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FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Seth Palansky, NFL Network, 212/450-2422
NFL NETWORK
CELEBRATES THE 35th ANNIVERSARY HEIDI Premiering Monday, November 17 at 9 PM (ET) NFL fans have heard the story of the 1968 game between the Jets and Raiders, dubbed the “Heidi Game,” but few ever saw the entire movie associated with the broadcasting brouhaha. Now, NFL NETWORK celebrates the 35th Anniversary of this infamous moment in NFL and broadcasting history by televising a special edition of the cult classic Heidi, airing Monday, November 17 at 9 pm (ET). In addition to the rebroadcast of the NBC television movie, this special 2 ˝ hour edition also features exclusive interviews with those directly and indirectly involved in the “Heidi Game,” including Delbert Mann, the movie’s director; Dick Cline, the NBC executive who switched millions of viewers from the Jets/Raiders game to the television movie; Curt Gowdy, the game’s announcer and Johnny Sample, Jets cornerback. The two key touchdowns that NBC missed will be shown as well. On November 17, 1968 the Jets and Raiders squared off in a classic AFL shootout tinged by hard feelings, fights, flags and big hits. The game played at Oakland Coliseum would serve as NBC’s lead-in for the premiere of Heidi, starring Maximilian Schell and Jennifer Edwards in the title role. The game started at 4 p.m. (EST), the movie at 7 p.m. Even though NBC had allotted three hours for the telecast, numerous penalties and timeouts caused the game to run longer than expected. The teams traded scores until the Jets took a 32-29 lead with 1:05 remaining in the game. The game telecast went to a commercial and when the break ended, Heidi started. Network executives had cut away, believing New York's lead was safe. They were wrong. While a national television audience watched as Heidi scaled the Alps with her grandfather, back in Oakland, the Raiders scored two touchdowns in the last minute to win the game 43-32. Meanwhile, so many angry viewers phoned NBC to complain about missing the fantastic ending of a fantastic game that they overloaded the network’s switchboard. Although an embarrassed NBC had to issue a public apology, the “Heidi Game,” did offer some good news to the proud network. For the first time, the network, the AFL and NFL were able to gauge how many people were actually watching AFL football and some sports historians site the “Heidi Game” as contributing factor to the eventual merger of the two pro leagues. NFL Network (Channel 212) on DIRECTV’s basic service is seen in more than 12 million homes. NFL Network, is the first television network fully dedicated to the NFL and the sport of football airs seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis. # # # |