NFL -- CBS Seals Deal For Afc Package -- NBC Puts In Bid For Monday Night Deal

NEW YORK - When the NFL's version of television-network musical chairs ends, either NBC or ABC will be left without a seat in the broadcast booth.

CBS made sure it wouldn't be the odd network out again, buying its way back into the NFL last night with a stunning $4 billion, eight-year deal to televise the AFC package formerly held by NBC. The CBS deal more than doubles the rate per season that NBC paid in 1997.

Earlier in the day, the Fox network and the NFL settled on a $4.4 billion, eight-year contract that allows Fox to keep the Sunday afternoon NFC deal.

TNT and ESPN are expected to retain their Sunday night cable packages, but at close to double the price. ESPN paid $524 million and TNT paid $496 million in the previous deal.

That leaves "Monday Night Football," which ABC has held since 1970. But NBC, which also has been broadcasting NFL games for 28 years, has made a bid to challenge ABC for the Monday night package, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.

In 1993, ABC paid $920 million over four years for "Monday Night Football," a 2-percent increase over the previous four-year deal. It will cost much more to keep it this time, maybe more than double the previous price. Talks continued today.

"Even though the Monday night ratings are off a little bit, it is still one of the top-ranked programs in prime time every year," said Ron Frederick, a media buyer at J. Walter Thompson advertising agency. "It is three hours of guaranteed quality programming. The question is how much is ABC prepared to ante up to keep one of the cornerstones of its prime-time schedule."

When the NFL's deals with all five of its network partners are completed, the packages could be worth as much as $16 billion - more than the combined total of the nine previous deals with the league since 1962.

ABC and NBC each have one game left in the current contract - the Super Bowl on NBC on Jan. 25 and the Pro Bowl on ABC on Feb. 1. The network that loses out on "Monday Night Football" will be out of the NFL for at least five years.

The new deals will result in a large increase in the salary cap for NFL clubs. And while the smallest increase will be next year, it still is likely to be in the area of $10 million, allowing teams hard-pressed under the salary cap to retain important free agents.

CBS was shocked when Fox wrestled the NFL away from it in 1993. But it pulled off almost as stunning a move last night, when it agreed to pay $500 million a year for AFC games. NBC paid $217 million per season in the last agreement.

Fox now will show three Super Bowls, including two in the first five years of its new deal, starting with the 1999 game to be played Jan. 31 in Miami. CBS will show two Super Bowls.

NoTES

-- Baltimore running back Bam Morris was given a 120-day jail sentence, and there are strong indications the team's leading rusher the past two seasons will not be re-signed for next season.

Morris is one of the Ravens' eight unrestricted free agents, and team officials eagerly awaited the outcome of his hearing in Rockwall County, Texas, on charges that he violated his six-year probation on a 1996 marijuana-possession conviction by missing seven meetings with his probation officer, consumed alcohol and assaulted a Dallas woman at a Nov. 16 birthday party in Woodlawn, Md. State District Judge Sue Pirtle ordered Morris to serve four months of his 10-year sentence in the Rockwall County jail and said he would be imprisoned automatically for the remainder of his 10-year sentence if he violated probation again.

-- The Oakland Raiders turned to a familiar face in their search to fill their vacant coaching position with Falcon offensive line coach Art Shell the latest candidate to be interviewed, over the weekend. Raider senior assistant Bruce Allen said the two sides likely will meet again.

Shell coached the Raiders to a 54-38 record, with three playoff appearances, from 1989-94. Oakland hasn't been to the playoffs since 1993. The Hall of Fame offensive tackle spent the first 27 years of his pro career with the Raiders as a player and coach.

-- Jacksonville re-signed Mike Hollis, a restricted free-agent kicker who was selected to his first Pro Bowl this season. Hollis made 31 of 36 field-goal attempts and all 41 of his extra-point tries this season.

-- Washington linebacker Ken Harvey won't play in the Pro Bowl because of a lingering shoulder injury, the team said.

-- Ron Erhardt retired as New York Jet quarterback coach after a 25-year coaching career, including two Super Bowl victories. Erhardt, 66, was offensive coordinator for the New York Giants when they won the Super Bowl in 1986 and 1990.

Compiled from The Associated Press, The Baltimore Sun, The Indianapolis Star and News, The Contra Costa Times and Bloomberg.