WFL on TVS

On April 4, 1974 the World Football League and the TVS Television Network reached an agreement that guaranteed the league a national Game of the Week. The games were televised on Thursday nights.

Gary L. Davidson and Don Reagan sign a national TV contract with Eddie Einhorn and the TVS Network for a national WFL Game of the Week.

The WFL and TVS announced the first eight games in May of 1974. All games there after were announced ten days to two weeks to assure coverage of games involving teams in contention or divisional championships. Eleven of the WFL's twelve teams were showcased during the first eight weeks of play. The Florida Blazers did not play on TVS until September 26, 1974. TVS telecast began on July 11th.

WFL Vice-President Max Muhleman and Ed Scharetg, Vice President of the Fireman's Fund, consummate sale of the first minute of advertising for the World Football League's TVS telecasts.

For the telecast rights TVS was expected to pay the WFL $1.5 million. Eddie Einhorn was very successful selling commercial time to advertisers. The TVS Network brought the Firemen's Fund American Life Insurance Company, Chevrolet, and Bank American Card on board as sponsors.

Merle Harmon called play by play during the WFL on TVS telecast.

TVS then signed veteran broadcaster Merle Harmon as the play by play announcer. They also signed former Baltimore Colts running back Alex Hawkins as the color commentary. Each week the WFL TVS broadcast booth would have a third member as a "guest commentator." Some of the guest included George Plimpton, McLean Stevenson, Gale Sayers, Alex Karras, Paul Hornung, Don Perkins, Dick Butkus, and Burt Reynolds. TVS also considered using a sideline reporter, and a woman commentator.

Alex Hawkins and George Plimpton during inaugural WFL telecast. Burt Reynolds and Alex Hawkins during a Sun-Steamer game.

Going into Week Thirteen the WFL had played to nearly two million fans in person, and more then nine million fans were watching the WFL on TVS. "We have been pleased with the reception the nation's TV audience has given the WFL," said Gary L. Davidson. He also added, "Our ratings are higher than even the sponsors had anticipated and our product (the games) have been better than even the coaches felt they would be."

According to a NTI Rating Summary the WFL was shown on 117 stations per week and to 80 percent of the country. "Our numbers have been encouraging," said WFL Vice President for Communications Max Muhleman. "We had hoped to deliver ratings that would average 5.0 to our advertisers in this first year (1974). Thus far we are averaging better than 6.0 ratings and more than thirteen percent shares of all television sets in use during our Thursday night time slots."

The WFL on TVS ratings were also very high in non-WFL cities. The league had extremely high ratings in Atlanta, New Orleans, San Francisco, and Washington D.C. The numbers in Birmingham, Alabama were in the 27.0 range the first few weeks of WFL telecast.

The TVS Network carried a WFL regular season game seventeen of the twenty week schedule. They also did two playoff games, and the 1974 World Bowl. TVS did not pick up the option for 1975 leaving the WFL without any national game of the week that season. During the 1975 season TV coverage was done locally by TV stations in each of the league's eleven markets. In June of 1975, WFL President Chris Hemmeter was asked about a national TV contract. He was quoted in Pro Football Weekly; "We're working on three possibilities, with TVS, with the Hughes Network and maybe one of our own."

None of the above ever materialized and the World Football League folded that season on October 22nd with little to no exposure during the 1975 season.

Televised WFL Games on TVS - 1974

Playoff Games

November 21, 1974 Philadelphia Bell @ Florida Blazers

November 29, 1974 Florida Blazers @ Memphis Southmen

World Bowl

December 5, 1974 Florida Blazers @ Birmingham Americans

NOTE: The Houston Texans announced a move to Shreveport on September 18, 1974. The team traveled to Birmingham the next day to play the Americans in the nationally televised game on TVS, and was known as "Louisiana" by the WFL until September 24 when the team announced the team name would be the Shreveport Steamer.

TVS promo for upcoming WFL game.

WFL on TVS - New York Stars vs. Jacksonville Sharks
Date - July 11, 1974
Location - Gator Bowl, Jacksonville, Florida
Sharks defense stops the Stars on fourth and one.

NOTE: This film clip is used with permission and may not be used without the permission of the original owner(s).