Fans miss turning point as TV channels switch

memorable

November 17, 1968: Just one minute remains in an NFL game between the Oakland Raiders and the New York Jets. It will have it all. It's a real shame for half of America that they saw a cute girl in the Graubünden Alps.

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There is a fierce rivalry between the Jets and Raiders. Both have had strong starts to the season and are considered serious contenders for the Super Bowl title. In the end, the New York Jets, led by legendary quarterback Joe Namath, defeated the Baltimore Colts 16-7 to win the championship.

But this Sunday's regular season game ended better for the Raiders at home in Oakland. They won in a dramatic final push that no one in the Eastern United States had seen – since the blockbuster “Heidi” was already playing there.

Of course, we love showcasing beautiful Switzerland in the United States. Football fans were less interested in Heidi and Geisenpeter.Image: PHOTOPRESS ARCHIVES

The game goes on and on

NBC understands that football games are a street-sweeping exercise. But it relies more on movies about sweet girls in the Swiss Alps. There will be heavy advertising in the days leading up to that, with the weekend's TV highlights scheduled to air at 7pm New York time.

Since the football game starts three hours early, there shouldn't be any problems. The games at that time had never lasted this long. But at the Oakland Coliseum, everything comes together, and from a TV manufacturer's perspective, it shouldn't come together. On the one hand, the two teams struggled to score, but on the other hand, they also made a lot of mistakes-the two quarterbacks combined for 31 incomplete passes. The game also had to be frequently interrupted due to injuries, and a total of 19 penalties were awarded.

So, at some point, it became clear: NBC's plan was going to be difficult to pull off. Station owners excitedly called back and forth. In an era before mobile phones and before games were broadcast using satellite technology, coordinating decision-making was also a technical challenge in a country with more than 5,000 kilometers of east and west coasts.

on the blade

After three quarters, the Raiders had a slight lead, leading 22:19. A thrilling confrontation now begins. First the Jets took the lead on a 97-yard drive, then the Raiders fought back. With just four minutes to go, the score was 29:29 – and the tension in this top-flight game was running high.

Around 6:45 p.m., production manager Dick Cline and NBC Sports Director Don Connal were on the phone again. They agreed that the game would not end at 7pm and that broadcasters should keep the game live until the end. But only one person can make the decision: the station's chairman, Julian Goodman. He made it clear in advance that “Heidi” had to start on time no matter what, but now Goodman backed down. The movie doesn't start until the football game is over.

The Jets took the lead on a Jim Turner field goal with a minute left in the game. It was the last action seen by television viewers in the Eastern United States. Later, a happy girl jumps across the Graubünden grass.

Because there is no communication between the TV station owners. The phone is always busy. Therefore, production manager Klein complied with the instructions instilled in him beforehand. Not knowing that President Goodman had approved a postponement of the movie's release, the game's broadcast was canceled.

The Jets and Raiders let it rip.Image source: imago sports photo service

“It's a pity that the United States can't see it.”

The plug has been pulled – countless fans are going crazy. Furious, they called the station and shut down all phone lines. Comedian Art Buchwald said: “During an earthquake, men who wouldn't even get up from their TV chairs would jump up and yell obscenities into the phone.”

The audience has no idea what they have been deceived. The Oakland Raiders actually scored two touchdowns in a span of nine seconds. They staged a dramatic comeback and won 43:32.

TV commentators Curt Gowdy and Al DeRogatis reported on the most exciting two minutes of football they had ever seen – only to hear their production manager Don Ellis quip “Too bad America can't see it”; “only” that The eastern half of the country was affected.

NBC also made matters worse by infuriating “Heidi” fans. In the scene where Clara, who was sitting in a wheelchair, miraculously walked a few steps again, the channel showed the results of the competition on a large screen. Fans are even more annoying now because they missed out on something big. Fans were also angry because the channel ruined their touching scene.

Named the most memorable game of the regular season

The broadcast blackout resulted in profound changes. Therefore, for the first time, NBC installed a viewer hotline so that the station's regular telephone connections would not be interrupted in the future. The NFL is adding a clause to its television contracts that states games must be played in their entirety and cannot be canceled early.

Heidi in the Alps: Actress Jennifer Edwards (left) walks in Gstaad in 1967.Image: PHOTOPRESS ARCHIVES

In 1997, the “Heidi Game” was named one of the ten most memorable games in the NFL and the most memorable regular season game of all time. In 2005, the fiasco ranked sixth on a list of the “100 Most Surprising Moments in Television History.” Perhaps the most beautiful anecdote comes from “Heidi” actress Jennifer Edwards: “One day my tombstone may read: 'She was a great sports moment.'”