NFL on DuMont

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The NFL on DuMont was a television program that broadcast National Football League games on the now defunct DuMont Television Network[1]. The program ran from 1951-1955.

On December 23, 1951, DuMont televised the first ever coast-to-coast professional football game. It was the NFL Championship Game between the Los Angeles Rams and Cleveland Browns. DuMont paid $75,000 for the rights to broadcast the game[2].

During the 1953 and 1954 seasons, DuMont broadcast Saturday night NFL games. It was the first time that National Football League games were televised live, coast-to-coast, in prime time, for the entire season. This predated Monday Night Football on ABC by 17 years[3]. Nearly all the games in 1953 and 1954 originated in New York (Giants), Pittsburgh (Steelers), or Washington (Redskins)[4].

In 1955, NBC replaced DuMont as the network for the NFL Championship Game, paying a rights fee of $100,000[5].

DuMont ceased most entertainment programs (and a nightly newscast) in early April 1955. DuMont still broadcast some sports events (a Monday-night boxing show and the 1955 NFL season) until August 1956, when the network as a whole shut down for good.

Contents

[edit] Announcers

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ The DuMont Television Network Historical Web Site
  2. ^ December 23, 1951 in History
  3. ^ ABC wasn’t the first network to try football in prime time. In the early 1950’s, the now-defunct DuMont network broadcast pro football on Saturday nights, but a lack of affiliates and interest killed the concept (not to mention DuMont).
  4. ^ The DuMont Television Network: Channel Twelve: Feedback
  5. ^ NFL.com - NFL History (1955)

[edit] External links

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