September 3, 2010

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NBC Sports Begins 21.5 Hours Of FedExCup Coverage With Deutsche Bank Championship This Sunday & Monday

September 2, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment


Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson & Matt Kuchar Among Top 100 Players Competing

NBC Sports “showed its golf coverage is the best of any network” – St. Petersburg Times


NEW YORK – September 2, 2010 – NBC Sports presents the first of its three FedExCup events with live third- and final-round coverage of the Deutsche Bank Championship from TPC Boston in Norton, Mass., this Sunday, 3-6 p.m. ET, and Labor Day Monday, 2-6 p.m. ET. NBC Sports will broadcast 21.5 hours of coverage of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup. In addition to the Deutsche Bank Championship, NBC Sports will present the BMW Championship and THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca Cola later this month.

Host Dan Hicks and analyst Johnny Miller, in their 11th season together as NBC Sports’ lead golf team, anchor coverage from the 18th-hole tower, and are joined by tower reporters Gary Koch and Brad Faxon, a nearby Rhode Island resident; on-course reporters Roger Maltbie, Mark Rolfing and Dottie Pepper.

The Top 100 players in the world this year, including Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and current FedExCup points leader Matt Kuchar, will compete this weekend for a chance to advance in the FedExCup playoffs. Only the Top 70 players in FedExCup points will move on to next week’s BMW Championship. For current FedExCup standings, click here: http://www.pgatour.com/r/stats/info/?02395

Additional pressure exists this weekend for players attempting to impress Ryder Cup Team USA captain Corey Pavin, who on Tuesday will choose his four captains picks and finalize the 2010 U.S. Ryder Cup team. For more information on the 2010 Ryder Cup, click here: http://www.rydercup.com/2010/usa/

FAXON ON TPC BOSTON: “This course is close to my home and I play it quite a bit. It’s in fantastic shape, the best condition I’ve ever seen it. It has the best greens I’ve seen all year. They are quick and firm. A variety of players can do well here. It doesn’t favor one type of player. There are some long Par 4s, but just being long isn’t going to win here.”

ROLFING ON FEDEXCUP: “The FedExCup tournaments are totally different because you have players making calculations that you normally never see them make. It all relates to the points and what they need to do to advance. Normally, you never have to calculate the implications of finishing in 51st place, for example. There’s a different mentally to these tournaments and it makes things really interesting.”

For more information on the FedExCup, click here: http://www.pgatour.com/fedexcup/playoffs-primer/index.html

NBC SPORTS’ FEDEXCUP SCHEDULE: The Deutsche Bank Championship is the first of three consecutive FedExCup Playoff events broadcast by NBC Sports. On September 11-12, NBC Sports broadcasts the BMW Championship from Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Lemont, Ill., The final FedExCup event and the culmination of the 2010 PGA TOUR season, THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca Cola, takes place the weekend of September 25-26 in Atlanta from East Lake Golf Club. (all times ET):

Deutsche Bank Championship – Norton, Mass.

Sunday, September 5                 3–6 p.m.

Monday, September 6                 2–6 p.m.

BMW Championship – Lemont, Ill.

Saturday, September 11            12-3 p.m.

Sunday, September 12            2–6 p.m.

The Tour Championship presented by Coca Cola – Atlanta, Ga.

Saturday, September 25            12-3 p.m.

Sunday, September 26            1:30–6 p.m.

THE RYDER CUP: NBC Sports will broadcast 16 hours of coverage of the 2010 Ryder Cup from The Twenty Ten Course at The Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, South Wales on Saturday and Sunday, October 2-3.

2010 Ryder Cup – Newport, South Wales

Saturday, October 2                    8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Sunday, October 3                    7 a.m. – 1 p.m.

GLOBAL GOLF ADVENTURE RETURNS SUNDAY

Episode Features Candid Reflections from U.S. Open Champion Graeme McDowell and a Dramatic Recap of the Final Round

NBC Sports presents an exciting new episode of Global Golf Adventure, a groundbreaking first-of-its kind golf, travel and adventure show produced and hosted by NBC Sports golf personality Mark Rolfing this Sunday, Sept 5th at 2:30 p.m. ET immediately prior to the network’s live third-round coverage of the Deutsche Bank Championship.

The fourth installment of the Global Golf Adventure series features the final round of this year’s U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, and a fascinating interview with champion Graeme McDowell discussing his triumphant victory. Rolfing recaps how the captivating final round unfolded, the key moments, and how McDowell prevailed to capture his first major championship.

“The impression I had on June 20 was that it was really one of the strangest days I’ve ever seen in golf,” says Rolfing, who has been a broadcaster for 25 years. “I was just so captivated by that one final day at Pebble Beach, it all went by so fast to me. I wanted to figure out how to capture that day.”

“To re-live those few days in detail, and to do so with someone as knowledgeable in the world of golf as Mark, was extremely enjoyable,” said McDowell. “My win at Pebble was the most amazing week of my career, an unforgettable experience, and one I will never get tired of re-living.  It really was a fun interview for me, so I am looking forward to seeing the end product.  Something tells me it is a show that I am going to record, and re-watch it again, again, and again.”

Continental Airlines is the presenting sponsor of Global Golf Adventure, which is also sponsored by FedEx, Michelin and The Villages. NBC’s Mark Rolfing travels with Global Golf Adventure, to exciting locations worldwide, showcasing unique global golf and travel destinations.  Four 30-minute programs air prior to NBC’s live third round golf tournament coverage and include interviews with pro golfers and notable personalities familiar with the episode’s location, as well as instructional segments and travel adventures.

Filed Under: Golf, NBC

NBC Sports Begins 20th Season Broadcasting Notre Dame Football When Fighting Irish Host Purdue This Saturday

September 1, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Mike Mayock Makes NBC Sports Debut; Notre Dame Stadium Hosts First-Ever Cable-Cam System; Eurosport to Broadcast Home Games Internationally

NEW YORK – September 1, 2010 – A new head coach, new game analyst, new camera and new distribution platforms highlight NBC Sports’ 20th season broadcasting Notre Dame football, which begins this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET when the Fighting Irish host in-state rival, the Purdue Boilermakers.

Mike Mayock, one of television’s premier college football and NFL Draft experts, makes his NBC Sports debut, joining veteran Notre Dame football commentators Tom Hammond (play-by-play) and Alex Flanagan (sideline reporter). Mayock was hired in August to fill the game analyst role vacated by Pat Haden, who left to become the new Athletic Director at USC, his alma mater.

Also making a debut at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday will be ActionCam, an overhead cable-camera system which will provide viewers of the Purdue game with never-before-seen angles. ActionCam was successfully tested at the Blue and Gold game this spring.

The 2010 Notre Dame football season will include more NBC Sports distribution platforms than ever before, including robust digital and mobile features, iPhone and iPad apps, and an international agreement with Eurosport to broadcast games in Europe and Asia.

Notre Dame enters the 2010 season led by new head coach Brian Kelly, who recently compiled a 34-6 record (.850) in three seasons at Cincinnati. The Irish are 53-26-2 all time against Purdue, have won 15 of the past 16 at home against the Boilermakers, and four the past five overall.

MAYOCK ON KEYS TO THE GAME: “I’m interested to see how balanced Brian Kelly’s spread offense is going to be. Notre Dame has talented running backs and Purdue gave up a lot of yards on the ground last year. But the Boilermakers also have four new starting defensive backs. For Purdue, Robert Marve, who started 11 games as a true freshman at Miami in 2008, is the key. He’s more athletic than most spread offense quarterbacks, which means that throwing and running are options.”

HAMMOND: “Working games at Notre Dame is the absolute best. The atmosphere, pageantry and tradition is unmatched. This year there is a genuine level of excitement with the Brian Kelly era beginning. I’m as curious as anyone to see how his new offensive and defensive schemes are going to play out.”

FLANAGAN ON THE FIRST GAME OF THE SEASON: “During the off-season, there are countless articles, rankings and evaluations, but the thing about the first game is you really don’t know what you have until you get out there. It’s the same for both teams. It’s going to be interesting.”

DIGITAL & INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTION

NOTRE DAME EXTRA: For the first time, the entire Notre Dame-NBC Sports schedule will be streamed live on NBCSports.com. “Notre Dame Extra” will feature a simulcast of the broadcast feed plus one additional online-only bonus camera throughout the game.

“Notre Dame Extra” will employ a full HD-quality player using Microsoft Silverlight and Smooth Streaming that will help set new benchmarks for live streaming video cross-platform. The video player will include full DVR functionality allowing the user to pause and scroll back-and-forth – even review plays in “slo-mo” — all while watching live video.

Extra will also feature live coverage of the Notre Dame and visiting teams’ bands at halftime, in-game highlights, as well as a live, online-only postgame that will include head coach Brian Kelly’s press conference.

NOTRE DAME CENTRAL APP: iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad users can get complete NBC Sports coverage of the Notre Dame 2010 college football season with the Notre Dame Central app. Users can access live scores, stats, video highlights & archives, and much more. Fans can also purchase an upgrade to get LIVE access to every NBC Sports broadcast of Notre Dame football games. The iPhone update for the 2010 season will be available prior to the September 4 season opener against Purdue, with an iPad-specific version to come later in the season.

LIVE MOBILE BROADCASTS: NBC Sports’ live coverage of every Notre Dame home football game is available on both NBC 2Go and NBC Sports Mobile.

NOTRE DAME ON NBC SPORTS MOBILE: Fans can receive news and scores right on their cell phones with the NBC Sports Mobile Web site or the NBC Sports iPhone app. Fans can also sign-up for exclusive text alerts with scoring updates and daily news. To find out how, users can just text the word ND to 51515 or visit http://m.NBCSports.com.

EUROSPORT: NBC Sports and the Eurosport group have signed an international television rights agreement that provides Eurosport 2 with exclusive broadcast rights to 2010 Notre Dame home football games across Europe and Asia. Games will be broadcast throughout Europe live exclusively on Eurosport 2, and to the 14 countries where Eurosport Asia Pacific is distributed.

MORE ON MIKE MAYOCK: In addition to his NBC Sports role, Mayock, a former NFL defensive back, is NFL Network’s leading college football and NFL Draft analyst. He is featured on numerous NFL Network programs throughout the year, including Playbook and NFL Total Access, and provides content for all NFL Draft-related programming.

“Mike’s knowledge of and passion for college football has resulted in him becoming one of the most respected voices in the game,” said NBC Sports executive producer Sam Flood when Mayock was hired in August. “He possesses a relentless work ethic and perfect pedigree as a former player and son of a coach. We are excited to add him to our team.”

For additional information on Mike Mayock, please click here: http://www.nbcuniversal.presscentre.com/Content/Detail.aspx?ReleaseID=1309&NewsAreaID=2&ClientID=4

THE NOTRE DAME-NBC SPORTS RELATIONSHIP: The University of Notre Dame and NBC Sports continue their television relationship for the 20th consecutive season in 2010. On June 19, 2009, a five-year renewal to televise all Notre Dame home football games was announced, giving NBC Sports the rights to Fighting Irish home games through the year 2015. NBC Sports began its original contract with Notre Dame in 1991.

The most recent extension provides NBC Sports with rights to Notre Dame home games from 2011 through 2015, extending the partnership between the University and network to 25 years. Notre Dame will provide seven home games per season to NBC Sports and an additional eighth off-site game airing in primetime as part of the agreement. This year’s eighth game takes place on November 20 from Yankee Stadium when the Irish face Army.

NBC SPORTS’ 2010 NOTRE DAME SCHEDULE

Sep 4               Purdue                         3:30 p.m. ET

Sep 11             Michigan                      3:30 p.m. ET

Sep 25             Stanford                       3:30 p.m. ET

Oct 9               Pittsburgh                     3:30 p.m. ET

Oct 16             Western Michigan        2:30 p.m. ET

Oct 30             Tulsa                            2:30 p.m. ET

Nov 13            Utah                             2:30 p.m. ET

Nov 20            Army                            7 p.m. ET (at Yankee Stadium)

Filed Under: College Football, NBC

Michaels, Collinsworth, Dungy, Harrison, Gaudelli Preview 2010 NFL Season

August 31, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

“As compelling a story as any in the NFL this season.” – SNF’s Michaels on Favre

“I can’t wait for somebody to get smacked in the mouth.” – Football Night’s Harrison

“I don’t want to come back in a next life because I’ll be in Mongolia in a sulfur mine working the night shift.” – SNF’s Michaels on how lucky he feels about working his 25th NFL season

NEW YORK – Aug. 30, 2010 – Marquee teams and storied rivalries highlight NBC’s 2010 NFL schedule, which begins next Thursday night in primetime with the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints hosting Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings in a rematch of last season’s NFC Championship Game. Coverage on NBC begins at 7:30 p.m. ET. The first “Sunday Night Football” contest of the season is a classic NFC East rivalry as the Washington Redskins with their new QB Donovan McNabb and head coach Mike Shanahan host Tony Romo and the NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys.  Coverage starts with “Football Night in America” at 7 p.m. ET.

NBC Sports today previewed the season on a conference call with “Sunday Night Football” duo Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth along with “Football Night in America” studio analysts Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison, and SNF producer Fred Gaudelli.

For a complete replay of the call, dial 719-457-0820 and enter passcode: 54215765. Highlights of the call follow:

MICHAELS ON THE POWER OF THE NFL ON TV: “Everybody is stoked about the beginning of football.  It’s a spectacle on television.  The NFL is the king of television these days. Look at the ratings, we’ve done two preseason games and they’ve both won the week.”

COLLINSWORTH ON NFL KICKOFF GAME: “Probably the top four players in the league are (Drew) Brees, (Peyton) Manning, Chris Johnson and Brett Favre. We get two of the four in the opening night game.”

HARRISON ON GETTING THE SEASON STARTED: “There has been a lot of speculation, a lot of trash talking this off-season. I’m tired of the talking; it’s time to hit.  I can’t wait for somebody to get smacked in the mouth.”

ON BRETT FAVRE, THE YEAR HE HAD LAST YEAR AND COMING BACK FROM AN ANKLE INJURY:

MICHAELS: “One of the things he said that struck me was the fact that he’s given people a lot of ammunition to shoot arrows at him, because of all the procrastination. I think he’s concerned about some things, but, to me, if he felt the ankle was going to be such an issue that he couldn’t do or didn’t have the potential to do what he’s capable of, I think he would have walked away. I got the feeling that the ankle is good enough.  It’s not great. He’s 40-years-old, he’ll be 41 in October, but again that’s one of the key questions this year. What happens when he does take a hit? What happens if he twists the ankle? Brett Favre, here we go again, is going to be at least as compelling a story as any in the NFL this season.”

COLLINSWORTH: “What surprised me most watching him on tape getting ready for this game and watching all of the playoff stuff from last year, is that I was just amazed at age 40 how quick his feet were…he looked like he was 25 years old. That was my concern (with the ankle injury). When I was watching the (preseason) game, and, of course, he only played four plays in the game that we saw, so we didn’t get to see a lot of it, but will his feet be what they were a season ago which were pretty impressive?”

HARRISON: “The one thing that impressed me was not only his feet, but his ability to keep his eyes down the field and keep plays alive. I looked at film on the guy and he looked like he was a 26-27-28-year-old quarterback and it was amazing to me, because I know towards the end of my career how sore it would feel to get out of bed and to recover from games. That’s the thing that really concerns me with Brett Favre because before it could be the ribs, it could be the shoulder, the neck, the lower back, now all of a sudden he has something wrong with his ankle which really causes a whole host of other problems and concerns.”

DUNGY: “I think Brett is going to be fine physically, but 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions, he probably hasn’t had a year like that since ’96 or ’97. To think that he’s going to duplicate that, I just don’t think that is going to happen. I think he’ll come out and play well for them, but I would not expect to see that type of year. Last year was just a magical year.”

COLLINSWORTH ON DUNGY’S COMMENTS: “Tony, I thought that was almost the reason that he didn’t come back this year, more so than the ankle or the age or anything else, it was his own expectations and his own sort of fear. This guy has paranoia almost of letting somebody down and having a down year after his best year, as he called it. It was almost enough to make him stay home. It was a pretty remarkable conversation, almost like listening to Jerry Rice at the Hall of Fame Game talking about what a motivator fear was in his career and fear of failure and fear of letting somebody down. Brett was almost regurgitating the same kind of speech.”

GAUDELLI ON PACKERS: “The Green Bay Packers are a magical sounding team…when you look at them, there aren’t many more entertaining teams on television. That’s an offensive juggernaut up there. Especially when you do the games from Lambeau, the greatest setting in the National Football League. They’re a real attraction.”

DUNGY ON BROADCASTING: “I’m looking forward to this year as much as I’ve ever looked forward to coaching, because it’s a team effort putting these games together and trying to come up with a great broadcast. I feel like I’m with a great team with the whole Sunday Night crew.”

GAUDELLI ON NBC SPORTS FOOTBALL COVERAGE: “My philosophy is pretty simple. It’s to do what the moment calls for. If you’re sitting at home and something happens, you pretty much have in mind what you think should come next.  Or, if you’re confused, you’re hoping someone’s going to come on and either explain it to you verbally, like Al or Cris would, or show you a picture that immediately clears it up. And just remember that it’s a broad audience out there. There are a lot of people really into the X’s and O’s of football and we want to service them and then there are others who are into the personalities and the stories and we want to service them. But really just to do what the moment calls for and to do the right thing as much as you possibly can…our goal is to do it better than we did it the year before.”

MICHAELS ON GAUDELLI AND DIRECTOR DREW ESOCOFF: “The essence of this business is working with a group of people like Fred Gaudelli and (director) Drew Esocoff.  When we did the Arizona-Pittsburgh Super Bowl a couple of years ago, and Pittsburgh wins the game on an amazing catch by Santonio Holmes, who is the No. 4 receiver in Roethlisberger’s tree at that point, and our guys have every angle, whether he’s in bounds, whether he’s out of bounds, whether he’s caught the ball. Everything. All of the drama, the excitement of it, and I think the fact that we are able to do that, and we have people who can do that is what makes this so exciting.

HARRISON ON TOM BRADY AND THE JETS-PATS RIVALRY: “Tom Brady is an honest guy, but Tom really never comes out and blatantly says how much he hates a particular team, so obviously they are very tired and fed up with all the trash talking.  You better believe the Patriots have that game circled. They’ve always hated the Jets, but they hate them even more now.”

DUNGY ON BEING OPINIONATED: “A lot of people have opinions. I don’t think I’m an overly opinionated person. I guess some of the things I do have opinions about touched a nerve with people. That particular thing wasn’t directed at Rex Ryan, it was directed at language that goes across television. I’ve had those kinds of opinions in the past. I wouldn’t call myself controversial in the least, but apparently some people think so.”

MICHAELS ON 25th YEAR OF PLAY-BY-PLAY VOICE OF NFL’S PREMIER PRIMETIME PACKAGE: “I’m lucky, I love what I do. I have a job that people would die for and I understand that. I work with some phenomenal people. It’s a wonderful thing to go to work every week and be in an environment where the stadium is always full, the lights are on, and you know that a lot of people are watching. I’m like a fan. I’m excited for the season to start. I love sports, I love football, I love the strategy, I love when we get down to the final two minutes of a half or the end of the game when you’re trying to think along with the coach and all of that. That to me is what drives me and I’m still a kid at heart in that regard.  I don’t want to come back in a next life because I’ll be in Mongolia in a sulfur mine working the night shift.”

GAUDELLI ON MICHAELS: “To do it and get better every year, that’s quite an achievement. There have been some great broadcasters, but to do all the different sports that Al has done, obviously the NFL, Major League Baseball, the Olympics, the NBA Finals, the National Hockey League Stanley Cup Final. When you listen to Al Michaels, you know you’re listening to a big event and that is what makes it great to have him on our team.”

COLLINSWORTH ON MICHAELS: “It’s pretty remarkable that sometimes when the game does come down to the last two minutes or there is a controversial call by the referees, I’m even looking at Al. I’ll ask ‘Al what do you think the coach should do here or what do you think this referees call should be?’  He’s been on top of the details of the game in such a way that I think he’s unmatched…there is nobody better in the moment than what Al Michaels does. That’s probably why he’s been the lead announcer in all these sports for so long.”

MICHAELS ON CHANGES IN THE BUSINESS: “Technologically, it’s been phenomenal through the years. When I started Monday Night Football in 1986, there was no such thing as Cable Cam or SkyCam. There was no HD. I think those are two of the contributing factors right now. Football is such a visual treat. The images are so sharp. The camera above the huddle is incredible and the way we have the ability to isolate almost everything and anything.”

# # #

“SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL” 2010 SEASON: Three appearances each by six marquee NFL teams, the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers; a rematch of the NFC Championship Game as the Super Bowl XLIV champion New Orleans Saints host the Minnesota Vikings in the opening Thursday night game; the “Manning Bowl” rematch in Week 2; and storied rivalries including three NFC East games, Chargers-Colts, Vikings-Packers at Lambeau, Steelers-Ravens and Jets-Dolphins highlight the “Sunday Night Football” schedule.

Highlights of “Sunday Night Football” schedule:

  • Sixteen of NBC’s 17 scheduled games involve at least one playoff team from last season; eight of 17 include two playoff teams.
  • Fourteen of the 17 teams playing on “Sunday Night Football” had .500 or better records.
  • Three appearances from six marquee teams: Colts (vs. Giants, Redskins, Chargers), Cowboys (Redskins, Packers, Eagles), Eagles (49ers, Giants, Cowboys), Giants (Colts, Bears, Eagles), Packers (Vikings, Cowboys, Patriots) and Steelers (Saints, Patriots, Ravens).
  • A rematch of last year’s NFC Championship game between the Vikings and Saints to kickoff the NFL season on Thursday night, Sept. 9.
  • Peyton and Eli meet in the anticipated rematch of the “Manning Bowl” when the Giants and Colts face off in Week 2.  They last met in the network debut of “Sunday Night Football” in 2006 in a game that was seen by 22.6 million viewers, the third-most ever in the history of “Sunday Night Football.” Six SNF games involve one of the Manning brothers.
  • A matchup of two of the oldest NFL teams when the Bears and Giants meet in Week 4 in the New Meadowlands Stadium.  The Bears-Giants rivalry dates back to 1925.
  • Three matchups among bitter NFC East rivals: Cowboys-Redskins, Giants-Eagles, and Eagles-Cowboys.
  • The first “Sunday Night Football” trips to New Orleans, Cincinnati, San Francisco and Miami.

2010 “SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL” SCHEDULE

Regular Season – “Football Night in America” begins every Sunday at 7 p.m. ET

Thurs. Sept. 9               NFL Kickoff              Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints

Sun. Sept. 12               Week 1          Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins

Sun. Sept. 19               Week 2          New York Giants at Indianapolis Colts

Sun. Sept. 26               Week 3          New York Jets at Miami Dolphins

Sun. Oct. 3                   Week 4             Chicago Bears at New York Giants

Sun. Oct. 10                 Week 5               Philadelphia Eagles at San Francisco 49ers

Sun. Oct. 17                 Week 6             Indianapolis Colts at Washington Redskins

Sun. Oct. 24                 Week 7            Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers

Sun. Oct. 31                 Week 8            Pittsburgh Steelers at New Orleans Saints

Sun. Nov. 7                  Week 9          Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers

Sun. Nov. 14                Week 10        New England Patriots at Pittsburgh Steelers

Sun. Nov. 21                *Week 11        New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles

Sun. Nov. 28                *Week 12        San Diego Chargers at Indianapolis Colts

Sun. Dec. 5                  *Week 13            Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens

Sun. Dec. 12                *Week 14            Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys

Sun. Dec. 19                *Week 15        Green Bay Packers at New England Patriots

Sun. Dec. 26                *Week 16        San Diego Chargers at Cincinnati Bengals

Sun. Jan. 2                   *Week 17        TBA

*Flex Week

Follow NBC Sports PR on Twitter at Twitter.com/NBCSportsPR

Follow “Sunday Night Football” on Twitter at Twitter.com/SNFonNBC

Become a fan of “Sunday Night Football” on Facebook at: Facebook.com/SNFonNBC

Filed Under: NBC, NFL

110th U.S. Amateur Golf Championship Airs This Weekend On NBC Sports

August 26, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Weekend Programming Includes World of Adventure Sports & Diamond League Track & Field


NEW YORK – Aug 26, 2010 – NBC Sports presents coverage of the 110th U.S. Amateur Championship this Saturday and Sunday, 4-6 p.m. ET, from Chambers Bay in University Place, Wash. The U.S. Amateur is the oldest golf championship in the country, just one day older than the U.S. Open.

This is the 15th consecutive year that NBC Sports has broadcast the event. NBC Sports’ golf commentators Dan Hicks, Gary Koch, Roger Maltbie and Dottie Pepper will call the action.

The event features the best amateur golfers competing in a match play format. Some of the game’s all-time greats are among the past winners including Tiger Woods, who won three years in a row (1994-96), Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Phil Mickelson.

WORLD OF ADVENTURE SPORTS, SATURDAY, 3 PM ET

NBC Sports presents coverage of the Emmy Award Winning World of Adventure Sports this Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. Host Pat Parnell brings viewers the fifth episode of the 2010 season from the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, Calif. There’s no surf stadium like the Huntington Beach Pier and it remains the Headliner at the US Open, with five separate events, 300-plus competitors and more than $300,000 in prize money on the table.

Also in this episode, professional racer Rhys Millen attempted to beat the current “Unlimited Class” World Record at the 88th running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, the “Race to the Clouds.” For 10 years, it has been Rhys’s dream to break the 10-minute barrier and this year he hoped to capture the elusive record.

WOAS heads to Chicago where the top riders in BMX compete for over $50,000 in prize money at the Red Bull Stomping Ground, where an abandoned lot is converted into the ultimate dirt playground designed by BMX legend Fuzzy Hall.

Lastly, WOAS takes an inside look at athletes and adventures featured in “Uniquely.” “Uniquely”is a six-section travel-inspired women’s multi–sport (snowboard, ski, surf, skate, wake) film that exposes the “unique” personalities and lifestyles of the athletes involved as they pass the baton, or camera, from one location to the next.

DIAMOND LEAGUE TRACK & FIELD, SUNDAY, 3 PM ET

NBC Sports presents taped coverage of the Diamond League Track and Field this Sunday from Brussels, Belgium.

The Belgacom Memorial Van Damme is the second of two finals – where Diamond Race trophies accompanied by a prize of $40,000 will be awarded to the winners of 16 disciplines – and the 14th and last meeting of the inaugural series of the Samsung Diamond League.

Scheduled to compete among many of the world’s top track athletes are 2008 Beijing Olympians representing the USA: Tyson Gay, Allyson Felix and Lolo Jones. Paul Sunderland, Ato Boldon, Lewis Johnson, and Dwight Stones will provide commentary.

Filed Under: Golf, NBC, Track & Field

Faith Hill Performs “Sunday Night Football” Opening Theme … Again

August 25, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Grammy Award-Winner Records NBC “Sunday Night Football” Opening Theme “Waiting All Day For Sunday Night” for Fourth Consecutive Season

NEW YORK – August 25, 2010 – NBC Sports will again feature five-time Grammy Award-winner and multi-platinum recording artist Faith Hill performing the opening theme for NBC “Sunday Night Football,” “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night.”

Hill’s “Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” debuts this season on Sunday, Sept. 12, the first “Sunday Night Football” broadcast of 2010 featuring the Washington Redskins and their new quarterback Donovan McNabb hosting the Dallas Cowboys in one of sports’ great rivalries. The opening theme will continue weekly, kicking off “Sunday Night Football” throughout the NFL season on NBC.

“I wait all year for Sunday Night,” said Faith Hill.  “Somehow the season wouldn’t feel the same without seeing everyone from NBC/ Sunday Night Football over the summer (when we record and film the open).  It makes it feel like the wait for the season is somehow shorter.”

Hill has sold 30 million records worldwide and topped the charts with 11 No. 1 singles and 20 No. 1 videos throughout her 15-year career. Her last three studio album releases, 1999′s BREATHE, 2002′s CRY and 2005′s FIREFLIES all debuted consecutively at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Pop Album Chart and Country Chart, making her the only female artist ever to accomplish this feat.

“Waiting All Day for Sunday Night” is set to the original Joan Jett song, “I Hate Myself for Loving You.” She recorded the track with her longtime producer Byron Gallimore and the video was shot in Los Angeles.

Hill has established herself as one of the music industry’s top vocalists, with a voice that is as powerful as it is recognizable. She is the first musical artist to return as the featured performer of an NFL open since Hank Williams, Jr.

Media photos of the Hill video shoot are available at www.NBCUMV.com and Hill’s official website www.FaithHill.com. A video preview of the making of the “NBC Sunday Night Football” 2010 Open will be available at  www.NBCSports.com on Sept. 7.

Filed Under: NBC, NFL

NHL Unveils 2010-11 National Television Schedule

August 25, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE UNVEILS 2010-11 NATIONAL TELEVISION SCHEDULE
League Partners Building Upon Three Years Of Ratings And Viewership Growth

NEW YORK (August 25, 2010) – The National Hockey League (NHL) announced today the television schedules for national partners NBC Sports, VERSUS, CBC, TSN, TSN2, RDS, RIS and NHL Network Canada for the 2010-11 NHL regular-season.

In the U.S., NBC Sports and VERSUS return for a sixth consecutive season as national television partners.  In Canada, CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada begins its 58th regular-season of NHL® broadcasts while TSN, whose relationship with the NHL dates back to 1987, continues as the national English-language cable partner.  RDS, the French-language telecast partner of the NHL, has been televising NHL games since its inception in 1989 and enters its eighth consecutive season presenting every Montreal Canadiens game.

For the 2009-10 NHL regular-season, television ratings and viewership continued a three-year upward trend for all partners.  Additionally, the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs reached milestones:

  • Most-watched NHL game in the U.S. in 36 years on NBC (Stanley Cup Final Game 6)
  • The highest audience for an all-U.S. Final in Canadian television history on CBC
  • The most-watched first two rounds on U.S. cable in history on VERSUS
  • The most-watched NHL game in TSN history
  • The largest audience in the history of RDS

The 2010-11 NHL regular-season opens on Oct. 7 – just 43 days from today – with a five game slate, including a national tripleheader in the U.S. on VERSUS and a national doubleheader on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada and a national game on TSN.  That day, the Minnesota Wild and Carolina Hurricanes will play the first of two regular-season games against each other at Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland, as part of 2010 Compuware NHL Premiere™ and NHL Face-Off™.  That game will be seen nationally in the U.S. on VERSUS and on TSN in Canada at Noon ET.

Also on opening night, the Pittsburgh Penguins will debut their new home, the CONSOL Energy Center, against their intrastate rival and defending Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia Flyers at 7 p.m. ET as the middle game of VERSUS’ tripleheader.  In the nightcap, at 10 p.m. ET, the Chicago Blackhawks begin their defense of the Stanley Cup® by travelling to Colorado to face the Avalanche.

NHL Face-Off, a hockey and entertainment festival in Toronto providing fans the opportunity to salute the start of the season, precedes the first game of the Hockey Night in Canada doubleheader – the Montreal Canadiens at Toronto Maple Leafs at 7 p.m. ET.  This game also will be available on RDS.  The “Battle of Alberta” takes center stage for the second game on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada, at 10 p.m. ET, with the Calgary Flames visiting the Edmonton Oilers.

This will be the fourth straight year the NHL will begin the regular-season with games contested overseas.  The Blue Jackets and Sharks will square off for two games at the Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden, on Friday, Oct. 8 and Saturday, Oct. 9.  Meanwhile, the Bruins and Coyotes will play each other at O2 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic, on Saturday, Oct. 9 and Sunday, Oct. 10.  In total, TSN and VERSUS will each telecast four NHL games and NHL Network Canada will broadcast one NHL game from Europe to kick off the regular season.
The annual Hall of Fame Game will be played on Saturday, Nov. 6, when the Maple Leafs host the Buffalo Sabres.  CBC’s Hockey Night In Canada will once again provide full coverage of all of the festivities that evening.  The Hall of Fame inductions are Monday, Nov. 8.

On Jan. 1, NBC Sports in the U.S. and CBC and RDS in Canada again will televise the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® — the event Forbes magazine calls “the best new sporting event” of the last decade.  Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins will battle Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals at Heinz Field, home of the Steelers, at 1 p.m. ET.  The NHL’s fiercest rivalry will be re-ignited in this special wintery setting.

The NHL’s mid-season spectacular returns when the Carolina Hurricanes and the city of Raleigh host the 2011 National Hockey League All-Star Celebration on Saturday, January 29 and Sunday, January 30.  The Honda NHL SuperSkills® and the 58th NHL All-Star Game will take place in North Carolina for the first time.  The action from both nights will be covered live by VERSUS, CBC and RDS.

The celebration of hockey continues when Whitehorse, Yukon, hosts Scotiabank Hockey Day in Canada on Saturday, Feb. 12.  The network plans over 13 hours of coverage for the 11th edition of the event, including a NHL tripleheader featuring all six Canadian-based teams: Ottawa at Edmonton at 2 p.m. ET, Toronto at Montreal at 7 p.m. ET and Calgary at Vancouver at 10 p.m. ET.

Returning to the NHL calendar this season is the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic™, the regular-season outdoor game to be played Sunday, Feb. 20 by the Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames at Calgary’s McMahon Stadium. CBC and RDS will carry the game in Canada and VERSUS will telecast the outdoor match in the U.S.. The event marks the first regular-season NHL game contested outdoors in Canada since the Edmonton Oilers hosted the Canadiens at Commonwealth Stadium on Nov. 22, 2003.

As part of Hockey Weekend Across America in 2011, NBC Sports and the NHL will salute the roots of the sport with Hockey Day in America on Sunday, Feb. 20. Launched by USA Hockey in 2008, Hockey Weekend Across America is a nationwide initiative to celebrate the game and those involved at all levels and to expose hockey to new audiences. NBC Sports will celebrate the day-long event with regional NHL coverage. More details about Hockey Day in America will be released at a later date.

After NBC Sports launches its NHL coverage Jan. 1 with the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic, the NBC NHL “Game of the Week” drops the puck on Jan. 23 at 12:30 p.m. ET.  The NHL and NBC will again collaborate on flexible scheduling for NBC’s regular-season dates, providing fans the most exciting match-up available.  At least 13 days prior to the scheduled date, a game will be selected to broadcast on NBC.  All NBC “Game of the Week” games will be broadcast on Sundays and presented in High Definition.  NBC will again broadcast games in the postseason, including Games 1, 2 and 5 through 7 of the Stanley Cup Final in primetime.

VERSUS will televise 78 games during the 2010-11 regular season, 13 more than last season, including 53 exclusive regular season games and 25 bonus games.  In addition to live coverage of the All-Star weekend and the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic, VERSUS will cap off the final week of regular season action with a game each night (Monday-Friday) leading into the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs.   VERSUS once again will air wall-to-wall action throughout each round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, culminating with Games 3 and 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.

CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada schedule includes a total of 29 all-Canadian match-ups and the game’s biggest stars, with a total of 87 games during the 2010-11 season, including preseason. Viewers will again be able to watch the CBC game of their choice with live and on-demand streaming of all games, special features and much more, available at CBCSports.ca.

This year’s combined 124-game NHL on TSN national broadcast package is part of TSN and TSN2’s multi-year broadcast and digital rights agreement with the NHL.  A total of 76 regular season games will air on TSN, with 70 games featuring at least one Canadian team.  TSN retains exclusivity of Wednesday Night Hockey, during which there are no other national or local NHL telecasts.   TSN2’s regular season schedule features 48 live NHL games.

Once again this season, RDS will telecast all 82 Montreal Canadiens games, including the 2011 NHL Heritage Classic.  The network also will televise a package of games featuring other NHL teams, including the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic on New Year’s Day.  RDS will also be presenting full coverage of the NHL All-Star weekend. On RIS Info Sports, viewers will be offered an additional 42 regular-season NHL games.

NHL NetworkTM this season will televise up to 75 live games for its American audience and 31 live NHL games for its Canadian viewers.  In addition, NHL Network’s signature show, NHL On The Fly™, returns across North America nightly providing highlights and analysis of every NHL game.

For Canadian viewers, NHL Network drops the puck on the live 2010-11 NHL regular-season schedule Oct. 10 when the Boston Bruins and Phoenix Coyotes go head-to-head in Prague, CZE as part of the 2010 Compuware NHL Premiere in a special 10 a.m. ET matinee.  The action continues the next day when captain the Penguins visit the New Jersey Devils at 1 p.m. ET.  The next night, the Atlanta Thrashers travel to the West Coast to face the Los Angeles Kings for a 10:30 p.m. ET start.

More information on the dates and times of the NHL Network U.S. 2010-11 schedule will be released in the near future.

About the NHL
The National Hockey League, founded in 1917, is the second-oldest of the four major professional team sports leagues in North America.  Today, the NHL consists of 30 Member Clubs, each reflecting the League’s international makeup, with players from more than 20 countries represented on team rosters. According to a Simmons Market Research study, NHL fans are younger, more educated, more affluent, and access content through digital means more than any other major professional sport. The NHL entertains more than 250 million fans each season in-arena and through its partners in national television (VERSUS, NBC, TSN, CBC, RDS, RIS, ESPN America, ASN and NHL Network™) and radio (NHL Radio™, Sirius XM Satellite Radio and XM Canada).  Through the NHL Foundation, the League’s charitable arm, the NHL raises money and awareness for Hockey Fights Cancer™ and NHL Youth Development, and supports the charitable efforts of NHL players. For more information on the NHL, log on to NHL.com.
#### (8/25/10)

Filed Under: NBC, NHL, VERSUS

“Sunday Night Football” Vikings-49ers Matches Best NFL Preseason Week 2 Overnight In 7 Years

August 23, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

SNF Again Dominates Sunday Night; Beats Second Place CBS by 76%

NEW YORK – August 23, 2010 – Last night’s “Sunday Night Football” Vikings- 49ers preseason game matched the best overnight rating in seven years for any NFL preseason Week 2 game on any network. The 7.2 overnight rating and 12 share (8:15-11 p.m. ET) for the Minnesota Vikings-San Francisco 49ers preseason game, which saw the return of Brett Favre (who was in for a total of four plays), equaled the Cowboys-Seahawks (7.2/12 on 8/22/05) for the best Week 2 preseason game since the 7.8/13 for the Buccaneers-Rams game on August 18, 2003 on ABC.  Last night’s broadcast peaked from 8:30-9 p.m. ET at an 8.1/13.

NO. 1 BROADCAST OF THE NIGHT: “Sunday Night Football” was the No. 1 broadcast of the night in the metered markets and dominated its time period, beating second-place CBS in the time slot by 76 percent (7.2 vs. 4.1).

SNF CONTINUES TO DOMINATE SUNDAY NIGHTS: This continues a trend for SNF dominating Sunday nights.  The last “Sunday Night Football” broadcast, The Hall of Fame Game on Sunday, Aug. 9, was the No. 1 broadcast of the night.  In the regular season last year, “Sunday Night Football” was the most watched Sunday night primetime broadcast in a record 15 of 16 (94 percent) weeks.  In 2008, SNF won 13 of 16 (81 percent) Sunday nights after winning 11 of 16 in 2007 (69 percent) and nine of 16 in 2006 (56 percent).

BESTS COMPETITIOION IN PRIMETIME: In primetime from 7-11 p.m. ET, NBC averaged a 6.3/11 in metered-market households, highest for any network on a Sunday since August 8 (6.4/11, Cowboys-Bengals Hall of Fame Game) and second-highest for any network on a Sunday since June 13 (NBA Finals, Game 5 on ABC).

Top 10 Metered Markets:

1. Minneapolis, 21.3/35

2. Sacramento, 14.4/27

3. Milwaukee, 14.1/23

4. New Orleans, 12.9/19

5. San Francisco, 12.4/28

6. Las Vegas, 11.3/19

7. Fort Myers, 10.5/17

T8. Oklahoma City, 10.1/16

T8. Columbus, 10.1/16

T8. Charlotte, 10.1/16

Filed Under: NBC, NFL

Brett Favre Sits Down With SNF’S Al Michaels

August 19, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

INTERVIEW TO AIR AT HALFTIME AS 49ERS HOST VIKINGS ON “SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL” THIS SUNDAY AT 8 PM ET

NEW YORK – Aug. 19, 2010 – Al Michaels, the six-time Emmy Award-winner who is in his 25th season as the voice of the premier primetime NFL package, will interview Vikings QB Brett Favre this weekend.  The interview will air at halftime of the “Sunday Night Football” preseason game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Minnesota Vikings. Coverage on NBC begins at 8 p.m. ET.  Michaels and Cris Collinsworth will have the call from Candlestick Park in San Francisco with Andrea Kremer handling the reporting duties.

DUNGY AND HARRISON IN THE BOOTH: Emmy-nominated Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison, analysts from NBC Sports’ critically acclaimed NFL studio show “Football Night in America,” will join Al and Cris in the booth during the second half of the game.

COACH SINGLETARY MIC’D FOR SOUND: 49ers head coach Mike Singletary will wear a wireless microphone to provide sounds of the game for the SNF broadcast.

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Filed Under: NBC

49ers Host Vikings On “Sunday Night Football” This Sunday At 8 PM ET

August 17, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

“Guys are flying around because they are so excited. It’s football time.” – “Football Night’s” Rodney Harrrison on the preseason

NEW YORK – Aug. 17, 2010 – The “Sunday Night Football” preseason schedule continues this Sunday as Frank Gore and the San Francisco 49ers host Adrian Peterson and the Minnesota Vikings. Coverage on NBC begins at 8 p.m. ET.  Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth will have the call from Candlestick Park in San Francisco with Andrea Kremer handling the reporting duties.

DUNGY AND HARRISON IN THE BOOTH: Emmy-nominated Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison, analysts from NBC Sports’ critically acclaimed NFL studio show “Football Night in America” will join Al and Cris in the booth during the second half of the game.

COSTAS INTERVIEW WITH SHANAHAN AT HALFTIME: Bob Costas, host of “Football Night in America,” interviewed new Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan earlier this week.  Shanahan talked about, among other things, his firing from Denver and working with new Redskins QB Donovan McNabb and DL Albert Haynesworth.  That interview will air at halftime of the Vikings-49ers “Sunday Night Football” game.

COACH SINGLETARY MIC’D FOR SOUND: 49ers head coach Mike Singletary will wear a wireless microphone during the game to provide sounds of the game for the SNF broadcast.

HARRISON ON PLAYING PRESEASON GAMES: “Veterans and rookies are excited for preseason games because all the hard work during the off-season and training camp finally starts to pay off. The games establish something; they make a statement. Sometimes the games tell you what type of a team you are going to have or what type of a player you are going to be. Guys are flying around because they are so excited. It’s football time.”

# # #

NFL SEASON OPENS ON NBC ON SEPT. 9: The NFL will open the 2010 season on NBC, Thursday, Sept. 9, with the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints hosting the NFC North champion Minnesota Vikings, who the Saints defeated in the NFC Championship game last season, 31-28. The first “Sunday Night Football” contest of the season is a classic NFC East rivalry as the Washington Redskins with their new QB Donovan McNabb and head coach Mike Shanahan host Tony Romo and the NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys.

“SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL” 2010 SEASON: Three appearances each by six marquee NFL teams, the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, Indianapolis Colts, Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers; a rematch of the NFC Championship Game as the Super Bowl XLIV champion New Orleans Saints host the Minnesota Vikings in the opening Thursday night game; the “Manning Bowl” rematch in Week 2; and storied rivalries including three NFC East games, Chargers-Colts, Vikings-Packers at Lambeau, Steelers-Ravens and Jets-Dolphins highlight the “Sunday Night Football” schedule.

Highlights of “Sunday Night Football” schedule:

  • Sixteen of NBC’s 17 scheduled games involve at least one playoff team from last season; eight of 17 include two playoff teams.
  • Fourteen of the 17 teams playing on “Sunday Night Football” had .500 or better records.
  • Three appearances from six marquee teams: Colts (vs. Giants, Redskins, Chargers), Cowboys (Redskins, Packers, Eagles), Eagles (49ers, Giants, Cowboys), Giants (Colts, Bears, Eagles), Packers (Vikings, Cowboys, Patriots) and Steelers (Saints, Patriots, Ravens).
  • A rematch of last year’s NFC Championship game between the Vikings and Saints to kickoff the NFL season on Thursday night, Sept. 9.
  • Peyton and Eli meet in the anticipated rematch of the “Manning Bowl” when the Giants and Colts face off in Week 2.  They last met in the network debut of “Sunday Night Football” in 2006 in a game that was seen by 22.6 million viewers, the third-most ever in the history of “Sunday Night Football.” Six SNF games involve one of the Manning brothers.
  • A matchup of two of the oldest NFL teams when the Bears and Giants meet in Week 4 in the New Meadowlands Stadium.  The Bears-Giants rivalry dates back to 1925.
  • Three matchups among bitter NFC East rivals: Cowboys-Redskins, Giants-Eagles, and Eagles-Cowboys.
  • The first “Sunday Night Football” trips to New Orleans, Cincinnati, San Francisco and Miami.

2010 “SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL” SCHEDULE

Pre Season

Sun. Aug. 22 – Minnesota Vikings at San Francisco 49ers, 8 p.m.

Regular Season – “Football Night in America” begins every Sunday at 7 p.m. ET

Thurs. Sept. 9               NFL Kickoff              Minnesota Vikings at New Orleans Saints

Sun. Sept. 12               Week 1          Dallas Cowboys at Washington Redskins

Sun. Sept. 19               Week 2          New York Giants at Indianapolis Colts

Sun. Sept. 26               Week 3          New York Jets at Miami Dolphins

Sun. Oct. 3                   Week 4             Chicago Bears at New York Giants

Sun. Oct. 10                 Week 5               Philadelphia Eagles at San Francisco 49ers

Sun. Oct. 17                 Week 6             Indianapolis Colts at Washington Redskins

Sun. Oct. 24                 Week 7            Minnesota Vikings at Green Bay Packers

Sun. Oct. 31                 Week 8            Pittsburgh Steelers at New Orleans Saints

Sun. Nov. 7                  Week 9          Dallas Cowboys at Green Bay Packers

Sun. Nov. 14                Week 10        New England Patriots at Pittsburgh Steelers

Sun. Nov. 21                *Week 11        New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles

Sun. Nov. 28                *Week 12        San Diego Chargers at Indianapolis Colts

Sun. Dec. 5                  *Week 13            Pittsburgh Steelers at Baltimore Ravens

Sun. Dec. 12                *Week 14            Philadelphia Eagles at Dallas Cowboys

Sun. Dec. 19                *Week 15        Green Bay Packers at New England Patriots

Sun. Dec. 26                *Week 16        San Diego Chargers at Cincinnati Bengals

Sun. Jan. 2                   *Week 17        TBA

*Flex Week

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Filed Under: NBC, NFL

NBC Sports And Universal Sports Network To Air 9 ½ Hours Of Live Coverage Of Visa Championships Starting Tomorrow

August 11, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Universal Sports debuts ‘Around the Gym’ presented by AT&T’

NEW YORK – August 11, 2010 – NBC Sports and Universal Sports Network are presenting 9 ½ hours of live  coverage of the Visa Championships, USA Gymnastics’ national championships, this week from the XL Center in Hartford, Conn. Coverage will include live, primetime shows this Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m. ET, on Universal Sports, and Saturday on NBC at 8 p.m. ET.  Universal Sports will also debut pre- and post-competition shows called Around the Gym, presented by AT&T, which will be hosted by 2008 Olympic gold-medalist Nastia Liukin and three-time Olympian John Roethlisberger. Additionally, UniversalSports.com will provide free, live simulstreams of the TV broadcasts and coverage of Universal Sports’ Around the Gym. The site will also have extensive competition highlights, photos, news and blogs, plus athlete interviews and other behind-the-scenes content.

Around the Gym will provide an inside look at the competition, featuring interviews, commentary and analysis both before and after the daily events.  The 30-minute shows will air live starting tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. ET, prior to the first Universal Sports Network coverage, and immediately following coverage at 9:00 p.m. ET.  On Friday, Around the Gym will start pre-competition coverage at 6:30 p.m. ET and post-competition at 10 p.m. ET. Universal Sports will also broadcast the show following NBC Sports’ coverage of the women’s final day of competition on Saturday.  The Visa Championships determine the U.S. champions and the national team for both the junior and senior elite levels in men’s and women’s gymnastics.

2010 Visa Championships Broadcast/Web Schedule

Date  Competition                            Time                            Network

8-12   “Around the Gym”                 6:30-7 p.m.            Universal Sports TV

8-12   Women’s gymnastics LIVE    7-9 p.m.                 Universal Sports TV and web

8-12   “Around the Gym”                 9-9:30 p.m.            Universal Sports TV

8-13   “Around the Gym”                 6:30-7 p.m.            Universal Sports TV

8-13   Men’s gymnastics LIVE         7-10 p.m.               Universal Sports TV and web

8-13   “Around the Gym”                 10-10:30 p.m.        Universal Sports TV

8-14   Women’s gymnastics LIVE    8-10 p.m.                NBC Sports

8-14   “Around the Gym”                 10-10:30 p.m.         Universal Sports TV

8-14   Women’s gymnastics TAPE   10:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Universal Sports TV and web

8-15   Men’s competition                  2:30-4 p.m.             NBC Sports

All times are Eastern.

NBC’s Olympic gymnastics analyst team of Al Trautwig, Olympian Elfi Schlegel, 1984 Olympic gold-medalist Tim Daggett and Andrea Joyce will be broadcasting the event for both NBC Sports and Universal Sports. David Michaels, Executive Producer of Universal Sports, will direct the production.

Filed Under: NBC
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