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Channel Seven have announced a broadcast deal with the NFL for this season which will see all but two San Francisco 49ers games shown on 7mate.
The Australian public’s insatiable thirst for Jarryd Hayne reached fever-pitch with the inclusion of the former NRL star in the 49ers 53-man roster and the broadcaster has obliged – rejigging the current deal to ensure we’re fed an IV of ceaseless Hayne footage.
Read more:
>> Hayne selected for NFL debut against Minnesota
>> How to watch and live stream Jarryd Hayne’s NFL debut
In America, Sunday is the day of rest… and football, with 13 of the round’s 16 games being played.
7mate will broadcast three of these games live each week (Monday our time), including every 49ers’ Sunday game, and the showpiece Sunday Night Football clash.
Foxtel, via ESPN, will also broadcast a game a week.
On top of this, Seven will show the NFL Playoffs, Kick-off game, Thanksgiving match and the Super Bowl.
Hayne’s first match – against the Minnesota Vikings on Tuesday at 12:20pm AEST – will only be shown on ESPN as it’s a Monday night game. You can watch it on Foxtel, or via their online service Foxtel Play.
Seven has been negotiating with the NFL for a few weeks now, with one of the biggest roadblocks being the league’s commitment to equitable exposure for all teams.
“Part of our charter as NFL international is to represent all 32 teams equally. So the idea of having a specific broadcaster show all of one team’s games might not sit well with the other 31. But we’ll definitely work with them [Seven] to see if we can do more”, executive vice-president of international, Mark Waller, told Fairfax media.
However, the seismic interest in Hayne is simply too irresistible for both the NFL, and Channel Seven to pass up.
Seasoned fans might well bemoan the narrower range of games, but this is a unique and unparalleled chance for the NFL to grow the game in a country where it is still niche – and, as Waller explains, the move is not without precedent.
“In Mexico, we sit down with our broadcasters and try to make sure all 32 teams are represented but we also make sure the big popular teams down there – the Steelers,Cowboys, Patriots and the Seahawks – we try to make sure fans get a really good opportunity to see the teams they love the most.”
NFL devotees can still get their hardcore football fix from ESPN Australia who broadcast a comprehensive suite of games each week for both the NFL and NCAA (college football).
Here is the viewing schedule for San Francisco 49ers games on 7mate for the 2015 season (AEST):
| Week | Opponent | Date | Time (AEST) |
| Week 2 | Steelers | Mon 21/9 | 3:00 am |
| Week 3 | Cardinals | Mon 28/9 | 6:05 am |
| Week 4 | Packers | Mon 5/10 | 7:25 am |
| Week 5 | Giants | Mon 12/10 | 11:30 am |
| Week 6 | Ravens | Mon 19/10 | 7:30 am |
| Week 8 | Rams | Mon 2/11 | 5:00 am |
| Week 9 | Falcons | Mon 9/11 | 6:05am |
| Week 10: BYE | |||
| Week 11 | Seahawks | Mon 23/11 | 8:30 am |
| Week 12 | Cardinals | Mon 30/11 | 6:05 am |
| Week 13 | Bears | Mon 7/12 | 5:00 am |
| Week 14 | Browns | Mon 14/12 | 5:00 am |
| Week 15 | Bengals | Mon 21/12 | 12:30 am |
| Week 16 | Lions | Mon 28/12 | 5:00 am |
| Week 17 | Rams | Mon 1/4 | 8:30 am |
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