Christmas Tree lighting sends Ravens-Steelers to afternoon start

The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting sent the Ravens-Steelers game to a mid-afternoon kick Wednesday

The timing seemed odd. Why would an NFL game kick-off at 3:40 p.m. ET on any day of the week, let alone a Wednesday?

And then intrepid reporters began to dig into NBC’s television schedule for that evening.

The game has been postponed three times and Wednesday is its current location for the Baltimore Ravens to visit the Pittsburgh Steelers.

NBC has the broadcast rights to the game. The network also has its annual two-hour show from New York featuring the Christmas Tree lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center that night.

By this account, the lighting turned the lights out on the NFL having a premier matchup in prime time.

Wow.