ORLANDO, Fla. -- An Orlando television station has issued an on-air explanation for why it aired the struggling Jacksonville Jaguars while many NFL fans probably would have preferred seeing the Denver Broncos-New York Giants game, a possible Super Bowl preview featuring Peyton and Eli Manning.
WKMG TV issued the scrolled message on Sunday. It read that NFL policy states the station must carry all Jags away games. The end of the message said: "We apologize for any inconvenience.''
Viewers then took to Twitter to remark on what many saw as an apology from the station.
But WKMG vice president and general manager Skip Valet says the arrangement is nothing new. He says for nearly two decades Orlando has been designated the secondary Jaguars market and has carried all the away games. As he put it: "I know it's frustrating, but as a CBS station in this market you have to carry the away games.''
The Jaguars ended up losing to the Raiders, 19-9, in a game in which they went more than 36 minutes without a first down and didn't generate any offense until it was out of hand.
Last week, the Jags scored an NFL-low two points, and they are coming off the worst season in franchise history. They have missed the playoffs 11 of the last 13 years.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.