Game	Total Viewers
Super Bowl XLVI (Giants-Patriots), 2/5/12	166.8 million
Super Bowl XLV (Packers-Steelers), 2/6/11	162.9 million
Super Bowl XLIV (Colts-Saints), 2/7/10	153.4 million
Super Bowl XLIII (Cardinals-Steelers), 2/1/09	151.6 million
Super Bowl XLII (Giants-Patriots), 2/3/08	148.3 million

SUPER BOWL XLVI IS MOST-WATCHED SHOW IN U.S. TELEVISION HISTORY

111.3 Million Watch Super Bowl XLVI, Tops Last Year’s Super Bowl (111.0 Million)

47.0 Household Rating is Best in 26 Years, Since 48.3 for Super Bowl XX

40.5 Adult 18-49 Rating is Best for a Super Bowl in 16 Years

14% Higher Than Last Giants-Patriots Super Bowl in 2008

12% Higher Than Last NBC Super Bowl in 2009

7^th Straight Year Super Bowl Audience Increases

INDIANAPOLIS – Feb. 6, 2012 – Super Bowl XLVI is the most-watched television program in U.S. history and the highest-rated Super Bowl in 26 years, according to fast national data released today by The Nielsen Company.

The game, in which the New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots, 21-17, was seen by a record 111.3 million viewers (6:31-9:58 p.m. ET), topping last year’s 111.0 for Super Bowl XLV on Fox and is the biggest audience to watch a television program in U.S. history.

MOST-WATCHED PROGRAMS IN U.S. TELEVISION HISTORY

1. 111.3 Million – Super Bowl XLVI, NBC (Last Night’s Game)
2. 111.0 Million – Super Bowl XLV, Fox
3. 106.5 Million – Super Bowl XLIV, CBS
4. 106.0 Million – M.A.S.H. Finale, CBS
5. 98.7 Million – Super Bowl XLIII, NBC

HIGHEST-RATED SUPER BOWL IN 26 YEARS: The game earned a 47.0 rating and a 71 share, a gain of two percent from last year’s 46.0/69 for Super Bowl XLV and is the highest-rated Super Bowl since 1986 (Bears-Patriots, Super Bowl XX, 48.3/70). The 47.0 rating is the 6^th highest in Super Bowl history.

· The game drew a 40.5 rating in the advertiser-coveted Adult 18-49 demographic, the highest for a Super Bowl in 16 years (41.2 for Super Bowl XXX on Jan. 28, 1996)

HIGEST-RATED SUPER BOWLS:

1. 49.1/73 – Super Bowl XVI, CBS
2. 48.6/69 – Super Bowl XVII, NBC
3. 48.3/70 – Super Bowl XX, NBC
4. 47.2/67 – Super Bowl XII, CBS
5. 47.1/74 – Super Bowl XIII, NBC
6. 47.0/71 – Super Bowl XLVI, NBC (Last Night’s Game)
T7. 46.4/71 – Super Bowl XVIII, CBS
T7. 46.4/63 – Super Bowl XIX, ABC
9. 46.3/67 – Super Bowl XIV, CBS
10. 46.0/69 – Super Bowl XLV, Fox

VIEWERSHIP GROWS THROUGHOUT THE GAME: The viewership and rating grew throughout the game and peaked at a 117.7 million viewers and a 50.7/72, respectively, from 9:30-9:58 p.m. ET in the fourth quarter when Eli Manning led the Giants on a game-winning drive.

HALF HOUR VIEWERSHIP (Times ET):

6:31-7, 99.2 million
7-7:30, 107.9 million
7:30-8, 110.9 million
8-8:30, 114.0 million
8:30-9, 114.3 million
9-9:30, 115.4 million
9:30-9:58, 117.7 million

HALF HOUR RATINGS (Times ET):

6:31-7, 42.5/69
7-7:30, 45.5/71
7:30-8, 46.4/71
8-8:30, 47.4/70
8:30-9, 47.7/70
9-9:30, 48.9/70
9:30-9:58, 50.7/72

HALFTIME SHOW FEATURING MADONNA IS MOST-WATCHED EVER: The halftime performance by Madonna (8-8:30), was seen by 114.0 million viewers, nearly four million more than last year’s performance featuring the Black Eyed Peas (110.3 million), and is the most-watched Super Bowl halftime show featuring entertainment ever (dating back to 1991).

· The halftime viewership 18.3 million more than NBC’s last Super Bowl with Bruce Springsteen (95.7 million).

· The halftime show earned a 47.4 household rating, six percent higher than last year (44.7/68) and is the highest-rated halftime show featuring entertainment ever.

“THE VOICE” DELIVERS HUGE NUMBERS: The season two premiere of “The Voice” that followed the Super Bowl averaged a 16.3 rating in adults 18-49 and 37.6 million viewers overall, making it the highest-rated entertainment program in 18-49 in six years, since ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” post-Super Bowl telecast on February 5, 2006 (16.5). “The Voice” is up versus last year’s post-Super Bowl telecast of “Glee” by 47 percent in 18-49 (16.3 vs. 11.1) and up one percent versus the 2010 post-Super Bowl telecast of “Undercover Boss” (16.3 vs. 16.2).

BOSTON SETS LOCAL MARKET RECORD: The rating in Boston was the best ever for an NFL game in that market (56.7/81) topping the previous high of 56.1/78 for Super Bowl XXXVI (56.1/78 on Fox).

· The New York market registered a 49.7/74, the second-highest overnight for an NFL game in that market, trailing only the 53.4/72 for Super Bowl XXI, the Giants first-ever Super Bowl. By comparison, New York registered a 44.9/67 for Super Bowl XLII, the last time they were in the big game.

· The host market of Indianapolis registered a 56.4/79 overnight rating, the second-best overnight for a host market only trailing Jacksonville (58.9/77) for Super Bowl XXXIX).

TOP 10 METERED MARKETS FOR SUPER BOWL XLVI:

1. Boston, 56.7/81
2. Indianapolis, 56.4/79
3. Norfolk, 54.2/73
4. Columbus, 54.1/72
5. New Orleans, 54.0/72
T6. Nashville, 53.5/74
T6. Jacksonville, 53.5/70
8. Buffalo, 52.9/72
9. Kansas City, 52.1/73
10. Milwaukee, 52.0/73
*New York ranked 18^th with a 49.7/74

–SUPER BOWL XLVI–

INDIANAPOLIS – Feb. 6, 2012 – Super Bowl XLVI in which the New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots 21-17, earned a 47.8/71 overnight rating/share last night on NBC, the third-highest overnight rating in Super Bowl history and less than one percent off the highest (47.9 for both Super Bowl XLV and Super Bowl XXI), according to overnight data released today by The Nielsen Company.

· The 47.8/71 is seven percent higher than Super Bowl XLII on Fox when the Giants defeated the Patriots 17-14.

· The overnight rating is 14 percent higher than the last Super Bowl on NBC (Super Bowl XLIII, Steelers 27, Cardinals 23) and higher than any of NBC’s previous 11 Super Bowls in which there were metered markets.

· Tops all other Super Bowls involving the Giants and Patriots in Nielsen People Meter History (Since 1988).

“This confirms that the Super Bowl is the most dominant and consistent property on television,” said Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBC Sports Group. “We are fortunate, in our new agreement with the NFL, to be able to broadcast three more Super Bowls over the next nine years.”

TOP 5 SUPER BOWL OVERNIGHTS OF ALL TIME:

T1. 47.9/71 – Super Bowl XLV, Packers 31-Steelers 25, Fox

T1. 47.9/68 – Super Bowl XXI, Giants 39-Broncos 20, CBS

3. 47.8/71 – Super Bowl XLVI, Giants 21-Patriots 17, NBC

4. 47.4/NA – Super Bowl XIV, Steelers 31-Rams 19, CBS

5. 46.9/70 – Super Bowl XX, Bears 46-Patriots 10, NBC

RATING GROWS THROUGHOUT THE GAME: The rating grew throughout the game and peaked at a 51.8/73 from 9:30-10 p.m. ET in the fourth quarter when Eli Manning led the Giants on a game-winning drive.

HALF HOURS (Times ET):

6:30-7, 43.3/69

7-7:30, 45.9/71

7:30-8, 47.7/72

8-8:30, 48.1/72

8:30-9, 48.3/71

9-9:30, 49.3/70

9:30-10, 51.8/73

FINAL HALF HOUR OF PRE-GAME SHOW BEST SINCE ’03: From 6-6:30, the Super Bowl XLVI Pre-Game show drew a 34.5 overnight rating, two percent higher than last year and the best for the final half-hour of the pre-game show since Super Bowl XXXVII (35.3 on ABC). Total pre-game (2-6:30) registered a 12.0/23 just two percent off from last year’s (12.2/23) and two percent higher than the last NBC Super Bowl (11.8/23 for Super Bowl XLIII).

 

· The halftime performance by Madonna (8-8:30), earned a 48.1/72 overnight, one percent ahead of last year’s 8-8:30 time period featuring the Black Eyed Peas (47.4/70) and 20 percent higher than NBC’s last Super Bowl with Bruce Springsteen (40.2/62).

 

· The post-game (10-10:15) registered a 35.3/54, 17 percent higher than last year’s 30.3 for Super Bowl XLV in Fox.

BOSTON SETS LOCAL MARKET RECORD: The rating in Boston was the best ever for an NFL game in that market (56.7/81) topping the previous high of 56.1/78 for Super Bowl XXXVI (56.1/78 on Fox).

· The New York market registered a 49.7/74, the second-highest overnight for an NFL game in that market, trailing only the 53.4/72 for Super Bowl XXI, the Giants first-ever Super Bowl. By comparison, New York registered a 44.9/67 for Super Bowl XLII, the last time they were in the big game.

· The host market of Indianapolis registered a 56.4/79 overnight rating, the second-best overnight for a host market only trailing Jacksonville (58.9/77) for Super Bowl XXXIX).

TOP 10 METERED MARKETS FOR SUPER BOWL XLVI:

1. Boston, 56.7/81

2. Indianapolis, 56.4/79

3. Norfolk, 54.2/73

4. Columbus, 54.1/72

5. New Orleans, 54.0/72

T6. Nashville, 53.5/74

T6. Jacksonville, 53.5/70

8. Buffalo, 52.9/72

9. Kansas City, 52.1/73

10. Milwaukee, 52.0/73

*New York ranked 18^th with a 49.7/74

When Fast National data is available from Nielsen this afternoon, the viewership could approach last year’s 111.0 million that watched Super Bowl XLV, the most-watched Super Bowl ever, and the most-watched television audience in U.S. history.

*Note, the “fast affiliate” data that is available later this morning does NOT reflect live audience for the Super Bowl across the country.

*Overnight ratings measure the top 56 U.S. metered markets.

–SUPER BOWL XLVI–

INDIANAPOLIS – Feb. 5, 2012 – The New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots 21-17 to win Super Bowl XLVI, the 17^th Super Bowl broadcast by NBC. Following are post-game highlights from the broadcast:

CRIS COLLINSWORTH ON MARIO MANNINGHAM’S CATCH: “Absolutely unbelievable. Will go down as one of the greatest catches in Super Bowl history. And it reminds you just a bit of David Tyree and the last time Eli Manning had the unbelievable drive. The Velcro on the helmet as Al Michaels described it.

COLLINSWORTH ON MANNING: “How brilliant can Easy-Eli be? And he will never again have to answer questions, ‘Do you consider yourself and elite quarterback and in Tom Brady’s class?’”

AL MICHAELS ON MANNING: “And he wins it in the house that his brother built.”

MICHAELS ON PATRIOTS: “The New England Patriots will have another Super Bowl tape that they won’t want to look at.”

TONY DUNGY AND RODNEY HARRISON POST-GAME COMMENTS

Harrison: “We knew this game was going to come down to the fourth quarter, and everyone thought I was crazy a week ago when I said I trust Eli Manning more in the fourth quarter than I did Tom Brady. I think you saw tonight why I said that. Tom Brady had a couple opportunities, missed some opportunities down the field. Eli didn’t. He won this football game.”

Dungy: “I was in New York with the Giants last week and every defensive player told me how much confidence they had in Eli Manning. Justin Tuck said, ‘We know if we can just get that stop in the fourth quarter Eli will win it for us.’ And he proved them right tonight.”

BOB COSTAS’ FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE GAME: “Had it turned out the other way, with a victory tonight Belichick and Brady would have put themselves at or near the top of the discussion of the greatest coach and quarterback of the Super Bowl era. Instead it turns out that it’s Coughlin and Eli Manning who put themselves in the discussion for the Hall of Fame. Because quite simply, in dramatic fashion they have now twice bested the team considered to be the best of it’s era in the game that matters most.”

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (Feb. 3, 2012) – Funnyman David Feherty’s off-beat humor and unique interview style was on full display tonight before a raucous Indianapolis audience during the Golf Channel production of Feherty Live, a special stage performance at Super Bowl XLVI. The performance was taped live at the Indianapolis Repertory Theater and will air as a two-hour special Saturday at 10 p.m. ET on Golf Channel.

Appearing on stage with Feherty were Denver Broncos quarterback and media sensation Tim Tebow, golfer and Indiana native Fuzzy Zoeller, Super Bowl-winning quarterback and current NFL Network analyst Joe Theismann, and former NFL coach and NFL Network analyst Steve Mariucci. MCA recording artist and country singer-Songwriter Josh Kelley and his band also performed.

Feherty, whose critically acclaimed Golf Channel series, Feherty, has been described as “a cross between Oprah Winfrey and Johnny Carson” by The New York Times, has been dubbed “one of the funniest men in the game” by Yahoo! Sports. The second season of Feherty premieres Feb. 27 at 10 p.m. ET on Golf Channel.

Highlights from the show:

TIM TEBOW ON PLAYING IN THE NFL:
“Well, to be honest, playing in the SEC really helped me to play versus fast teams. That’s one of the biggest things you hear is you go to the NFL and it’s a lot faster. For me it wasn’t that. The biggest adjustment was the intelligence factor of a lot of defensive players.”

DAVID FEHERTY ON TEBOW’S FIRST THOUGHT AFTER THROWING GAME-WINNING TOUCHDOWN PASS IN THE PLAYOFFS:
“Then I thought what was your first thought? I’ll give you three answers here, multiple choice. Do you think, A, it looks like I’m not going to be a car salesman next year. B, you know, I wonder if I could do that in the first quarter? Or C, take that, Elway, you old fart.”

TEBOW ON REACTION AFTER TOUCHDOWN PASS:
“I jumped in the stands and I never jumped in the stands in college or NFL or anything. When I was in there, I was like I might not be getting out because they were holding on tight.”

TEBOW ON POSSBILE FUTURE IN POLITICS:
“I don’t know, it could be something in my future. If it’s something I care about, possibly.”

STEVE MARIUCCI ON FIRST JOB IN THE NFL:
“I was the first quality control coach in the National Football League back in 1985. I did it for nothing. I volunteered my services, actually.”

JOE THEISMANN ON IF ANY PLAYERS HAVE ANY KIND OF DREAMS ABOUT LAWRENCE TAYLOR THAT AREN’T NIGHTMARES:
“I doubt if any guys that played him did. I tell you that when we play in a golf tournament, the only thing I ask him was don’t stand over my left shoulder.”

THEISMANN ON ELI MANNING:
“Here we are in the city of Indianapolis with Peyton. It’s basically Peyton’s place, but all the conversation about Peyton I think takes a back seat to the job that Eli has done in proving himself as an individual and a great football player.”

MARIUCCI ON SUPER BOWL PREDICTION:
“It’s going to be an evenly matched game. However, if I have to choose before game day morning, I’m going to pick the Giants.”

THEISMANN ON SUPER BOWL PICK:
“I like the Giants also. It reminds me a awful lot of last year when the Green Bay Packers came in as a wild card and had to win so many games at the end of the season.”

FUZZY ZOELLER ON IMPORTANCE OF MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIPS:
“In a golfer’s life, we kind of go by what we’ve done in the major tournaments. Augusta was my nearly first taste of a major that I dreamed about.”

TEBOW ON GOAL IN LIFE:
“It’s about being a great role model. It’s setting an example for the next generation. My ultimate goal is to be an athlete that a mom and dad can look at their son or daughter and say that’s someone trying to do it the right way. That’s someone living with character.”

TEBOW ON BEING A BRONCO:
“I love being in Denver right now, and I’m thankful that I’ve got the opportunity to be a Denver Bronco and live my dream every day.”

FEHERTY ON TEBOW IN FOOTBALL:
“But I’ll tell you, it’s going to be a future, as long as football has you in it, it’s going to be a whole lot more fun to watch.”

ZOELLER ON BAD GOLF SHOTS:
“I don’t get too uptight or too fired up about any shots. Bad shots happen. We’re human. Let’s accept that fact.”

-NBC Sports Group-

Indianapolis, IN – February 2, 2012 – Bob Costas will open NBC Sports’ six hours of Super Bowl XLVI pre-game coverage with a live report from Georgia Street in downtown Indianapolis at Noon ET on Sunday, Feb. 5. In the hours leading up to the game, NBC Sports will surround the Super Bowl teams with live team hotel and sideline reports, player features and interviews, and X’s and O’s analysis.

Coverage will also include the events surrounding the Super Bowl, including an interview with halftime performer Madonna, live musical performances, red-carpet interviews with music, television and film stars, reports from the festive atmosphere taking place just outside Lucas Oil Stadium, and more. NBC News’ Matt Lauer will also interview President Barack Obama during a special pre-game edition of TODAY airing late Sunday afternoon.

In addition to Costas, NBC Sports’ Sunday Night Football team of Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya, and Football Night in America team of Dan Patrick, Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison, Peter King and Mike Florio will contribute to the pre-game coverage, with taped interviews and live on-site commentary and analysis. Liam McHugh, Alex Flanagan and Randy Moss will report from the team hotels, Doug Flutie will appear in field-set segments, and The Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore will provide reports on the weather and event atmosphere.

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward, two Super Bowl MVPs who each played in last year’s game, will join NBC Sports’ coverage as guest analysts. Ward, who has played in three Super Bowls and won two, was named MVP of Super Bowl XL when he made five catches for 123 yards and a touchdown in the Steelers 21-10 win over the Seattle Seahawks. Rodgers, who is an NFL MVP candidate this season, passed for 304 yards and three touchdowns in last year’s Super Bowl, helping the Packers defeat Ward’s Steelers, 31-25, and earning him the MVP award.

Following is a summary NBC Sports’ Super Bowl XLVI pre-game coverage:

THE GAME

Hotel & Arrival Reports: Randy Moss will provide updates from the Patriots team hotel, while Alex Flanagan will report from the Giants hotel. They will also report on their respective teams’ arrival at the stadium.

Field Set: Doug Flutie (playing quarterback), Cris Collinsworth (wide receiver), and Rodney Harrison (defensive back) will analyze the play of Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz and Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, acting out the X’s and O’s on the field of Lucas Oil Stadium.

Interviews: During the two weeks leading up to the game, NBC Sports conducted extensive interviews with Super Bowl XLVI players and coaches:

· Bob Costas interviews Tom Brady

· Dan Patrick interviews Eli Manning

· Tony Dungy sits with Tom Coughlin and visits with Victor Cruz at his former Paterson, N.J. home.

· Rodney Harrison interviews his former coach, Bill Belichick, and goes on the field with Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez.

· Al Michaels visits with Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who has dedicated this season to his wife Myra, who passed away in 2011.

Hometown Hero: How does a player get to the Super Bowl? NBC Sports will visit the hometowns of five of Sunday’s featured players — Eli Manning and Jason Pierre-Paul of the Giants, and Tom Brady, Aaron Hernandez and Wes Welker of the Patriots – by speaking with the people who made an early impact on their lives, including former coaches, teachers and neighborhood friends.

Steve Gleason: Peter King tells the story of former New Orleans Saints special teams standout Steve Gleason, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2011. Gleason famously blocked the punt that led to an early touchdown the night the Saints returned to the Superdome after Hurricane Katrina. King chronicles the challenges facing Gleason and his family while battling the debilitating muscular disease.

Vince Wilfork: Get ready, America. Here come the Wilforks. NBC Sports visits the home of New England defensive lineman Vince Wilfork, and discovers the surprising personalities behind one the fiercest players in the league.

Mathias Kiwanuka: NBC Sports examines the compelling story of Giants linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka, who grew up in Indianapolis and graduated from Cathedral High School, located roughly 10 miles from Lucas Oil Stadium. However, Kiwanuka’s true roots extend back to Africa and the compelling story of his grandfather, Benedicto Kiwanuka, the first prime minister of Uganda, and a man assassinated by the regime of notorious dictator Idi Amin while he served as Amin’s chief justice in 1972.

Behind the Quarterbacks: NBC Sports will examine the people behind Sunday’s successful quarterbacks by interviewing Eli Manning’s parents, Archie and Olivia, and Tom Martinez, who has served as Tom Brady’s mentor and personal quarterback coach since high school.

Additional Features & Interviews: In addition to the aforementioned features, additional pieces will air on wide receivers Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz of the Giants, and tight end Rob Gronkowski and punter Zoltan Mesko of the Patriots.

Helmet Catch: Bob Costas interviews live former Patriots safety and current NBC Sports analyst Rodney Harrison along with former New York Giants wide receiver David Tyree, two men who are forever linked in NFL history due to Tyree’s famous and improbable “helmet catch” in Super Bowl XLII.

Commissioner Goodell: An excerpt from Bob Costas’ one-on-one interview with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell from Thursday night’s Costas Tonight: Live from the Super Bowl will air.

NFL Turning Point: The NBC Sports Network program, which normally highlights the “turning point” of a game by utilizing NFL Films’ unsurpassed access and production, will examine the “turning point” of the season for both the Giants and Patriots.

Road to the Super Bowl: Kicking off NBC Sports’ six hours of pre-game coverage at Noon ET is NFL Films’ Road to the Super Bowl. How did the New York Giants and New England Patriots advance to Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis? Re-live the journey as only NFL Films can present it. Road to the Super Bowl begins with Kickoff Weekend and chronicles the 2011 NFL season utilizing NFL Films’ signature captivating video and sound from on the field, and in the locker room from exclusive player and coach wirings.

THE PRESIDENT

Interview: NBC News’ Matt Lauer will interview President Barack Obama from The White House during a special pre-game edition of TODAY airing late Sunday afternoon.

ENTERTAINMENT

Madonna: Bob Costas interviews The Material Girl herself, Madonna, who will perform in Sunday’s Bridgestone Super Bowl XLVI Halftime Show. A world class entertainer, singer, songwriter, actress, producer, director and video visionary, Madonna has sold more than 300 million records in the course of her three decade career as The Material Girl. She is a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee. Her last tour was the most successful tour by a solo artist in history.

Red Carpet: Nick Cannon hosts NBC’s pre-game red-carpet coverage. Celebrities expected to attend include: Adam Sandler; Danny Devito from Universal Pictures’ upcoming film, The Lorax; Chris Evans from The Avengers; and the stars of NBC’s new primetime programs — Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green, Blake Shelton and Carson Daly of The Voice, which makes its second-season premiere immediately after the Super Bowl; Katharine McPhee of Smash, which debuts Monday night; and Jessica Simpson of Fashion Star.

Live Performances: Musical acts Lenny Kravitz and The Fray will perform live from the NFL’s Super Bowl XLVI Tailgate Party.

Top Chef: Bravo’s Emmy Award-winning culinary show, Top Chef, will be on-site in Indianapolis with host Tom Colicchio and two popular former contestants, Richard Blais and Antonia Lofaso, competing to create the perfect tailgate food. Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison will determine which of their tailgate preparations wins.

ATMOSPHERE

Zip Line: In addition to filing weather reports, The Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore will provide reports on the fan atmosphere surrounding Lucas Oil Stadium, including a ride on the popular 800-foot zip line located in the Super Bowl Village in downtown Indianapolis.

Indianapolis Legacy: NBC Sports will examine how Indianapolis became a shining example of how the biggest of sporting events can provide the means to unite a community in astonishing ways. After the city was awarded the game in 2008, it used the Super Bowl to plant thousands of trees, fight cancer, redevelop an entire neighborhood, and bring hope to those in need. When the Super Bowl is over, its impact in Indianapolis will remain for a very long time.

Great Moments in Indiana Sports History: NBC Sports examines the role the state of Indiana has had on some of sports’ greatest moments. The personalities and events featured include Larry Bird, John Wooden, Bobby Knight, Hank Aaron, the Indy 500, and Hoosiers.

REGIONAL COVERAGE

The NBC Sports Group has regional sports networks in New York and Boston that will be providing robust local pre- and post-game coverage for Super Bowl XLVI.

SNY: Super Bowl coverage will begin on Sat., Feb. 4 with Big Blue Live, an in-depth pre-game show that will deliver football fans the latest news and developments from Indianapolis. The show will feature live commentary from a panel of analysts, players and coaches who will provide a comprehensive look at Super Bowl XLVI as well as break down all the key matchups for the game. Big Blue Live will also include highlights from earlier in the week, including exclusive interviews with players and coaches from both the Giants and Patriots.

Immediately following Super Bowl XLVI, SNY’s Geico SportsNite Big Blue Live post-game show will provide fans extensive coverage, including all of the post-game press conferences as well as exclusive on-field interviews and reactions from both the Giants and Patriots players and coaches. On-air talent for Big Blue Live will include former Giants Tiki Barber and Shaun O’Hara, NFL Insider Adam Schein and host Chris Carlin. In addition, SNY’s Giants reporter Mike Garafolo, Gary Apple and Jonas Schwartz contribute to Big Blue Live – reporting on-site from Indianapolis.

Comcast SportsNet New England: Super Bowl Sunday coverage will include special pre- and post-game editions of Chevrolet SportsNet Central Extra. The pre-game show will begin at 3 p.m. ET with the post-game show beginning immediately after the game. Both shows will originate on-site at Lucas Oil Stadium. Hosting will be: Michael Felger, Ty Law, Troy Brown, Tom E. Curran, Mike Giardi and Kevin Walsh. Bob Neumeier will be part of the SNC Extra post-game show as well from the CSN studios.

–NBC Sports Group–

Indianapolis, IN – Feb. 2, 2012 – The premiere episode of 22-time Emmy Award-winning journalist Bob Costas’ town hall series, Costas Tonight: Live from the Super Bowl, aired this evening from the Indiana Repertory Theater in Indianapolis, Ind., and featured some of the NFL’s biggest newsmakers and stars while examining the most important issues facing the league.

Appearing on the program were NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez, San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers, and many more.

Costas Tonight: Live from the Super Bowl will re-air tonight at 11 p.m. ET; at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. ET on Saturday night; and at 10 a.m. ET on Sunday morning.

Following are highlights:

ROGER GOODELL ON NEW OVERTIME RULE: “I think people are comforted that in a big game like the Super Bowl, you’re not going to end it on some kind of a penalty and a long field goal and never see the other team get the ball. You score a touchdown, you deserve to win.”

GOODELL ON REACHING HGH TESTING AGREEMENT: “I hope so, I think we’re making progress…I’m confident that the players want to reach that. It’s important for the integrity of the sport and I think it’s important for the health of the players.”

GOODELL ON HEAD INJURIES: “We’re in a leadership position in sports. People look up to the National Football League. We do have a game that’s rough, there are inherent risks playing it. But the second-highest incident of concussions is girls’ soccer. So what we’re learning about concussions in football is helping other sports. Not just every level of football, but every other sport…Now the NFL is sharing our research with the Defense Department to help treat our military personnel in the field.”

GOODELL ON NFL TEAM IN LOS ANGELES: “Really, we want to keep our teams where they are and that’s the dilemma because not only do we have to get the stadium in L.A., then we have to find out how to get the team.”

GOODELL ON NORTHERN CITIES HOSTING SUPER BOWLS: “The biggest challenge we have putting on an event like this is it takes 25,000 hotel rooms. And that’s a heavy lift for a lot of communities to be able to do. But this community has really put out the hospitality for us. They know how to do great events and they’re proving it to the world.”

DWIGHT FREENEY ON ROB GRONKOWSKI INJURY AND HIS OWN HIGH ANKLE SPRAIN IN SUPER BOWL XLIV: “The halftime killed me…the thing stiffened up, the pain came back and I was probably 30 percent less than when I started the game.”

STRAHAN: “Only thing I’m thinking is I’m going to tell Madonna to sing two extra songs.”

PETER KING ON PEYTON MANNING’S FUTURE: “It’s almost certain that he won’t play here (in Indianapolis). I don’t think Jimmy Irsay, the owner of the team, wants to take the $28 million risk on Peyton Manning.”

JEFF SATURDAY ON REDUCING FULL PAD PRACTICES: “I heard all kinds of coaches and everybody, ‘Football is never going to be the same.’ We got the two best teams playing in the Super Bowl. We’ve got some of the greatest football we’ve ever seen played, so obviously that [previous full-pad practice regulations] didn’t make that big of a difference.”

ALAN SCHWARZ (N.Y. TIMES) ON CONCUSSIONS: “The reason that the NFL was put under such a microscope was because of the influence that it has on children and why the statements that the league made from 2007-2008 up to the middle of 2009 were under such scrutiny was because of that influence.”

TONY GONZALEZ ON BIG HITS: “There’s no way you can tell me that these guys aren’t trying to put you out of the game.”

JONES ON PLAYER SAFETY: “We are going to make great strides as we go forward in years to come. A lot of it helped start with the labor agreement we negotiated.”

SATURDAY ON 18-GAME SEASON: “I don’t think it’s a possibility right now…from a player’s standpoint I think we give the fans exactly what they want at 16 games.”

COSTAS ON PRESEASON: “Shouldn’t the fans not have to pay for that as part of the season ticket package?”

JONES: “I agree, but that’s why we need 18 games.”

SATURDAY ON NUMBER OF PLAYERS CURRENTLY USING HGH: “Not very many.”

GONZALEZ ON PRESENCE OF HGH: “It’s there. There’s no doubt about it. It’s there.”

COSTAS ON HGH TESTING: “Will we have an agreement before next season?”

SATURDAY: “I don’t think so, still in doubt.”

GONZALEZ ON NEW BREED OF TIGHT ENDS: “It’s something you’re going to see a lot more NFL teams…they’re all going to go to it. And I think the reason, also, it’s become a glamor position because they’re seeing these guys like Antonio (Gates), guys like Shannon Sharpe that I saw. It’s becoming a position where you can score touchdowns…you can catch 85, 95 balls a year. Maybe Gronkowski, back in the day, he probably would have played defensive end.”

SATURDAY ON THE STADIUM VERSUS TV EXPERIENCE: “The greatest game I ever played, AFC Championship Game, in the RCA Dome here in Indianapolis. I can tell you this: not one person, no matter how much they paid for that ticket, would have not wanted to be at that game. That’s a fact.”

TONY DUNGY ON COACHES POST-GAME HANDSHAKE: “I think it is a great lesson to our young men, that you can go out there and compete, and at the end of the day, one team wins, one team loses, but we can still be men and handle it appropriately.”

DUNGY ON HIS BIGGEST MISTAKE: “Kicking off to Devin Hester in the Super Bowl (laughter).”

DICK VERMEIL ON WORST DECISION HE EVER MADE: “To retire from the Rams right after the Super Bowl. Yeah, that was not a good thing to do. I thought it was the right thing to do and I think most of us make decisions based on what we think is the right thing to do. I was drained. I’m an emotional, intense guy and I was tired. My family wanted me home and I felt that’s where I belonged.”

JOHN HARBAUGH ON CONTINUING PLAYER SAFETY EMPHASIS: “Let’s keep moving in that direction because the doctor is right, it filters down…everything our guys do filters through college, through high school, through pee wee. They are role models, they are great men. We talk about them being mighty men all the time. Kids look up to them.”

CRIS COLLINSWORTH ON COSTAS TONIGHT: “I say, thank God you’ve got another show because we never see enough of Bob Costas.”

AL MICHAELS AND BOB COSTAS ON RAPPERS: “I wouldn’t mind seeing Eminem performing at halftime next year since he gave me a shout out as his favorite announcer. (laughter) I can be bought.”

COSTAS: “I was once name checked by Ludacris, pal, so we’re even.” (laughter)

MICHAELS: “I have rapped with 50 cent and we’re going on tour as 49-and-a-half cent.”

–Super Bowl XLVI–

INDIANAPOLIS – February 1, 2012 – NBC Sports conducted a media conference call today with Tony Dungy (analyst), Rodney Harrison (analyst) along with Sam Flood (Executive Producer, NBC Sports and NBC Sports Network) to talk about the network’s coverage of Super Bowl XLVI. For a complete replay, dial 719-457-0820 and enter passcode 7562548. Highlights follow:

NBC Sports’ coverage of the Super Bowl begins at Noon ET, Sunday, Feb. 5.

HARRISON ON MATCHUP: “The Giants have been terrific the last month-and-a-half of the season. The Patriots had somewhat of a turbulent year with the defense being called really bad and the offense being really good. But you have two tremendous coaches and really two tremendous franchises going head to head. The Giants deserve to be here. They went on the road and won two tough games, and they played tremendous. So I’m excited, and the coverage will be fantastic, but the game will be unbelievable.”

FLOOD ON PRE-GAME PLANNING: “We’ve been working on formats for the Super Bowl for about four weeks now, with ideas and how we want to flow the audience and the content across the network. We’re on version 25 of our format, and in about an hour from now we’ll be on version 26. If you’re talking about the over-under (on formats), we’re thinking 34.”

DUNGY ON THE SUPER BOWL BEING IN INDIANAPOLIS: “For me this is really special. I remember sitting with Jim Irsay as he was there trying to get Lucas Oil Stadium here, and sitting with the state legislature telling them how important football was to central Indiana, and seeing the stadium come to fruition. When I flew in here Sunday night and saw downtown and all the things they had going on, it just made me really proud of Indianapolis and central Indiana and what they’ve done. I think people are going to really, really enjoy their time at this Super Bowl. Then to work it out where NBC is covering it, it couldn’t be better for me.”

HARRISON ON HIS PERSONAL FEELINGS FOR THE GAME: “Of course I can say that I want them to get revenge. Obviously, my heart is with the New England Patriots. But speaking objectively, I was the same guy that came out on our Pro Bowl coverage that said I would take Eli Manning in the fourth quarter instead of Tom Brady, a guy that I won back to back championships with. With a guy that I won 20 straight consecutive games with, and had a 16-0 season.”

HARRISON ON IF HE CAN BE OBJECTIVE AS AN ANALYST: “Yes, I can cover it objectively. I’ve been objective. I’ve criticized Belichick, and the defensive backs from the Patriots as well as I’ve been complimentary at times to that team. That’s my nature. If I feel something, I’ll let you know it. But I’m not going to shy away from what I feel. If it means criticizing my former team, I’ve never been shy about doing that.”

HARRISON ON THE NEW YORK-BOSTON RIVALRY: “From an historical standpoint, I don’t really know the history between New York and Boston. But I knew once I came to this team in New England, they basically told me the first week I was there, if you’re going to hate anybody, hate the New York Jets, hate any New York team. So that first week of being there, you kind of fell into that whole mindset of anything New York you hate.”

DUNGY ON PREPARING FOR THE BROADCAST: “The preparation to me is exactly the same (as preparing when I was a head coach). I was saying that yesterday as we were screening plays and looking for just the right play to show what makes Tom Brady great. Looking for exactly the right angle of a play to show the New York Giants defense and how they’re going to rush the passer. To me, that is the fun part of it. I feel like we are going to be prepared as we go out there, and we are going to have a great performance because we’re putting the time in.”

HARRISON ON RELIVING TYREE “HELMET CATCH”: “For a long time I carried a bitter taste in my mouth after having such a tough defeat. But after months and months of really carrying the burden of such a heck of a play by David Tyree, I’ve been able to recently release that. But it hurt me. I got a chance to watch it a couple times, and every time I see it, it still hurts.”

FLOOD ON HARRISON AND TYREE: “Just to make Rodney really comfortable during the show we’re doing a look back at what happened with that catch. Then live on the set, David Tyree and Rodney Harrison will be talking about that moment. I don’t think Rodney and David have been together for a while. We’re going to get them on that set, no rehearsal, just get them talking about that moment in the moment just having seen it retold again.”

FLOOD ON VINCE WILFORK FEATURE: “We went to Vince Wilfork’s house with Rodney and got a sense of Vince and his wife, and how special that relationship is, and how it drives him every day. It’s a unique insight on Vince as a man, and you understand why he’s such a force on the football field because the back story is so special.”

FLOOD ON DUNGY INTERVIEWING COUGHLIN: “Tony sat down with Coach Tom Coughlin. There is nothing quite like two coaches sitting down with Tony leading the way, getting the insights and understanding of a game plan. They’ve both gone against Bill Belichick, so both guys are talking about the curveballs, the unexpected twists and turns and game planning that these coaches will do against each other. It was a fun thing to look at and see happen.”

DUNGY ON COACH COUGHLIN: “I coached in the NFL 28 years, coached for some great guys – Chuck Noll, Marty Schottenheimer, Dennis Green, and 13 years myself as a head coach, I made it to one Super Bowl. Any time you go to multiple Super Bowls, you’re a great coach. Coach Coughlin started with an expansion team in Jacksonville. Took them to the AFC Championship game, and now he’s gone multiple times with the Giants. He is a tremendous coach, and he is underrated.”

FLOOD ON ADDING AARON RODGERS AND HINES WARD: “We’ll also have two special guest analysts with us, Aaron Rodgers and Hines Ward, who happened to be on the field a year ago in the Super Bowl. Kind of fresh in their minds so they can take the audience to where these players are as the day progresses. Hines and Aaron will be with Bob Costas, talking about what’s going on and last minute planning. Aaron has great insight to the quarterback play. Hines is uniquely qualified. In addition to be a Super Bowl MVP, he played in the Super Bowl with the Steelers and one we did in Tampa Bay (2009) with an injury.”

HARRISON ON THE PRO BOWL: “I watched the Pro Bowl, and I was very disappointed in the players. You understand from the players’ standpoint that I made it through the season and maybe they don’t want to get injured. I’ve played in a couple of Pro Bowls. If you don’t want to play and you don’t want to give a hundred percent, you should sit on the sidelines and allow someone else to get that opportunity. I was actually embarrassed by some of the players. When I played in the Pro Bowl, we played hard. We played for pride. It’s just ridiculous.”

DUNGY ON THE PRO BOWL: “I’ve coached in it several times as an assistant coach and head coach. I remember the first one I coached in 1984, and we had (Kenny) Easley and Howie Long, and there were no free passes in that game. The defense came to play, offensive guys knew it. It was like a regular game. I coached again in 1999, and Randy Moss, I think it was his second Pro Bowl, wanted to show the world that he was the best player in football. You just had that competitiveness. I didn’t see that the other night, and I do hope that changes, because it can be a great game.”

NBC SPORTS SUPER BOWL XLVI MEDIA GUIDE: The NBC Sports Super Bowl XLVI Media Guide is now available at http://press.nbcsports.com. The Media Guide contains programming and production information, historical material, talent and executive bios and photos, and Super Bowl-related logos.

–SUPER BOWL XLVI–

INDIANAPOLIS – January 31, 2012 – NBC Sports conducted a media conference call today with Bob Costas (host), Al Michaels (play-by-play) and Cris Collinsworth (analyst) along with Mark Lazarus (Chairman, NBC Sports Group) and Fred Gaudelli (game producer) to preview its Super Bowl XLVI coverage. For a complete replay, dial 719-457-0820 and enter passcode 3500426. Highlights follow:

NBC Sports’ coverage of the Super Bowl begins at Noon ET, Sunday, Feb. 5. Details of NBC Sports’ pre-game programming will be announced later this week.

MICHAELS: “I always think about the old Marv Levy line, ‘Where would you rather be than right here, right now?’ If you’re in this business, that is totally applicable, because this is it. This is the Super Bowl. There is no event like it.”

COLLINSWORTH: “I always sort of equate it to a party. If you’ve got a dinner party for six people that you know really well, the conversation’s going to take on a certain tone. If you have a hundred people that you don’t know all that well, the conversation is going to take on a little bit of a different tone. We’ll try to be as engrossing as we can. We want everybody to have a great time with this one. Let’s face it, there are probably going to be 80 million perspective clients of ours that we’d like to invite to our Sunday Night party come next year. So we’re going to try to make everybody have a great time. Probably a few more stories told early on just to set the cast of characters in this one, and certainly the pregame show will help us do that, too.

“The thing that I’m most excited about with this one is it’s a game with history. You go back to 2007 and what happened in that Super Bowl, which was arguably the most exciting moment that I have ever been a part of watching a game. Like everybody else that week, I picked the Patriots to win. Of course, I was getting heckled a lot during the course of the game as they were making their comeback.”

TAFOYA: “It’s so much fun to cover. We have two Super Bowl MVPs in this game in Eli and Tom. The coaches, it goes without saying, the reputations of these teams and what they bring in terms of excitement. This is my second Super Bowl. I’m utterly thrilled to be here.”

COSTAS ON NBC SPORTS’ PRE-GAME COVERAGE: “The balance of what (executive producer) Sam Flood and his production team have put together is of interest to both avid football fans and to the casual viewers who fill out the audience and make it the biggest single audience in all of American television.”

MICHAELS ON ELI MANNING AND TOM BRADY: “The match-up is tremendous. If you’re going to put a couple of guy’s names up in lights on the marquee, it’s going to be Eli and Tom Brady. It’s the first time in history that two guys who have won Super Bowl MVPs as quarterbacks face off against each other. And Brady is one of the greatest of all time. I never like to rank guys one through five or whatever, but no matter what happens on Sunday, you’re having a conversation about one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. And Tom is very much in that conversation.”

LAZARUS ON NBCUNIVERSAL’S PRESENCE AT THE SUPER BOWL: “This is going to be a successful day for us from Noon ET on. On an ad sales front, we’re already in fine shape. We’ve sold out all of the ancillary programming. We have sold out a lot of sponsors for the early portions of the pre-game show. We think the entertainment value in audience enjoyment will be very strong, and therefore we believe that part will be a huge success leading into the biggest sporting event of the year. We have no doubts about our ability to translate the energy that is here to a national audience, both from an entertainment point of view and a sports point of view.”

LAZARUS ON NBC SPORTS’ SET UP IN INDIANAPOLIS: “We have multiple sets here. We have a studio set inside the media center where we’re doing our NBC Sports Network shows from. Then we’re also utilizing theaters around town, one that will house both the Bob Costas town hall meeting, and then the David Feherty show on the next evening. Then another theater that is being used by the Jimmy Fallon group to do the Fallon show Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. So multiple areas, not to mention there is a small place called Lucas Oil Field that will have a big football game, and we’ll utilize that as the backdrop for the biggest show of all. Finally, in terms of numbers of people, we have roughly 450 people here in town working tirelessly in front of the camera, behind the camera to host guests and to make this an NBCUniversal wide success.”

GAUDELLI ON NEW PRODUCTION ELEMENTS: “There will be quite a few new production elements in terms of the graphics that we use to display information in terms of what we’ll do to personalize players. We just did some extensive photo shoots with both teams to try to give people a sense of the player without the helmet on and what he looks like and where he’s from, and hopefully his personality. With the Super Bowl, everything is bigger and bolder in terms of the presentation, and that will certainly be so. But when it comes right down to it, it’s all about how we’re going to cover this game. To me, that is the ultimate litmus test. How well will we do? We expect to do very well.”

COLLINSWORTH ON HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET OVER A SUPER BOWL LOSS: “I’m 53 years old, and I’m hoping it happens on my 54th birthday.”

PRE-GAME CONFERENCE CALL TOMORROW AT 1 PM ET: NBC Sports will conduct a media conference call tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET with the Football Night in America team of Dan Patrick (co-host), Tony Dungy (analyst), Rodney Harrison (analyst) and Sam Flood (Executive Producer, NBC Sports).

NBC SPORTS SUPER BOWL XLVI MEDIA GUIDE: The NBC Sports Super Bowl XLVI Media Guide is now available at http://press.nbcsports.com. The Media Guide contains programming and production information, historical material, talent and executive bios and photos, and Super Bowl-related logos.

–SUPER BOWL XLVI

INDIANAPOLIS – January 31, 2012 – NBC Sports Group presents the premier edition of 22-time Emmy Award-winning journalist Bob Costas’ live town hall series, Costas Tonight: Live From the Super Bowl, Thursday, 8-10 p.m. ET on the NBC Sports Network. The two-hour live program features some of the NFL’s biggest newsmakers and stars while taking a comprehensive look at the NFL from the Super Bowl host city just three nights before the big game.

Costas Tonight: Live from the Super Bowl will take place in front of a live studio audience from the Indiana Repertory Theater on, and will include a one-on-one interview with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

Joined in a town hall setting by some of the biggest names in the sport, Costas will explore all of the headlines and critical issues facing the game, from the evolution of the NFL head coach to the all-important topic of safety on the field.

SCHEDULED TO APPEAR:

Roger Goodell – NFL Commissioner
Jerry Jones – Owner, Dallas Cowboys
Robert Kraft – Owner, New England Patriots
John Harbaugh – Head Coach, Baltimore Ravens
Tony Gonzalez – TE, Atlanta Falcons
Dwight Freeney – DE, Indianapolis Colts
Philip Rivers – QB, San Diego Chargers
Larry Fitzgerald – WR, Arizona Cardinals
Jeff Saturday – C, Indianapolis Colts

In addition, NBC Sports’ Super Bowl Commentators:

Al Michaels
Cris Collinsworth
Tony Dungy
Rodney Harrison

SEGMENTS INCLUDE:

· Costas one-on-one with Commissioner Roger Goodell;

· State of the Game – panelists will discuss important issues in today’s NFL including: player safety, performance-enhancing drugs, end zone celebrations and ticket prices;

· Coaches Panel – A look at the state of coaching in the NFL, past and present;

· Panel with NBC’s Super Bowl XLVI broadcasters looking ahead to the big game.

Additionally, there will be a “Hot Zone” in the audience of the Indiana Repertory Theater for Costas and the panelists to interact with past and present NFL players, journalists and NFL insiders Peter King of Football Night in America and Sports Illustrated and Mike Florio of Football Night and ProFootballTalk on NBCSports.com.

–SUPER BOWL XLVI–