helmet. The Rolling Stones were shown on video from a taped broadcast in Detroit. Kanye West, Maroon 5, Good Charlotte and Rihanna performed from a red-white-and-blue stage in Los Angeles. Trisha Yearwood concluded the hour long concert by singing the national anthem back at Gillette Stadium.
- 2006: The Thursday night concert and game switched to NBC for 2006, and was billed as "NFL Opening Kickoff 2006 Presented by Sprint." The 30-minute concert broadcast live from Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, and from a special stage in South Beach in Miami, near the home of the upcoming Super Bowl XLI. Diddy and Cassie entertained from Miami, while Rascal Flatts were in Pittsburgh, along with Martina McBride, who sang the national anthem.
- 2007: "NFL Opening Kickoff 2007 Presented by Sprint" was aired on NBC as a thirty-minute special hosted by NFL Network anchor Rich Eisen. Kelly Clarkson was the first performer, singing on a sloped, outdoor stage at Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis. The concert moved indoors to the RCA Dome with John Mellencamp singing his classic hit "Small Town". Faith Hill followed, back outside at Monument Circle. Hinder also performed. Back inside the RCA Dome, Colts owner Jim Irsay unveiled the Super Bowl XLI championship banner. The event was marred by the death of a man who fell or jumped off the ninth-floor pool deck of the Sheraton City Center overlooking Monument Circle.[3] Keyshia Cole wrapped up the show singing the national anthem with the Voices of Unity Youth Choir of Fort Wayne. Unlike in past years, there were no performances in the host area of the Super Bowl, in this case the Phoenix, Arizona area (Super Bowl XLII was held at University of Phoenix Stadium in suburban Glendale).
[edit] Television ratings
- 2002 - ESPN, 7.8/14
- 2003 - ABC, 12.9/22
- 2004 - ABC, 11.4/20
- 2005 - ABC, 11.7/21
- 2006 - NBC, 12.6/21
- 2007 - NBC, 11.5/20
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.nfl.com/news/story/7158058
- ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/quickie?date=040908
- ^ Thousands pack Downtown to start NFL in style. IndyStar.com (2007-09-07). Retrieved on 2007-09-07.
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