For an organization as lucrative as the NFL, ensuring its flagship studio show made an appearance at the Super Bowl might seem trivial. However, this was not the case for Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas last year. On the Main Event with Andrew Marchand podcast, Good Morning Football host Peter Schrager revealed how the NFL Network inexplicably decided against sending its popular morning show to Sin City due to “cost-cutting” measures.
“I was humbled and flattened a little bit last year in what I still think is a questionable cost-cutting measure [by NFL Network],” Schrager shared. “We were told a week or two in advance that Good Morning Football from NFL Network would not be sent to the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. I thought, ‘That’s the first time I’ve missed a Super Bowl in 18 years… We’re an Emmy-winning show… We’re going to have no presence?’ The answer was, ‘No, you guys will do it from New York.’ I was crushed. It was humbling and sobering.”
Schrager continued, “I made my case: It not only benefits our show but also helps me for the combine and the draft. It’s all about work, not about me going to parties.” He even took it upon himself to attend the Super Bowl weekend, saying, “I paid my own way Friday after Good Morning Football. Not that this is some noble thing—many people do it—but to think at 20 years into my career that I’m not missing the commissioner’s party is important. It’s where all the NFL owners go. I get invited every year, and it’s the most influential room of the calendar year. I bought my own flight and crashed in a friend’s hotel room. I’m a 42-year-old man.”
Reflecting on his brief trip, he noted, “I left after 18 hours, thinking if I ever get the chance to go back, I’m making the most of the experience. I learned you can’t rely on employers to have your back; you need to do your own thing.”
It’s surprising that one of NFL Network’s top talents had to fund his own trip to the Super Bowl last year, especially when this season saw Good Morning Football‘s Jamie Erdahl on-site in New Orleans while the rest of the cast appeared remotely from various locations. Luckily, Schrager didn’t have to worry about expenses this year, as Fox aired the big game. However, his experience underscores the ongoing challenges within NFL Media, which has been marked by changes such as moving Good Morning Football from New York to Los Angeles, layoffs of several prominent reporters, and cancellation of a long-running show. Clearly, the NFL is tightening its budget concerning its television division.
Furthermore, with recent reports indicating the NFL has resumed talks with ESPN regarding the sale of its media assets, it’s evident how little the league values NFL Network. Hearing this directly from Schrager certainly emphasizes that sentiment.
