• April 26, 2006

In advance of its first upfront presentation tonight, the NFL Network said it has acquired the rights to carry the Senior Bowl, an annual college football all-star game.

The multi-year deal includes the game itself and practice sessions in the days before kick-off, a critical component in the deal as the network looks to fill up its schedule with more live programming. The network, which for the first time will carry NFL games this season with an eight-game package, holds its first upfront presentation tonight in New York. NFLN has tapped ad sales veteran Ron Furman as its senior vice president-media sales; he is expected to oversee the upfront.

As the NFL Draft--carried by ESPN--has become an increasingly popular event for NFL fans who view it as a building block for their team's future, NFLN has sought to portray itself as a hub for pre-draft coverage. The network already carries the NFL Scouting Combine, where potential draft picks showcase their abilities for NFL teams, and now adds the Senior Bowl, where they compete with each other on the field.

"Fans will have an open window to the action all week, including practices and the (Senior Bowl) game, giving them the same view every team uses to help determine its draft," NFLN said in a statement. The Senior Bowl takes place during the annual off-week before the Super Bowl.

--Davud Goetzl