I didn't see this live (I was 5 years old at the time) but my dad, a huge football fan, referenced the "Heidi Bowl" as he called it, often. "This is a good game, they better not make it the Heidi Bowl" he would say hoping they wouldn't preempt his game.
I missed it by a year, drat! (My NFL addiction began the very next season)
Amazing how much the NFL and television landscapes have evolved.
I do still vaguely remember when all TV viewing was appointment television, and the thought of leaving a sports telecast early now, is almost unthinkable (looking at you, Golf Channel).
A great little historical piece on our entertainment industry! I was 12 and these football games were important entertainment for us. However, in my family, Sunday evening church services had a much higher priority than anything on television so the Heidi Game was of small concern to us.
Tara /Terrific and exciting review .. I had forgotten this amazing story while remembering the final triumph of the Jets and Joe Namath! Thanks for this trip back in time .. and that bit about offending Timex.. how many people would even recognize that brand today? My hat’s off to all faithful Jets Fans. They deserve respect for expressing such loyalty throughout successive painful seasons.
I’m a Cowboys fan so that game didn’t matter to me at the time. I am glad that it did bring about a much needed change for sporting events, no matter what the sport may be. A live broadcast should always continue until the end.
NBC Sports learned to keep a "Heidi Hotline" open for communication betwixt the network and their broadcast trucks as well. In fact, all the networks have one now!
I remember it well. My Dad and I were watching, both fans of the Raiders, when the theme music for Heidi came on. At first we thought they cut to a commercial but no. Then words came out of my Dad's mouth that weren't necessarily foreign to me but were said with great passion. We didn't find out until later that night on the eleven o'clock news who won.
Very interesting! I never knew any of this stuff about those football games and the TV controversy. Thanks for posting this story, Tara.
I didn't see this live (I was 5 years old at the time) but my dad, a huge football fan, referenced the "Heidi Bowl" as he called it, often. "This is a good game, they better not make it the Heidi Bowl" he would say hoping they wouldn't preempt his game.
That was truly a game to remember!
Broadway Joe came back to win Super Bowl III.
Thank you, Tara, for this reminder of the Good Times back in the 60’s!
I missed it by a year, drat! (My NFL addiction began the very next season)
Amazing how much the NFL and television landscapes have evolved.
I do still vaguely remember when all TV viewing was appointment television, and the thought of leaving a sports telecast early now, is almost unthinkable (looking at you, Golf Channel).
A great little historical piece on our entertainment industry! I was 12 and these football games were important entertainment for us. However, in my family, Sunday evening church services had a much higher priority than anything on television so the Heidi Game was of small concern to us.
Great story! New story to me. Football is as American as apple pie. Football and Thanksgiving definitely go together. 🏈 🦃
Funny and interesting! I was 16 at the time, but do not remember this happening…but, again, we were a Pittsburgh Steelers home! 🤣
I was 8 at the time and remember when this happened. What I remember is adult family members commenting something like NBC must be run by an idiot.
I guess you say about the Jets season that year they were like Timex, take a licken and keep on ticking! Thank you Tara 😊 💓
Tara /Terrific and exciting review .. I had forgotten this amazing story while remembering the final triumph of the Jets and Joe Namath! Thanks for this trip back in time .. and that bit about offending Timex.. how many people would even recognize that brand today? My hat’s off to all faithful Jets Fans. They deserve respect for expressing such loyalty throughout successive painful seasons.
I’m a Cowboys fan so that game didn’t matter to me at the time. I am glad that it did bring about a much needed change for sporting events, no matter what the sport may be. A live broadcast should always continue until the end.
❤️🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
NBC Sports learned to keep a "Heidi Hotline" open for communication betwixt the network and their broadcast trucks as well. In fact, all the networks have one now!
I was knee high to a grasshopper back then, I don’t remember this game but I do remember the Super Bowl.
I remember it well. My Dad and I were watching, both fans of the Raiders, when the theme music for Heidi came on. At first we thought they cut to a commercial but no. Then words came out of my Dad's mouth that weren't necessarily foreign to me but were said with great passion. We didn't find out until later that night on the eleven o'clock news who won.
Thank you, Tara.
Interesting but I didn't watch football then or now.