The NFL postponed the Ravens-Steelers Week 12 game until Wednesday so Baltimore would have some time to prepare for the game. But the kickoff time for the contest is an odd one, and there's a funny reason behind it.
Baltimore and Pittsburgh were originally set to play on Thursday night. The game then got moved to Sunday, Monday and ultimately Wednesday. The kickoff will be early in the day, which is unusual for a standalone, non-weekend game.
So why is the game kicking off at 3:40 p.m. ET and not later in the evening? According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, NBC is committed to broadcasting the 88th Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony on Wednesday evening. The NFL game got pushed earlier to avoid a conflict.
The “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday.
So, yes, even the almighty NFL has superiors, and they happen to be their TV network partners. And in this case, the NFL has to start a game during the day because NBC has another program taking precedence.
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