AP

The NFL will start its Thursday night season opener involving the Giants an hour-and-a-half earlier to avoid clashing with the Republican National Convention.

The game, in which the Super Bowl champions will be the home team, is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Sept. 4 and will be televised by NBC.

Sept. 4 is the concluding night of the Republican convention.

The Colts will open Lucas Oil Stadium with a prime-time Sunday night game against the Chicago Bears on the NFL’s opening weekend. The Sept. 7 rematch of the 2007 Super Bowl won by the Colts will be played Sunday night in the new $700 million stadium in Indianapolis. NBC will televise the game.

Also on the opening weekend schedule is a prime-time Monday doubleheader on ESPN, with Minnesota visiting the Brett Favre-less Green Bay Packers at 7 p.m. EDT and Denver at Oakland at 10:15 p.m. EDT.