WFRV, Packers agree to contract extension

The Green Bay Packers and WFRV-TV, Channel 5, have agreed to a six-year extension of preseason game coverage along with Packers-related series and specials.
The previous contract was for three years. The new one coincides with the new National Football League contract with the parent company of WFRV.
“Since we work with CBS Sports, we know that all of the resources will be in place for a minimum of six more years,” said R. Perry Kidder, WFRV vice president and general manager.
The contract was announced Friday evening.
The deal calls for preseason game coverage to seven stations, six of which would also broadcast “The Mike McCarthy Show” that WFRV would produce.
The booth announcers for the games are not yet known. They are expected to be named within 10 days, Kidder said.
Jessie Garcia of Milwaukee’s WTMJ would continue as the sideline reporter.
WFRV will broadcast up to four preseason games to Green Bay, Wausau/Rhinelander, Madison, Milwaukee, La Crosse, Duluth-Superior and Marquette, Mich.
The overall package includes such weekly programs as Head Coach Mike McCarthy’s show, “Larry McCarren’s Locker Room” and “Inside Lambeau;” annual specials for Fan Fest, the NFL draft, training camp, Packers Hall of Fame induction and the holiday period; historical specials for changes and celebrations in the Packers organization; three newscast segments; and promotion of tourism.
“They have demonstrated a great understanding of the uniqueness of this franchise and a great ability to tell its story to our fans, be it through our preseason games or our weekly shows through the season,” John Jones, Packers executive vice president and chief operating officer, said in a statement.
WFRV is paying the Packers an undisclosed sum for rights.
“Just like when I buy ‘Regis and Kelly’ or ‘Entertainment Tonight,’ (the payment) goes up a little bit every year,” Kidder said. “But it is a sound financial plan for both sides of the equation, no question about that.”
In the previous agreement, tourism to Lambeau Field was promoted in Chicago, Detroit and Minneapolis. To those cities have been added Marquette, Mich.; Rockford, Ill.; and Rochester, Minn.
“That’s hundreds of thousands of dollars in tourism marketing that goes into all of those markets that brings tourism dollars back to Brown County and the surrounding area,” Kidder said. “That’s a big part of this.”