FOX Sports Announces Expanded College Football Schedule Featuring Nation’s Top Teams

June 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment

260px-Fox_College_Football_logoSchedule Highlighted by Notre Dame at Stanford on Nov. 30

FOX Sports 1 Makes College Football Debut on Aug. 29

Big 12, Pac-12 and Conference USA Appear on FOX Sports,

FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports Networks and FOX College Sports

New York, NY – College football returns to FOX Sports in 2013 with nearly 100 games spanning its broadcast and cable platforms. Top match-ups featuring Big 12, Pac-12 and Conference USA teams air on the FOX broadcast network, FOX Sports Networks (FSN), FOX College Sports and FOX Sports 1, America’s new sports network launching August 17. Some of the best football teams in the country take center stage on FOX Sports outlets, including a highly anticipated Nov. 30 contest that features two college football powerhouses as the Stanford Cardinal host the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in Palo Alto.

FOX Sports 1 makes its college football debut with three straight days of action beginning Thursday, Aug. 29, when Utah of the Pac-12 hosts in-state rival Utah State (8:00 PM ET) in the first game of the network’s weekly Thursday night series. The Utah vs. Utah State game is preceded by a special hour-long edition of the FOX COLLEGE THURSDAY pregame show, while Thursday night games for the rest of the season feature 30 minutes of pregame coverage. FOX Sports 1’s Thursday night package features big ticket match-ups all season long, including UCLA at Utah, Arizona at USC and Oklahoma at Baylor.

College football continues on Friday, Aug. 30, with the Big 12’s first appearance on FOX Sports 1, as K-State hosts North Dakota State (8:30 PM ET).

On Saturdays, coverage kicks off at 10:00 AM ET on FOX Sports 1 with two hours of the FOX College Saturday pregame show, followed by a double or tripleheader of Big 12, Pac-12 and/or Conference USA action. FOX Sports 1’s schedule for Saturday, Aug. 31, features Boise State at Washington (10:00 PM ET), as the two teams meet for the second consecutive game, having closing out last season at the Maaco Las Vegas Bowl – a thrilling 28-26 Broncos victory. Earlier that day on FOX Sports 1, West Virginia hosts William & Mary (12:00 PM ET), and Oregon opens the Mark Helfrich era against Nicholls State (4:00 PM ET).

FOX Sports begins its second year of college football coverage on broadcast television the following weekend with the first of five straight Saturday games in prime time as Oklahoma hosts West Virginia in a Big 12 conference showdown on Saturday, Sept. 7 (7:00 PM ET). Saturday games on FOX Sports are typically preceded by a live 30-minute FOX COLLEGE SATURDAY pregame show from Los Angeles.

Thanksgiving weekend brings three straight days of hard-hitting action beginning with the battle for the Chancellor’s Spurs, as Texas hosts Texas Tech on Thursday, Nov. 28 in prime time (7:30 PM ET) on FOX Sports 1. The following day features three more in-state rivalries, as Washington welcomes Washington State on FOX Sports (3:30 PM ET), Oregon hosts Oregon State (7:00 PM ET) and Conference USA newcomers Florida Atlantic and FIU square off (3:00 PM ET) on FOX Sports 1. Action on Saturday, Nov. 30, is headlined by last year’s BCS runner-up Notre Dame at defending Rose Bowl champion Stanford.

FOX Sports’ college football regular-season schedule concludes the following weekend on Saturday, Dec. 7, with a Big 12 match-up between either Texas and Baylor or Oklahoma and Oklahoma State (3:30 PM ET). That night, a conference champion is crowned at the Big Ten Football Championship Game at 8:00 PM ET on FOX.

College football on FOX Sports wraps up on Friday, Jan. 3, with the AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic from Dallas, featuring the Big 12 vs. SEC. Pregame coverage starts at 7:30 PM ET, followed by kickoff at 8:00 PM.

FOX Sports, FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports Networks and FOX College Sports broadcast some of the best college football in the nation with last year’s Big 12 co-champions K-State and Oklahoma scheduled to make at least five combined appearances on the networks. Last year’s Pac-12 champion Stanford is showcased at least once, while Oregon, which won the Fiesta Bowl and ended last season ranked No. 2 in the national polls, appears at least two times on FOX Sports and FOX Sports 1. Also on this year’s schedule is last season’s lone undefeated team Ohio State, which plays at Cal on Saturday, Sept. 14 (7:00 PM ET). Several other games featuring top Big 12, Pac-12 and Conference USA squads are yet to be announced with selections made 12 or six days in advance of game day.

The 2013 college football schedule for FOX Sports, FOX Sports 1, FOX Sports Networks and FOX College Sports can be found below. The remainder of the schedule will be announced as the season progresses.

2013 FOX COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

(All times listed are Eastern)

 

Thursday, August 29 Conference Network
8:00 PM Utah State at Utah Pac-12 FOX Sports 1
Friday, August 30
8:30 PM North Dakota State at K-State Big 12 FOX Sports 1
Saturday, August 31
12:00 PM William & Mary at West Virginia Big 12 FOX Sports 1
4:00 PM Nicholls State at Oregon Pac-12 FOX Sports 1
10:00 PM Boise State at Washington Pac-12 FOX Sports 1
7:00 PM Louisiana-Monroe at Oklahoma Big 12 FSN (PPV)
7:30 PM Wofford at Baylor Big 12 FSN
7:00 PM Old Dominion at East Carolina C-USA FCS
 

Thursday, September 5

    
7:30 PM Florida Atlantic at East Carolina C-USA FOX Sports 1
Saturday, September 7    
7:00 PM West Virginia at Oklahoma Big 12 FOX
12:00 PM Oklahoma State at UTSA C-USA FOX Sports 1
6:30 PM Louisiana-Lafayette at K-State Big 12 FOX Sports 1
10:30 PM Washington State at USC Pac-12 FOX Sports 1
12:00 PM Southeastern Louisiana at TCU Big 12 FSN
3:30 PM Buffalo at Baylor Big 12 FSN
7:00 PM Stephen F. Austin at Texas Tech Big 12 FSN
8:00 PM New Mexico at UTEP C-USA FCS
Thursday, September 12    
7:30 PM Tulane at LA Tech C-USA FOX Sports 1
Saturday, September 14
7:00 PM Ohio State at Cal Pac-12 FOX
12:00 PM Virginia Tech at East Carolina C-USA FOX Sports 1
6:00 PM Iowa at Iowa State Big 12 FOX Sports 1
10:00 PM Oregon State at Utah Pac-12 FOX Sports 1
4:00 PM Ball State at North Texas C-USA FSN
7:30 PM Lamar at Oklahoma State Big 12 FSN
Saturday, September 21    
7:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX
12:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
4:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
3:00 PM Houston vs. Rice (from Reliant Stadium) C-USA FSN
7:00 PM Texas State at Texas Tech Big 12 FSN
8:00 PM UTSA at UTEP C-USA FCS
Thursday, September 26    
7:30 PM Iowa State at Tulsa C-USA FOX Sports 1
Saturday, September 28    
7:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX
12:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
4:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
12:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FSN
Thursday, October 3
10:00 PM UCLA at Utah Pac-12 FOX Sports 1
Saturday, October 5    
7:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX
12:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
6:30 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
10:30 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
3:30 PM TBA at TBA TBA FSN
3:30 PM North Texas at Tulane C-USA FCS
Thursday, October 10    
10:30 PM Arizona at USC Pac-12 FOX Sports 1
Saturday, October 12    
3:30 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX
12:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
4:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
8:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
12:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FSN
5:00 PM Marshall at Florida Atlantic C-USA FCS
Saturday, October 19    
12:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX
12:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
10:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
12:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FSN
Thursday, October 24    
7:30 PM Marshall at Middle Tennessee C-USA FOX Sports 1
Saturday, October 26    
3:30 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX
4:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
7:30 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
11:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
12:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FSN
7:00 PM North Texas at Southern Miss C-USA FCS
Thursday, October 31    
7:30 PM Rice at North Texas C-USA FOX Sports 1
Saturday, November 2    
7:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX
12:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
8:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
1:00 PM Middle Tennessee at UAB C-USA FCS
Thursday, November 7    
7:30 PM Oklahoma at Baylor Big 12 FOX Sports 1
Saturday, November 9    
7:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX
12:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
4:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
8:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
12:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FSN
4:00 PM FIU at Middle Tennessee C-USA FCS
Thursday, November 14    
7:30 PM Marshall at Tulsa C-USA FOX Sports 1
     
Saturday, November 16    
7:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX
12:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
4:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
10:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
12:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FSN
3:30 PM TBA at TBA TBA FSN
12:00 PM Charlotte at Old Dominion C-USA FCS
     
Thursday, November 21    
7:30 PM Rice at UAB C-USA FOX Sports 1
     
Saturday, November 23    
7:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX
12:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
4:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
8:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
3:30 PM TBA at TBA TBA FSN
     
Thursday, November 28    
7:30 PM Texas Tech at Texas Big 12 FOX Sports 1
     
Friday, November 29    
3:30 PM Washington State at Washington Pac-12 FOX
3:00 PM FIU at Florida Atlantic C-USA FOX Sports 1
7:00 PM Oregon State at Oregon Pac-12 FOX Sports 1
     
Saturday, November 30    
7:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX
12:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
4:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FOX Sports 1
12:00 PM TBA at TBA TBA FSN
3:00 PM Tulane at Rice C-USA FCS
     
Saturday, December 7    
3:30 PM TBA at TBA Big 12 FOX
8:00 PM Big Ten Championship Game (from Lucas Oil Stadium) Big Ten FOX
Friday, January 3    
8:00 PM AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic (from Cowboys Stadium) SEC/Big 12 FOX
Filed Under: FOX, NCAA Football

The Southeastern Conference and ESPN Announce new TV Network and Digital Platform

May 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment
sec-espn20-Year Agreement and Rights Extension through 2034; AT&T U-verse Will Distribute the Network at Launch
 
The Southeastern Conference and ESPN have signed a 20-year agreement through 2034 to create and operate a multiplatform network, which will launch in August 2014, it was announced today by SEC Commissioner Mike Slive and ESPN President John Skipper. The new network and its accompanying digital platform will air SEC content 24/7 including more than 1,000 events in its first year.
 
The network will televise approximately 45 SEC football games, more than 100 men’s basketball games, 60 women’s basketball games, 75 baseball games, and events from across the SEC’s 21 sports annually. Programming will also include studio shows, original content such as SEC Storied, spring football games, signing day and pro days coverage. Hundreds of additional live events from various sports will be offered exclusively on the digital platform. The network and its digital extensions will connect with each SEC institution and create opportunities for each school to produce and develop content.
“The SEC Network will provide an unparalleled fan experience of top quality SEC content presented across the television network and its accompanying digital platforms,” stated Slive. “We will increase exposure of SEC athletics programs at all 14 member institutions, as we showcase the incredible student-athletes in our league. The agreement for a network streamlines and completes an overall media rights package that will continue the SEC’s leadership for the foreseeable future.”
Each weekend throughout the season, the new network will air multiple top-tier matchups from the strongest conference in college football. Since 2006, the SEC has claimed seven consecutive football national championships.  In 2011-12, SEC teams won eight national championships: football (Alabama), men’s basketball (Kentucky), gymnastics (Alabama), men’s indoor track and field (Florida), women’s tennis (Florida), women’s golf (Alabama), men’s outdoor track and field (Florida), and softball (Alabama). Since 1990, the SEC has won 149 national team championships for an average of more than six per year.
Skipper said, “The SEC is unmatched in its success on the field and its popularity with fans nationwide. The new network’s top-quality SEC matchups across a range of sports will serve all sports enthusiasts including the most passionate, die-hard SEC fans. Also, it will serve the needs of our multichannel distributors and advertisers by providing extremely attractive programming options across all platforms.”
As part of the agreement, ESPN will now oversee the SEC’s official Corporate Sponsor Program. In addition, ESPN and the SEC also agreed to extend their existing media rights agreement through 2034. ESPN has televised the SEC since 1982.  ESPN’s existing networks present more than 1,600 hours of SEC action each year. The new network will focus exclusively on the SEC and add another outlet to deliver sports fans more SEC content than ever.
 
AT&T U-verse® has been secured as the network’s first national distributor. AT&T U-verse is the fastest growing TV provider in the U.S. and their subscribers will have access to an unprecedented amount of SEC content across all platforms.  Subscribers receiving the live linear network via a multichannel subscription will also have access to the network on PCs, tablets, smartphones and select gaming devices like Xbox. Additional games and coverage will be available through an authenticated digital offering. Fans looking to learn more about how to get the SEC Network can visit GetSECNetwork.comfor more information.
“We are pleased to be involved with the SEC and ESPN at the very beginning of this great alliance,” said Jeff Weber, President of Content and Advertising Sales, AT&T. “As the fastest growing and most advanced pay TV service, we want to bring our customers the highest value and most compelling product that we possibly can. Access to the SEC Network, across multiple platforms, will only increase the demand for U-verse.”
ESPN’s Justin Connolly, formerly senior vice president, ESPN affiliate sales and marketing, will oversee the network’s day-to-day operations. The network will originate from ESPN’s Charlotte, N.C., offices with additional staff located at the company’s Bristol, Conn., headquarters. Staff announcements and additional details will be made in the coming months.

About the Southeastern Conference (SEC)
The Southeastern Conference was formed in 1932 and consists of 14 member institutions: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and Vanderbilt. The league currently sanctions championship play in nine men’s sports and 12 women’s sports. Its headquarters has been located in Birmingham, Ala., since 1948. For more on the conference, visit www.SECDigitalNetwork.com
 
About ESPN
ESPN, Inc., is the world’s leading multinational, multimedia sports entertainment company featuring a portfolio of more than 50 multimedia sports assets. The company is comprised of eight U.S. 24-hour television networks (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, ESPN Classic, ESPN Deportes, ESPN 3D and Longhorn Network) and five HD simulcast services (ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS and ESPN Deportes). Other businesses include ESPN Regional Television, ESPN International (35 networks, syndication, radio, digital), ESPN Radio (broadcast, satellite, digital, a growing category led by ScoreCenter), ESPN.com (plus a variety of sport-, college-, and market-specific sites), ESPN The Magazine, ESPN Enterprises and espnW.  Multi-screen offerings include WatchESPN (access to several ESPN networks online and via an app), ESPN3 (live multi-screen network available online, on the go and via Xbox LIVE) and ESPN Mobile (mobile Web, mobile TV and video, apps, alerts and messaging).  Based in Bristol, Conn., ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc., which is an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. The Hearst Corporation holds a 20 percent interest in ESPN.
 
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Filed Under: College Baseball, ESPN, NCAA Basketball, NCAA Football

Seven Mountain West Conference College Football Telecasts for ESPN in 2013

April 25, 2013 By Leave a Comment
ESPN-College-FootballESPN announced the telecast schedule for seven of its Mountain West Conference college football games for ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU during the 2013 season. The lineup includes one Thursday and six Friday night games. Additional telecasts will be announced in the coming months. Highlights:
 
ESPN will televise a Mountain West matchup over four consecutive Fridays from September 13 to October 4, highlighted by at least one telecast of the three teams that claimed a share of the conference championship in 2012: Boise State, Fresno State and San Diego State.
 
  • The schedule includes multiple telecasts involving Boise State, highlighted by a showdown against Fresno State on Friday, Sept. 20, at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. Boise State defeated Fresno State 20-10 last season, giving the Bulldogs their only conference loss of the 2012 campaign. ESPN will also televise the Broncos against Air Force on Friday, Sept. 13, at 8 p.m.
  • San Diego State, coming off a 7-1 conference record in 2012, will host Nevada on Friday, Oct. 4, at 9 p.m. on ESPN.
  • ESPN will televise a matchup between new conference members Utah State and San Jose State on Friday, Sept. 27, at 9 p.m. ESPN2 will also televise San Jose State in a non-conference game against Navy on Friday, Nov. 22, at 9:30 p.m.
 
The 2013 season marks the first year of a multi-year agreement between ESPN and the Mountain West for rights to select conference-controlled football and basketball games through the 2019-20 campaign. As part of the deal, ESPN will acquire exclusive worldwide rights to televise up to 16 Mountain West football games plus every Boise State home game as well as up to 31 conference-controlled men’s basketball games annually.
 
In 2012, ESPN televised four MW football games through a sublicense agreement. It marked the first time ESPN had televised Mountain West games from a member institution’s home venue since 2005. ESPN had a regular schedule of conference member home games from the league’s inception in 1999 to 2005 and televised BYU vs. TCU at Cowboys Stadium on Friday, Oct. 28, 2011.
 
2013 Mountain West Schedule as of April 23 (additional selections will be announced):
 
Date Time (ET) Game Network
Fri, Sep 13 8 p.m. Air Force at Boise State ESPN
Fri, Sep 20 9 p.m. Boise State at Fresno State ESPN
Fri, Sep 27 9 p.m. Utah State at San Jose State ESPN
Fri, Oct 4 9 p.m. Nevada at San Diego State ESPN
Fri, Nov 8 9 p.m. Air Force at New Mexico ESPNU
Thu, Nov 21 9:30 p.m. UNLV at Air Force ESPNU
Fri, Nov 22 9:30 p.m. Navy at San Jose State ESPN2
 
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Filed Under: ESPN, NCAA Football

Dan Hicks To Call Notre Dame Football On NBC

April 19, 2013 By Leave a Comment

nbc-sportsSeason Begins August 31

Hicks, Mike Mayock, & Alex Flanagan to call 84th Annual Blue-Gold Game this Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network

NEW YORK — April 15, 2013 – Dan Hicks, NBC Sports Group’s longtime and critically-acclaimed golf and Olympic commentator, will join NBC Sports’ Notre Dame Football coverage this season as its lead play-by-play voice. His first assignment comes this Saturday, April 20, when NBC Sports Network presents Notre Dame Football’s 84th Annual Blue-Gold Game at 1 p.m. ET.

A versatile voice, Hicks is well-known for his coverage of high-profile events, such as the PGA TOUR, the U.S. Open, the Ryder Cup, Olympic speed skating and Olympic swimming, which includes all of Michael Phelps’ 18 gold medal victories. Hicks also has significant football experience, having called NFL games in the 1990s for NBC’s AFC package. Earlier this year, he teamed with Mike Mayock and Alex Flanagan for the AFC Wild Card game on NBC between the Houston Texans and Cincinnati Bengals. Hicks has Fighting Irish broadcasting experience as well, including filling in for Tom Hammond for one game in each of the last two seasons.

“Dan is a gifted commentator, and we wanted to find more high-profile opportunities to showcase his talents,” said Sam Flood, Executive Producer, NBC Sports & NBC Sports Network. “Coming off an undefeated regular season and a berth in the BCS Championship Game, Notre Dame Football provides a perfect platform.”

Hicks will continue to work as the lead commentator for NBC Sports Group’s live-event golf coverage, and will return for NBC’s Olympic coverage, including the 2014 Sochi Olympics and the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Hicks succeeds Hammond, who has been the play-by-play voice for Notre Dame Football on NBC for most games dating back to 1992. Renowned for his work on the Olympics and horse racing, Hammond recently agreed to a new multi-year deal. He will continue to be the lead voice for three of NBC Sports Group’s most prestigious properties: Triple Crown horse racing; figure skating, including at the 2014 Sochi Olympics; and track & field, including at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

For more on Dan Hicks, click here: http://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/bio/dan-hicks/

For more on Tom Hammond, click here: http://nbcsportsgrouppressbox.com/bio/tom-hammond/

84TH ANNUAL BLUE GOLD GAME

The 84th annual Notre Dame Blue-Gold spring football game will air on NBC Sports Network, Saturday, April 20 at 1 p.m. ET, marking just the third time that the Fighting Irish’s traditional spring scrimmage game will be televised nationally.

In his first official assignment as the newest member of NBC Sports’ Notre Dame Football on-air team, Dan Hicks will call play-by-play, and be joined by analyst and 2013 Sports Emmy Award nominee Mike Mayock, and sideline reporter Alex Flanagan.

NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL ON NBC

Notre Dame Football on NBC begins Saturday, August 31, at 3:30 p.m. ET, when the Fighting Irish host Temple. The 2013 schedule also includes games against Michigan State on Saturday, September, 21; Oklahoma on Saturday, September, 28; Arizona State from Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Tex., on Saturday, October 5; USC on Saturday, October, 19; Navy on Saturday, November 2; and BYU on Saturday, November, 23.

The following is the NBC Sports Group 2013 Notre Dame Football schedule (all times ET)

Date Opponent Network
Saturday, April 20 Blue-Gold Game NBC Sports Network
Saturday, Aug. 31 Temple NBC
Saturday, Sept. 21 Michigan State NBC
Saturday, Sept. 28 Oklahoma NBC
Saturday, Oct. 5 Arizona State* NBC
Saturday, Oct. 19 USC NBC
Saturday, Nov 2 Navy NBC
Saturday, Nov 23 BYU NBC

*Off-site home game from Dallas, Texas.

For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–

Filed Under: NBC, NCAA Football

Notre Dame & NBC Sports Group Renew Historic Football Partnership

April 18, 2013 By Leave a Comment
nbc-sports10-Year Extension Brings Partnership to 35 Years, Through 2025 Season

Enhanced Rights Allow for Select Games to Air on NBC Sports Network

Recent Tradition of Primetime Games to Continue
NEW YORK – April 18, 2013 – The University of Notre Dame and the NBC Sports Group have renewed their historic football partnership for 10 years, through the 2025 season. The renewal extends the landmark partnership, which began in 1991, to 35 years.

“While our relationship with NBC Sports is longstanding, the more recent merger between NBC and Comcast has opened up additional avenues to expand the breadth of Notre Dame-related sports programming on NBC platforms,” said Notre Dame vice president and athletics director Jack Swarbrick. “Specifically, the evolution of the NBC Sports Network has provided opportunities for special programming featuring inside looks at our football team and several other Notre Dame sports programs and in-depth profiles on the unsung heroes of Notre Dame athletics. These are examples of the growth of our partnership, and we look forward to collaborating on additional projects and distribution strategies in seasons to come.”

“Coming off one of Notre Dame’s best and most dramatic seasons in decades, we could not be more proud to extend this historic partnership, which continues to be one of the most innovative in sports-media history,” said Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBC Sports Group. “We are particularly excited that this extension offers enhanced rights that allow us to bring Notre Dame Football to fans on more platforms than ever before.”

Per the extension, which begins with the 2016 season, the NBC Sports Group retains global media rights on all platforms to a minimum of seven Notre Dame home football games per year on NBC. It also allows for selected games to air on NBC Sports Network, similar to past NBC-Notre Dame agreements which allowed for selected games to be moved to cable. As it has since 2009, NBC Sports Digital will continue to live stream Fighting Irish home games.

In 2012, Notre Dame finished the regular season undefeated — with a 12-0 record that included numerous dramatic finishes — and ultimately earned their first-ever berth in the BCS Championship Game. The Fighting Irish averaged 4.4 million viewers and a 2.8 household rating for its seven games on NBC in 2012, up 69% and 67%, respectively, versus 2011. It was the best performance on NBC in seven years (2005, 5.2 million), while the 2.8 rating was the best since 2006 (3.0).

Revenues from the NBC partnership have played a key role in Notre Dame’s financial aid endowment since the start of the relationship in 1991 when University officers allocated a portion of the football television contract revenue for undergraduate scholarship endowment (not athletic scholarships). To date, some 6,300 Notre Dame undergraduate students have received nearly $80 million in aid from revenue generated through the NBC contract.

The University also has committed NBC revenues to endow doctoral fellowships in its Graduate School and MBA scholarships in its Mendoza College of Business.

NBC has been televising Irish home games since 1991. This marks the first 10-year extension of the partnership, following five five-year agreements. By the conclusion of this extension, NBC will have televised Notre Dame Football home games for 35 consecutive seasons.

84TH ANNUAL BLUE-GOLD GAME

The 84th annual Notre Dame Blue-Gold spring football game airs on NBC Sports Network this Saturday at 1 p.m. ET, marking just the third time that the Fighting Irish’s traditional spring scrimmage game will be televised nationally.

In his first official assignment as the newest member of NBC Sports’ Notre Dame Football on-air team, Dan Hicks will call play-by-play, and be joined by analyst and 2013 Sports Emmy Award nominee Mike Mayock, and sideline reporter Alex Flanagan.

NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL ON NBC

The 2013 Notre Dame Football season on NBC begins Saturday, August 31, at 3:30 p.m. ET, when the Fighting Irish host Temple. The 2013 schedule also includes games against Michigan State on Saturday, September 21; Oklahoma on Saturday, September 28; Arizona State from Cowboys Stadium in Dallas, Tex., on Saturday, October 5; USC on Saturday, October 19; Navy on Saturday, November 2; and BYU on Saturday, November 23.

The following is the NBC Sports Group 2013 Notre Dame Football schedule (all times ET)

Date Opponent Network
Saturday, April 20 Blue-Gold Game NBC Sports Network
Saturday, Aug. 31 Temple NBC
Saturday, Sept. 21 Michigan State NBC
Saturday, Sept. 28 Oklahoma NBC
Saturday, Oct. 5 Arizona State* NBC
Saturday, Oct. 19 USC NBC
Saturday, Nov 2 Navy NBC
Saturday, Nov 23 BYU NBC

*Off-site home game from Dallas, Texas.

For more information about NBC Sports Group shows and properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–
Filed Under: NBC, NCAA Football

Coach of the Year Brian Kelly to Sit Down For SiriusXM “Town Hall” Broadcast at Notre Dame Stadium

April 12, 2013 By Leave a Comment

siriusxmFighting Irish football coach will take questions from an audience of SiriusXM listeners on April 18

Notre Dame great Tim Brown will moderate the Town Hall event, which will be broadcast live on SiriusXM College Sports Nation, channel 91

NEW YORK – April 9, 2013 – Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) today announced that Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly, the 2012 consensus national college football coach of the year, will sit down later this month for a Q&A with an audience of SiriusXM subscribers for a special “Town Hall” broadcast from inside storied Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, IN.

“SiriusXM’s Notre Dame Town Hall with Brian Kelly” will take place on Thursday, April 18 (6:30 p.m. ET) and will air live on SiriusXM College Sports Nation, channel 91.

Kelly will take questions from the audience members present and discuss his coaching career, Notre Dame football and last year’s run to the Bowl Championship Series national title game.  The Town Hall broadcast will be moderated by former Notre Dame football great and 1987 Heisman Trophy winner Tim Brown, who hosts regularly on the SiriusXM College Sports Nation channel.

SiriusXM listeners will have the chance to attend the Town Hall and ask questions. Visit www.siriusxm.com/townhall for Official Rules and details.

“I’m looking forward to working with one of our partners in SiriusXM and one of our all-time great players in Tim Brown for this Town Hall event,” said Kelly.  “This is a great way to communicate with our fans and alumni as we prepare to finish our spring drills and continue working toward the 2013 season.”

“Notre Dame is among the most storied teams in all of sports and many generations of fans have been drawn to the rich history that is reflected in those famed golden helmets,” said Steve Cohen, SiriusXM’s SVP of Sports Programming.  “Coach Kelly, in just his first three seasons, has guided the program to remarkable success and the future is very bright for Notre Dame fans.  We’re thrilled to have him sit down with our listeners for the kind of interpersonal and entertaining discussion that the SiriusXM Town Hall series provides.”

After the debut broadcast, “SiriusXM’s Notre Dame Town Hall with Brian Kelly” will be available on SiriusXM On Demand for subscribers listening via the SiriusXM Internet Radio App or online at SiriusXM.com.

On Saturday, April 20, SiriusXM College Sports Nation will present an encore presentation of “SiriusXM’s Notre Dame Town Hall with Brian Kelly” at 12:00 p.m. ET followed by a live broadcast of Notre Dame’s annual Blue-Gold spring football game.  The game will air at 1:00 p.m. ET on SiriusXM College Sports Nation, channel 91.

Kelly, a veteran of 23 seasons as a collegiate head coach, is entering his fourth year as the 29th head football coach at the University of Notre Dame.  Currently the fifth-winningest active coach in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision, Kelly has guided the Irish to 28 wins in his first three seasons – and no previous coach has accounted for more victories over his first three years as Notre Dame head football coach.  Last season, Notre Dame went 12-0 during the regular season, finished atop the final BCS standings and earned a trip to the BCS Championship Game, as Kelly was honored with multiple coach-of-the-year awards.

Kelly and his wife, Paqui, established the Kelly Cares Foundation to support organizations, initiatives and programs that closely align with the goals and values of the Kelly family in three main areas: personal involvement, with emphasis on breast cancer research, prevention, education and awareness; education and institutional advancement; and community involvement in selected initiatives and projects.

“SiriusXM’s Notre Dame Town Hall with Brian Kelly” is part of SiriusXM’s “Town Hall” series, which features intimate gatherings with an iconic personality sitting down with a studio audience of SiriusXM listeners.  Previous SiriusXM “Town Hall” specials have featured Bruce Springsteen, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Roger Goodell, Tom Petty, Al Gore, Coldplay, Tony Bennett, Gregg Allman, Usher, Duke basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski and Tony Hawk.

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Filed Under: NCAA Football, Sirius/XM

Eleven BIG EAST College Football Telecasts for 2013

March 8, 2013 By Leave a Comment
ESPN-College-FootballESPN announced the telecast schedule for 11 of its BIG EAST Conference college football games for ESPN, ABC and ESPN2 during the 2013 season. The lineup includes four Thursday and four Friday night games, one Wednesday prime time matchup and two on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Additional games will be announced in the coming months. Highlights:
  • The schedule includes multiple telecasts involving the conference’s top three programs in 2012: Louisville (four games), Cincinnati (three) and Rutgers (two).
  • Louisville, coming off an 11-2 record capped by a 33-23 victory over Florida in the Allstate Sugar Bowl in 2012, will appear in two ESPN College Football Primetime Thursday games. The Cardinals will host Rutgers on October 10 and visit Cincinnati on December 5. Louisville will also appear on two Friday games: against new conference member UCF, winners of the Conference USA East Division in 2012, on October 18 and at Connecticut, one of the two teams to defeat them last season, on November 8.
  • All four of the new BIG EAST Conference members will be involved in at least one game: UCF (three games), Houston (two games), Memphis (one game) and SMU (two games).
  • ESPN will televise SMU, making its debut as a BIG EAST member, against Texas Tech of the Big 12 on Friday, Aug. 30, at 8 p.m. ET.
  • The Friday after Thanksgiving, Nov. 29 will include two BIG EAST games, involving three new conference members, on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2: South Florida at UCF and SMU at Houston in a showdown between teams joining the conference in 2013.
2013 BIG EAST Schedule as of March 6 (additional selections will be announced):
Date Time (ET) Game Network
Fri, Aug 30 8 p.m. Texas Tech at SMU ESPN
Thu, Oct 10 TBD Rutgers at Louisville ESPN
Fri, Oct 11 TBD Temple at Cincinnati ESPN or ESPN2
Fri, Oct 18 TBD UCF at Louisville ESPN or ESPN2
Wed, Oct 30 8 p.m. Cincinnati at Memphis ESPN2
Thu, Oct 31 TBD South Florida at Houston ESPN
Fri, Nov 8 TBD Louisville at Connecticut ESPN or ESPN2
Thu, Nov 21 TBD Rutgers at UCF ESPN
Fri, Nov 29 TBD South Florida at UCF ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
TBD SMU at Houston ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
Thu, Dec 5 7:30 p.m. Louisville at Cincinnati ESPN
 
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Filed Under: ESPN, NCAA Football

Six 2013 College Football Telecasts Involving SEC, ACC & Big 12 Announced

March 8, 2013 By Leave a Comment
ESPN-College-FootballESPN announced the telecast schedule for six of its college football games – all involving at least one SEC team, three with an ACC team and one with TCU of the Big 12 – for ABC and ESPN during the 2013 season. Five of the games will be played over the opening weekend, including the two marquee neutral site showdowns: Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game and Cowboys Classic. Additional games will be announced in the coming months.
The six games will include seven teams ranked in ESPN.com’s early college football top 25 rankings for 2013 (No. 1 Alabama, No. 6 Georgia, No. 10 South Carolina, No. 11 Clemson, No. 13 LSU, No. 17 TCU and No. 25 Vanderbilt. Highlights:
  • The season will kick off with an ESPN SEC doubleheader on Thursday, Aug. 29. The action will begin with No. 10 South Carolina hosting ACC-member North Carolina at 6 p.m. ET. South Carolina – coming off an 11-2 season, including a 33-28 victory over Michigan in the Outback Bowl – is led by defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. North Carolina will return 13 starters to a team that finished 8-4 in 2012, including senior quarterback Bryn Renner and sophomore receiver Quinshad Davis. The second game at 9:15 p.m. will pit Ole Miss at SEC rival No. 25 Vanderbilt, holders of a three-game winning streak against the Rebels. Vanderbilt closed the 2012 campaign with a 9-4 record, including a victory over NC State in the Music City Bowl, for the program’s best season since 1915. Ole Miss will enter the season with a top five recruiting class, signing a class of top rated players led by No. 1 overall prospect defensive end Robert Nkemdiche.
  • ESPN and ABC will combine to televise three night games involving the SEC on Saturday, Aug. 31, including a doubleheader of neutral site games. The Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game from Atlanta will match two-time defending BCS National Champion No. 1 Alabama against the ACC’s Virginia Tech at 5:30 p.m. while No. 13 LSU will square off against the Big 12’s No. 17 TCU in the Cowboys Classic from Arlington at 9 p.m.
  • The eighth season of the ABC Saturday Night Football series, broadcast television’s first weekly prime time college football game, will kick off with No. 6 Georgia at No. 11 Clemson in a showdown of teams predicted to compete for the national championship. Georgia won the SEC East Division in 2012 and finished with a 12-2 record, including a 45-31 victory over Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl. Clemson put together an 11-2 record in 2012, concluding with a 25-24 victory over LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl. Georgia has won the past five games against Clemson, including their last meeting in 2003.
Date Time (ET) Game Network
Thu, Aug 29 6 p.m. North Carolina at South Carolina * ESPN
9:15 p.m. Ole Miss at Vanderbilt ESPN
Sat, Aug 31 5:30 p.m. Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game: Virginia Tech vs. Alabama (Atlanta) ESPN
8 p.m. Georgia at Clemson ABC
9 p.m. Cowboys Classic: TCU vs. LSU ESPN
Thu, Oct 24 7:30 p.m. Kentucky at Mississippi State ESPN
* Previously announced
 
For the 2012 season, ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3 covered 306 regular-season Football Bowl Subdivision games exclusively – 195 more than every other national network combined – involving teams from all 11 conferences, plus independents Notre Dame, BYU, Navy and Army. Overall, ABC, ESPN and ESPN2 combined to reach more than 187,000,000 viewers for game telecasts. Combining ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 with ESPNU’s extensive lineup and the networks averaged 2,018,000 viewers for 216 regular-season games.
The 2013 college football season on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN 3D, ESPN3, ESPN Radio, ESPN Mobile TV, ESPN Regional Television and ESPN GamePlan will total more than 450 regular-and post-season games, concluding with the entire Bowl Championship Series, including the National Championship, on ESPN. The schedule will include weekly Saturday night games on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU, weekly ESPN and ESPNU Thursday night contests and telecasts every Friday.
 
 
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Filed Under: ESPN, NCAA Football

18 Mid-American & Sun Belt Conference Midweek Telecasts for 2013

March 4, 2013 By Leave a Comment
ESPN-College-FootballESPN announced 18 midweek college football games for the 2013 season, all involving the Mid-American Conference or Sun Belt Conference, for coverage across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3. Additional games will be announced in the coming months.
All of the pre-season selections are for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. Select games will have network designation, day and time determined on a six or 12-day basis from the date of that game.
 
ESPN2 and ESPNU will showcase multiple games involving the participants in last year’s MAC championship game. Defending conference champion Northern Illinois will be featured three times, highlighted by games against West Division rivals Ball State (Wed, Nov. 13) and Toledo (Wed, Nov. 20), both of which finished 2012 with a 9-4 record. Kent State, with an 8-0 conference record last year, will play in consecutive midweek games: against Miami (Ohio) on Wednesday, Nov. 13, and at Ohio on Tuesday, Nov. 19.
ESPN2 will also televise the 16th annual MAC Football Championship Game at Ford Field in Detroit on Friday, Dec. 6, at 8 p.m.
Defending Sun Belt Conference champion Arkansas State will play in two midweek games, including a matchup against Louisiana-Lafayette on October 22 or 23. Louisiana-Lafayette, the second place team in the Sun Belt in 2012, finished with a 6-2 record against conference opponents, with one of the losses coming to Arkansas State.
2013 MAC and Sun Belt Schedule as of March 1 (additional selections will be announced):
Date Time (ET) Game Network
Thu, Sept 12 TBD Troy at Arkansas State ESPNU
Thu, Oct 3 TBD Western Kentucky at Louisiana-Monroe ESPNU
Tue, Oct 15 or Wed, Oct 16 TBD Louisiana-Lafayette at Western Kentucky ESPN or ESPN2
Tue, Oct 22 or Wed, Oct 23 TBD Louisiana-Lafayette at Arkansas State ESPN or ESPN2
Thu, Oct 31 TBD Louisiana-Monroe at Troy ESPNU
Tue, Nov 5 8 p.m. Bowling Green at Miami (Ohio) ESPN2 or ESPNU
8 p.m. Ohio at Buffalo ESPN2 or ESPNU
Wed, Nov 6 8 p.m. Central Michigan at Ball State ESPN2
Thu, Nov 7 TBD Troy at Louisiana-Lafayette ESPNU
Tue, Nov 12 TBD Ohio at Bowling Green ESPNU or ESPN3
TBD Buffalo at Toledo ESPNU or ESPN3
Wed, Nov 13 TBD Ball State at Northern Illinois ESPN2 or ESPNU
TBD Miami (Ohio) at Kent State ESPN2 or ESPNU
Tue, Nov 19 TBD Kent State at Ohio ESPN2 or ESPNU
TBD Buffalo at Miami (Ohio) ESPN2 or ESPNU
Wed, Nov 20 8 p.m. Northern Illinois at Toledo ESPN2
Tue, Nov 26 7 p.m. Western Michigan at Northern Illinois ESPN2
Fri, Dec 6 8 p.m. Marathon MAC Championship Game (from Detroit) ESPN2
 
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Filed Under: ESPN, NCAA Football

ESPN’s 2013 Labor Day, Thursday and Friday ACC Football Schedule Announced

February 26, 2013 By Leave a Comment

ESPN-College-FootballA Labor Day prime time game, five Thursday Night matchups, and two Friday telecasts are among the games involving Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) teams slated for ESPN’s 2013 college football schedule. Additional games will be announced. Highlights include:

  • ESPN’s Labor Day prime time telecast on Monday, Sept. 2, at 8 p.m. ET will mark the ACC debut for Pittsburgh with the Panthers hosting defending conference champion Florida State. Florida State finished last season with a 12-2 overall record, including a win in the Discover Orange Bowl over Northern Illinois. The only eight meetings between the programs occurred between 1971 and 1983 with Pittsburgh holding a 5-3 edge in the series.
  • ESPN’s popular Thursday night series — ESPN College Football Primetime – will include North Carolina at South Carolina on August 29 and four ACC matchups highlighted by:

o    Clemson, coming off an 11-2 record in 2012 including a 25-24 victory over LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl, will make two appearances: at Atlantic Division rival NC State on September 19 and against 2012 conference championship game participant Georgia Tech, coming off a 21-7 victory over USC in the Sun Bowl, on November 14.

o    Miami (Fla.) and North Carolina, the top two teams in the Coastal Division in 2012, will meet on October 17.

  • ESPN networks will televise two Friday telecasts involving the ACC, including Miami (Fla.) at Pittsburgh on November 29, the Friday after Thanksgiving.

The 2013 ACC Labor Day, Thursday and Friday schedule (additional selections to be announced):

Date Time (ET) Game Network
Thu, Aug 29 TBD North Carolina at South Carolina ESPN
Mon, Sep 2 8 p.m. Florida State at Pittsburgh ESPN
Fri, Sep 6 8 p.m. Wake Forest at Boston College ESPN or ESPN2
Thu, Sep 19 TBD Clemson at NC State ESPN
Thu, Sep 26 TBD Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech ESPN
Thu, Oct 17 TBD Miami (Fla.) at North Carolina ESPN
Thu, Nov 14 TBD Georgia Tech at Clemson ESPN
Fri, Nov 29 TBD Miami (Fla.) at Pittsburgh ABC, ESPN or ESPN2

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Filed Under: ESPN, NCAA Football
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