Daily News from New York, New York • 67

68 DAILY SPORTS NEWS Tuesday. March 17. 1987 By BOB RAISSMAN i THERE WAS A LOT of Armageddonese lobbed between the networks, NFL and media prior to and during the NFL television negotiations. Stuff like, "This is the biggest negotiations in sports TV" or "I see the future of sports TV and it's the NFL negotiations," but when the deal was done, there's only one immediate impact on you. If you're not wired for cable, and there are about 4.6 million homes in the New York area according to A.C.

Nielsen that fit that category, you wont be able to take advantage of ESPN's new eight-game Sunday night package unless you hit the road to catch it with someone who is wired for cable. About 2.2 million homes in the New York metro area can receive ESPN. If all you care about are the Giants or Jets, you may be in luck. As part of its agreement with ESPN, the NFL requires that teams sell the game to an over-the-air station in a local market "We definitely would want to take a look at that," said Marty Appel, a spokesman for WPIX-TV. "We've always had an interest in football and we think it would be a good property." A WOR-TV spokeswoman was noncommittal, saying the station would have to take a look at what's offered before making a move, while a spokeswoman for WNYW-TV said the station wouldn't be Interested in the Giants or Jets be- cause it's committed to the new Fox Network weekend prime-time schedule beginning in April.

As far as network affiliates WABC-TV, WNBC-TV and WCBS-TV, it's unlikely but not totally out of the question they will kill Sunday night prime-time programing for a couple of nights to bring you a Giant or Jet game. Before you start whipping the NFL or ESPN for taking eight regular-season games away, way the NFL makes its TV schedule. i. The league has informed, the networks it will come up with a similar mix as it has in the past Meetings on scheduling will be held next week. Item: Under the new contract, games could be' longer.

As part of its agreement, CBS can add an age of one commercial unit per game. It's likely ABC and NBC negotiated a similar provision. Item: ESPN's larger subscriber base hurt HBO. HBO made its final proposal to the NFL Thursday. "There was one thing we couldn't-overcome.

We couldn't overcome being in 15 mil- i lion homes (ESPN's in 41 million)," said HBO sports president Seth Abraham, who added that HBO also was looking for a mixture of Thursday and Sunday night games. Item: The NFL considered the Fox Network a risk. The NFL was predisposed to stick with ABC. Although Fox's offer was attractive, they had no way of knowing if the network would be around in three years. The NFL would have been rolling the dice if it went with Fox.

Item: ESPN wanted exclusive rights to its Sunday night package. "That would have been nice," said ESPN pres- ident Bill Grimes. "But the league made it clear to us that we would have to sell the games." Item: The NFL's approach to the negotiations will have a spillover effect to other sports. "The fire has been put back in the box," said -Ken Schanzer, executive VP of NBC Sports. "We've come to a deal without undermining the financial structure of the NFL or the networks, If we are capable of making the right deal in football, we have it within our command to extend this to other negotiations." think about this.

These fellows are in this game to make money. If the NFL couldn't add the cable component to its television package, the teams would have to make up the shortfall in other ways and the fans eventually would suffer. If you want to direct your anger at why these games or the 100 Yankee games that Sports-Channel will likely carry can't be seen in your living room, shoot it at the Koch administration, whose plan to wire the city failed and has left Manhattan with the most antiquated cable system in the country. As far as the network package goes, things will remain the same with CBS televising NFC games, NBC the AFC and ABC Monday Night Football, plus the three-network Super Bowl rotation. Here are some loose ends from the talks: Item: The networks resisted another partner.

None of the nets wanted a cable package, but commissioner Pete Rozelle made it clear from the beginning that there would be a cable package. Item: NBC made a run at CBS' NFC package and this may have jacked op the final price CBS paid. "We read statements indicating that they were interested in our package," said Neal Pilson, president of CBS Sports. "We weren't interested in their package. We negotiated independently.

Their inferred interest had no bearing on what we did." Item: The addition of cable could change the KIFil mhy resile seoinis ft fe safe 'f MAKING HIS POINT: Dolphin coach Don Shula says he likes the NFL's controversial instant-replay 0 thing, it took time. As the system progressed, it got better." As expected, the other major proposal before the owners concerns overtime. The committee proposed that all games preseason, regular-season and postseason be played until a winner is determined and each team would have the opportuntiy to have at least one possession in overtime. Jets to London? Though the world-champion Giants have flat-out refused to be involved, the Jets are one of several teams being considered to play in this year's exhibition game in London. Rozelle was hoping to have a rematch of Super Bowl XXI in the Aug.

9 international showcase, pitting the Giants against the AFC champion "Denver Broncos. But Giants' officials "weren't interested this year," said Rozelle. "They said maybe next year." According to published reports out of Denver, the Broncos and Los Angeles Rams al-ready have been chosen. However, Rozelle said yesterday nothing has been finalized. Jets president Jim Ken-sil said during the Super Bowl that the Jets "aren't the first choice.

But I told the commissioner if they needed a team, we'd go." Kensil said he By BRYAN BURWELL Daily News Sports Writer MAUI, Hawaii The NFL Competition Committee yesterday proposed that the use of instant replay to aid referees continue for another two years. Dallas Cowboys president Tex Schramm, chairman of the competition committee and a strong supporter of instant replay, said the major component of the proposal would call for the gradual phasing out of league officials in the booth, replacing them with current on-field referees. The 28 club owners here for their annual winter meetings likely will vote on this proposal tomorrow or Thursday. In order for the replay proposal to pass, a two-thirds majority (21 owners) must approve the measure. Last year, it passed by a 23-4-1 margin, with the Giants, St Louis, Kansas City and Denver opposing the rule and Pittsburgh abstaining.

The four teams haven't changed their minds, and now they have picked up at least one more nay vote in Cincinnati's Paul Brown. "My gut feeling is that it will pass again," said Schramm. "I liked it," said Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula. "Last year everyone expected 5 it to be a perfect system fronr jsvi 0 FL heads give to pact MAUI, Hawaii The NFL's new television contract a three-year, package with all three networks plus the ESPN cable network was a long way from the fiscal bonanzas the league was accustomed to getting. But most of the league officials gathered here for the NFL's annual winter owners meetings seemed rather pleased with the deal despite the austere numbers.

The new pact gave the owners a 3.3 reduction in reve networks weren't the free swingers of the past," said Cleveland Browns owner Art ModeiL "I think the players will have to realize that everyone must pull in their belts. Things are different now. The money isn't there." "At least we stayed on the same level as the past," said Miami Dolphins owner Joe Robbie. "That's a lot better than getting kicked in the rear end." "Based on the climate of the TV industry, we did an excellent job getting what we I'dld." said Jets oresident Jim ists for Super Bowl XXV on Jan. 27, 1991, have been narrowed down to Anaheim; the LA Coliseum, Tampa.

Sai'Jk Diego and Miami. Rule, change proposals: tightening guidelines on roughing the passer. Schramm said they are trying to "eliminate the continued pounding on terbacks." -nj New proposals will attempt to eliminate those hits on the B') quarterback right after he has released the ball. Another proposal will slap a player with a roughness penalty if he takes a blindside hit at the quarterback's knees. -v' f- Bryan Burwell nue.

wen unsu us. didn't know whether the Jets ifKeiislL iy "We found out qUfcHy fiiai had been selected. the beginning. But like every Bit Pieces The final- the new management at the.