Networks, start your bidding

The National Football League will soon have 7 billion reasons to be thankful.

Today, the league will enter its earnest and wildly lucrative open negotiation period with the networks for a new TV contract that is expected to rise more than 50 percent, to an anticipated $7 billion for four years, or almost three times that of the recent new deal the NBA just completed.

If the league has 7 billion reasons to be thankful, the networks have 7 billion to be wary. Not only will these negotiations produce a record-setting price for rights fees, it figures to be as dramatic as the stage hit “Rent.”

The expected huge jump in fees comes at a time when NFL ratings have dropped. All three networks have seen ratings erode, and three major cities - Los Angeles, Cleveland and Houston - have lost their franchises to cities in smaller TV markets.

However, ratings for NFL games still dwarf those of other sports and add value to a network far beyond the millions of viewers each game gets.

“In most cases, sports programming does not make the networks much money,” said John Mansell, an analyst for Kagan. “But the networks have a broader agenda. Fox last time overbid so it could build a network and attract affiliates, and it worked.”

Arresting developments

A crackdown on rowdy Eagles fans apparently is working.

Just five fans were arrested Sunday and tried at the team’s in-stadium court, down from 20 arrests in the first week.

The Eagles opened the court - the first of its kind - Nov. 23 in response to a Nov. 10 game marred by fights and the firing of a flare gun.

Dolphins get desperate

The Miami Dolphins, who entered this weekend with the NFL’s second-worst running game, plan to meet with controversial running back Lawrence Phillips.

Dolphins coach Jimmy Johnson said he hopes to talk with Phillips, who was cut Nov. 20 by the St. Louis Rams, early this week.

By the numbers

Marcus Allen added to his NFL record with his 121st career rushing TD and threw his sixth touchdown pass as the Chiefs swamped the 49ers… . San Francisco lost running back Garrison Hearst in the third quarter, moments after he topped 1,000 yards for the season… . New England’s Drew Bledsoe went over the 3,000 mark in yards passing for the fourth straight season… . San Diego’s Eric Metcalf set an NFL record with an 83-yard dash that was his ninth career punt return for a touchdown… . James Jett, who had only eight TD receptions before this season, caught his 11th of the year for the Raiders.

Noteworthy

Former top draft pick Steve Emtman, signed by the Redskins to bolster the defensive line, had two tackles… . Baltimore quarterback Vinny Testaverde strained a ligament in his left knee just before halftime at Jacksonville and did not return… . New Orleans wide receiver Eric Guliford suffered a concussion upon taking a helmet-to-helmet hit from Carolina’s Pat Terrell.

The final thought

“We’ve got a quarterback (Billy Joe Hobert) that went out there and took charge.”

- All-Pro tackle Willie Roaf, after New Orleans upset Carolina.

, DataTimes