Observation 3: CBS is going to see a lot of the Buccaneers this season
Here’s one that doesn’t have a lot to do with what happens on the field, but certainly involves what games will look like. For the first time, FOX and CBS are splitting games with each network essentially getting to pick from the entire pool of games to determine its broadcast schedule.
Unlike years past, the conference association with each network will go out the window. CBS won’t exclusively air AFC matchups and FOX won’t air NFC games. Instead, it will be a mix, which is why the Buccaneers are showing up on the CBS broadcast schedule a total of seven times this season.
That’s a lot, more than we’ve seen in recent memory.
The Bucs will be on CBS more than they’ve been the last two seasons combined (which was a total of six times). Since the 2014 season, Tampa Bay has played 19 games that have been broadcast on CBS, including Super Bowl LV.
So the team will be on CBS almost half as many times as it has been in the last decade combined. It’s yet another thing that will look new about the team this year, even if this one is largely out of their control. It’s a bit of a dorky inside baseball observation, but it’s a sign that times are changing both in Tampa Bay and across the NFL.