Fox Contract

[ponyboy]

In an attempt to inform the audience of the outcome of the game, NBC flashed the final score across the screen. It did so just as Heidi's paralyzed cousin, Klara, was taking her first, slow steps. According to sportswriter Jack Clary, "The football fans were indignant when they saw what they had missed. The Heidi audience was peeved at having an ambulatory football score intrude on one of the story's more touching moments. Short of pre-empting Heidi for a skin flick, NBC could not have alienated more viewers that evening."

[PoconoPony]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heidi_Game

At the time the fans were outraged at not being able to see the end of a very exciting and important game. They became enraged when they found out that they had missed 2 very exciting touchdowns and that Oakland had won. New York fans in particular went crazy. NBC took a terrible PR beating, every sports page and sports show made light of the situation, comedians had a field day for weeks and fans continued to be outraged particularly after they were able to see the end of the game replay reflecting the excitment of play and the dramatic tension of the 2 touchdowns. Thus, the infamous Heide game. I am still mad at NBC for that game.