February 4, 2012

NBC Sports Presents Six Hours Of Super Bowl XLVI Pre-Game Coverage

Bob Costas, Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya, Dan Patrick, Tony Dungy & Rodney Harrison preview Super Bowl XLVI with interviews, analysis and commentary

Super Bowl MVPs Aaron Rodgers & Hines Ward serve as guest analysts

Lenny Kravitz & The Fray perform live

Cast of The Voice and other celebrities make red-carpet appearances

TODAY’s Matt Lauer interviews President Barack Obama

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

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

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

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

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

THE GAME

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

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

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

· Bob Costas interviews Tom Brady

· Dan Patrick interviews Eli Manning

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE PRESIDENT

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

ENTERTAINMENT

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

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

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

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

ATMOSPHERE

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

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

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

REGIONAL COVERAGE

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

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

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

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

–NBC Sports Group–

Super Bowl XLVI Pre-Game Conference Call Highlights With NBC Sports’ Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison And Executive Producer Sam Flood

“I think people are going to really, really enjoy their time at this Super Bowl. Then to work it out where NBC is covering it, it couldn’t be better for me.” – Tony Dungy

“The Giants have been terrific the last month-and-a-half of the season. The Patriots had somewhat of a turbulent year with the defense being called really bad and the offense being really good. But you have two tremendous coaches and really two tremendous franchises going head to head.” – Rodney Harrison

“This is not just a football game. It’s the biggest event in America. It’s a national holiday. We’re going to celebrate it.” – Sam Flood

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

–SUPER BOWL XLVI–

Super Bowl XLVI Preview With NBC Sports’ Costas, Michaels, Collinsworth, Lazarus And Gaudelli

“This is the Super Bowl. There is no event like it.” – Michaels

“I think the thing that I’m most excited about with this one is it’s a game with history.” – Collinsworth

“I never like to rank guys one through five or whatever, but no matter what happens on Sunday, you’re having a conversation about one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. And Tom is very much in that conversation.” – Michaels on Tom Brady

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

–SUPER BOWL XLVI

Tony, Rodney & Dan of NBC’s “Football Night In America” Reminisce About Their Favorite Super Bowl Memories

From playing, coaching and covering the game, Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison, and Dan Patrick of NBC’s Football Night in America have a lot to talk about when it comes to the Super Bowl.

Hear what their favorite Super Bowl memories are, favorite Super Bowl foods and what Rodney MUST have for breakfast every Super Bowl morning.

NFL Films’ “Road To The Super Bowl” Debuts On NBC At 12:00 Noon ET On Super Bowl Sunday

42nd Year of TV’s Longest-Running, Most-Honored Annual Sports Special

One-Hour Special Culled From 1.7 Million Feet of Game Film &

400 Hours of Game Audio from 133 Coaches & Players

How did the New York Giants and New England Patriots advance to Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis?  Re-live the journey as only NFL Films can present it on “Road to the Super Bowl” on Super Bowl Sunday, February 5 at 12:00 Noon ET on NBC.

“Road to the Super Bowl” begins with Kickoff Weekend and chronicles the 2011 NFL season utilizing NFL Films’ signature captivating video and sound from on the field and in the locker room from exclusive player and coach wirings.

“For those who love football, this show is red meat,” said NFL Films president Steve Sabol. “No interviews, no talking heads, all action.”

“Road to the Super Bowl” is the longest-running (42 years) and most honored (28 Sports Emmys) annual sports special. “Road to the Super Bowl,” which debuted following the 1969 season, was culled by NFL Films producers from more than 1.7 million feet of game footage to 980 feet for the one-hour special.  In addition, more than 400 hours of audio were captured from 133 exclusive coach and player on-field wirings.  Original orchestral music, including a 60-person choir, was used in producing the show.

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CNBC’s Darren Rovell to Host NBC Sports’ Post-Super Bowl Hangout on Google+

NEW YORK – Jan. 30, 2012 — CNBC sports business reporter Darren Rovell will serve as host and industry expert for a NBC Sports Google+ Hangout discussion of Super Bowl commercials on Monday, Feb. 6. During the Hangout, Rovell will review the previous day’s Super Bowl commercials, dissect the talk around the ads, and interact with fans to find out what commercials worked best.

“The day after the Super Bowl is when people head back to their office water coolers to discuss what they loved and what they didn’t,” Rovell said. “Our conversation is about taking all those water cooler conversations and bringing it to a national, digital stage.”

On Friday evening, Feb. 17 during his NBC Sports Network show CNBC SportsBiz: Game On, Rovell will reveal the most popular Super Bowl commercial as selected by YouTube Ad Blitz voters.

The Hangout is the second piece of an NBC Sports collaboration with YouTube and its Super Bowl Ad Blitz, the premier online gallery of Super Bowl commercials. The Super Bowl is annually the biggest single day of the year for advertisers, commanding the attention of millions of Americans tuned in to watch the game as well as the TV commercials. Super Bowl XLVI between the New York Giants and New England Patriots will be broadcast on NBC on Sunday, Feb. 5.

As part of the agreement, NBC will promote Ad Blitz and Rovell’s Google+ Hangout during its pre-game coverage and YouTube will offer weekend-long online promotion of NBC’s Super Bowl XLVI coverage. This marks the first time in the five-year history of the YouTube Ad Blitz that YouTube has partnered with the Super Bowl network broadcaster.

Rovell, CNBC’s Sports Business Reporter, is responsible for both analyzing and reporting on the sports business world on all of CNBC’s programming. In addition, he is the author of the “Sports Biz” blog on CNBC.com and is very involved in social media with more than 173,000 people following his @darrenrovell feed.

Google+ has already conducted several high profile Hangouts including ones hosted by The Dalai Lama, will.i.am from Black Eyed Peas and coming Jan 30th President Obama.

The YouTube Ad Blitz program is a popular, online and interactive gallery of Super Bowl commercials that allows users to view the commercials and vote on the top ads of the Super Bowl on laptops, mobile phones, or tablets. Last year Ad Blitz generated 93M video views of Super Bowl commercials. The Ad Blitz gallery will be hosted on NBCSports.com and the YouTube Ad Blitz Channel.

–NBC Sports Group–

NBC Sports’ Super Bowl Week Kicks Off With Live Primetime Coverage of 2012 NFL Pro Bowl, Sunday 7 P.M. ET

Bob Costas, Tony Dungy & Rodney Harrison Host Pre-Game, Halftime and Post-Game Coverage from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Site of Super Bowl XLVI

Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Cam Newton, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers and Ray Lewis Will Wear Microphones Throughout the Game

Access to Coach/QB Radio Transmissions Highlight NBC’s Production

NEW YORK – January XX, 2012 – Super Bowl XLVI Week on NBC begins this Sunday at 7 p.m. ET with the NFL’s top stars competing in the 2012 NFL Pro Bowl. The NFL’s All-Star Game will take place once again at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii and is the signature event to start the week leading up to Super Bowl XLVI, to be played between the New England Patriots and New York Giants in Indianapolis on Sunday, Feb. 5, on NBC.

Dan Hicks (play-by-play), Mike Mayock and Doug Flutie (analysts), Alex Flanagan and Randy Moss (sideline reporters) call the action from Aloha Stadium.

Football Night in America’s Bob Costas, Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison will host the pre-game, halftime and post-game coverage from inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, the site of Super Bowl XLVI.

The 43-man teams are comprised of 21 offensive and 17 defensive players plus five specialists, including a long snapper. The AFC All-Star team will be led by Gary Kubiak and the coaches from the Houston Texans while Mike McCarthy and the Green Bay Packers’ coaching staff will guide the NFC Pro Bowl squad.

Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers and New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees lead the NFC against the NFL’s leading rusher Maurice Jones-Drew of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger.

PRO BOWL PRODUCTION ELEMENTS: Five quarterbacks in the game – Rodgers, Brees, Roethlisberger, Cam Newton and Philip Rivers, along with Ray Lewis – will wear microphones during the game. In addition, NBC will have access to coach-quarterback radio transmission and will deploy its ‘stedi-cam’ operator into the teams’ huddles.

NBC Sports’ Notre Dame Football producer Rob Hyland, who worked as the Sunday Night Football replay producer for three years under SNF producer Fred Gaudelli, will produce the game. Artie Kempner, who directs NFL games for NFL Network and Fox, and who directed Super Bowl XLII, will direct.

NBC AND THE PRO BOWL: Sunday’s broadcast marks fourth time ever and the second time in three years that NBC has broadcast the Pro Bowl. The last NBC broadcast of the Pro Bowl was the week after Super Bowl XLIII in February 2009. Prior to that NBC’s last Pro Bowl broadcast was on Jan. 20, 1974 from Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City when the AFC, coached by then Raiders coach and former NBC analyst John Madden, defeated the NFC 15-13 on five Garo Yepremian field goals. Curt Gowdy and Al DeRogatis called the game for NBC. The only other time the Pro Bowl was on NBC was two years earlier, on Jan. 23, 1972, when the AFC defeated the NFC 26-13. That game took place at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.

PRO BOWL STARTERS:

AFC OFFENSE

QB Ben Roethlisberger Steelers

RB Maurice Jones-Drew Jaguars

FB Vonta Leach Ravens

WR A.J. Green Bengals

Mike Wallace Steelers

TE Antonio Gates Chargers

T Joe Thomas Browns

D’Brickashaw Ferguson Jets

G Ben Grubbs Ravens

Marshal Yanda Ravens

C Nick Mangold Jets

AFC DEFENSE

DE Elvis Dumerville Broncos

Dwight Freeney Colts

DT Haloti Ngata Ravens

Richard Seymore Raiders

OLB Tamba Hali Chiefs

Von Miller Broncos

ILB Ray Lewis Ravens

CB Darrell Revis Jets

Champ Bailey Broncos

FS Ed Reed Ravens

SS Eric Weddle Chargers

AFC SPECIAL TEAMS

P Shane Lechler Raiders

K Sebastian Janikowski Raiders

KR Antonio Brown Steelers

ST Montell Owens Jaguars

NFC OFFENSE

QB Aaron Rodgers Packers

RB LeSean McCoy Eagles

FB Michael Robinson Seahawks

WR Larry Fitzgerald Cardinals

Steve Smith Panthers

TE Jimmy Graham Saints

T Jason Peters Eagles

Joe Staley 49ers

G Jhari Evans Saints

Carl Nicks Saints

C Ryan Kalil Panthers

NFC DEFENSE

DE Jared Allen Vikings

Jason Babin Eagles

DT Justin Smith 49ers

Jay Ratliff Cowboys

OLB DeMarcus Ware Cowboys

Clay Matthews Packers

ILB Patrick Willis 49ers

CB Charles Woodson Packers

TBA

FS Earl Thomas Seahawks

SS Adrian Wilson Cardinals

NFC SPECIAL TEAMS

P Andy Lee 49ers

K David Akers 49ers

KR Patrick Peterson Cardinals

ST Corey Graham Bears

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–

NBC News, NBC Sports and National Science Foundation Launch “Science Of NHL Hockey”

THE 10-PART VIDEO SERIES STARRING CURRENT NHL STARS WILL BE FEATURED ON NBC SPORTS NETWORK DURING NHL ALL-STAR WEEKEND, ON DIGITAL PLATFORMS AND IN VENUES ACROSS THE U.S.

 

 

Matt Moulson, Left Wing, New York Islanders Pekka Rinne, Goaltender, Nashville Predators
Matt Moulson, Left Wing, New York Islanders (top) Pekka Rinne, Goaltender, Nashville Predators (bottom)

New York, NY—Jan 26, 2012—NBC News’ educational arm, NBC Learn, and the NBC Sports Group are teaming up with the National Hockey League (NHL) and National Science Foundation (NSF) to release “Science of NHL Hockey”— an informative 10-part video series exploring the science behind the fastest game on ice that will be distributed across several NBCU platforms. Made especially for students and teachers to use in the classroom, these videos will be aligned to lesson plans and national state education standards, and are available to the public cost-free on NBCLearn.com, NBCSports.com and Science360.gov. NBC News’ Lester Holt narrates the series.

The “Science of NHL Hockey” videos will debut during NBC Sports Network’s all-encompassing coverage of the 2012 NHL All-Star Weekend from Ottawa January 26-29, including a select number of videos airing throughout the Honda SuperSkills Competition on Sat., January 28, from 7-9:30 p.m. ET. The NHL will feature the videos on NHL.com, NHL Network in the U.S. and Canada and in a number of arenas throughout the League. The series will also appear in retail venues across the country, including Wovenmedia outlets, and on American Airlines in-flight entertainment and NBC’s affiliate stations.

This collaboration between NBC Learn, NBC Sports and NSF uses the universal appeal of hockey to drive an understanding of complicated scientific concepts. Students and teachers see how the principles of science enable players to perform actions such as quickly stopping on ice, passing the puck to a teammate, shooting a slap shot and making a great save.

The science is broken down by capturing the athletes’ movements with a state-of-the-art, high-speed Phantom camera, which has the ability to capture movement at rates of up to 10,000 frames per second. These dynamic visuals allow for frame-by-frame illustrations of specific scientific principles such as Newton’s Three Laws of Motion, kinematics and velocity. Other video episodes analyze the hockey science behind reflexes and reaction time, statistics, vectors, linear motion, geometry and more.

NBC Sports Group oversaw the Phantom video shoot in September 2011 during the yearly media tour sponsored by the NHL and its players association. NBC Sports Group also provided research and technical support throughout the project.

Current NHL players who participated in the video series include:

Jaroslav Halak, Goaltender, St. Louis Blues

Erik Johnson, Defenseman, Colorado Avalanche

Brenden Morrow, Left Wing, Dallas Stars

Matt Moulson, Left Wing, New York Islanders

Pekka Rinne, Goaltender, Nashville Predators

In each video, an NSF-supported scientist explains a selected scientific principle, while NHL athletes describe how the principle applies to their respective positions. Series scientists supported by NSF are: Edward Burger, Williams College; Irene Fonseca, Carnegie Mellon; Jim Gates, University of Maryland; Robert Gehrz, University of Minnesota; and Patricia Shewokis, Drexel University. The videos also include actual game footage provided by the NHL, and the lesson plans that accompany the videos will be provided by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA).

“Science of NHL Hockey” follows in the footsteps of the “Science of NFL Football” and “Science of the Olympic Winter Games” collections, which are part of an ongoing “Science of Sports” collaboration with the NSF that was awarded a 2010 Sports Emmy for “Outstanding New Approaches Sports Programming.”

“Wayne Gretzky once said, ‘The only way a kid is going to practice is if it’s total fun for him… and it was for me,’” said Morris Aizenman, Senior Scientist for NSF’s Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences. “‘Science of NHL Hockey’ is an NSF and NBC Learn project that continues our effort to make science total fun for students. We hope, after watching these videos that students will also want to learn and practice science.”

“Building on the innovative partnership that NBC Learn has with NSF and NBC Sports, we are thrilled to expand the ‘Science of Sports’ franchise to include hockey,” said Soraya Gage, Executive Producer of NBC Learn. “These one-of-a-kind videos have set a new precedent for teaching science in the classroom, by literally breaking down concepts and illustrating their real life application through sports.”

“The NHL is excited to partner with NBC and the National Science Foundation on this special project,” said Charles Coplin, Executive Vice President of Content for the NHL. “Students, teachers and NHL fans everywhere will experience hockey in a unique way through the spectacular footage captured during filming with the players.”

“It was exciting to be part of a unique project that utilizes hockey to help educate students on science and physics,” said Brenden Morrow of the Dallas Stars. “It was fun to participate in and was very interesting. I learned a lot myself.”

Brenden Morrow, Left Wing, Dallas Stars
Brenden Morrow, Left Wing, Dallas Stars

Jaroslav Halak, Goaltender, St. Louis Blues
Jaroslav Halak, Goaltender, St. Louis Blues

Erik Johnson, Defenseman, Colorado Avalanche
Erik Johnson, Defenseman, Colorado Avalanche

NBC Sports Presents 7 Hours Of Live Coverage Of The 2012 U.S. Figure Skating Championships

NBC’s Primetime Saturday Broadcast Includes Live Coverage of Ladies Free Skate

“Competing here it is an incredible opportunity to secure your place in history.” – NBC’s Hamilton

“There should be a lot of fireworks in the men’s event.” – NBC’s Hamilton

“USA dance has never been stronger ever in its history than it is now.” – NBC’s Hamilton

NEW YORK – January 26, 2012 – NBC Sports presents seven hours of live coverage of the 2012 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships this Saturday (4-6 p.m., ET and 9-11 p.m., ET) and Sunday (3-6 p.m., ET) from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. Several members of the 2011 U.S. World Team are set to compete, including reigning U.S. champion Alissa Czisny (Ladies). Richard Dornbush (Men’s) and Ross Miner (Men’s), the current U.S. silver and bronze medalists, respectively, will also compete. Defending pairs champion John Coughlin takes the ice with new partner Caydee Denney. He won last year’s event with former partner Caitlin Yankowskas, while Denney is an Olympian with previous partner Jeremy Barrett. And reigning World champions and 2010 Olympic silver medalists Meryl Davis and Charlie White look for their fourth straight National Championship.

NBC will air seven hours of live coverage, including the senior-level competition in the ladies singles, men’s singles and pairs free skate, with two hours in primetime this Saturday. Additionally, the network will air the two-hour Smuckers Skating Spectacular, an exhibition of champions, on Saturday, Feb. 4.

NBC’s Olympic figure skating broadcast team of Tom Hammond (play-by-play), Scott Hamilton (analyst), Sandra Bezic (analyst), Tracy Wilson (analyst) and Andrea Joyce (reporter) will call the action from the HP Pavilion.

COVERAGE ON NBC SPORTS:

  • Saturday, 4-6 p.m. ET – Ladies Short (Tape), Free Dance (Live)
  • Saturday, 9-11 p.m. ET – Ladies Free (Live)
  • Sunday, 3-6 p.m. ET – Pairs Free (Live), Men’s Free (Live)
  • Saturday, Feb. 4, 2-4 p.m. ET – Smuckers Skating Spectacular – U.S. Figure Skating Exhibition

COVERAGE ON UNIVERSAL SPORTS (RE-AIRS OF NBC’S PROGRAMS)

  • Saturday, 7-9 p.m. ET – Ladies Short and Free Dance
  • Saturday, 11 p.m. – 1 a.m. ET – Ladies Free
  • Monday, 8 -11 p.m. ET – Men’s Free and Pairs Free

 

HAMILTON ON WINNING THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: “For any kid skating in the U.S. it is a big deal, a huge deal, for whatever level. Being a national champion is being a champion of your country it is a gigantic honor and accomplishment. For a lot of the skaters, competing here it is an incredible opportunity to secure your place in history.”

HAMILTON ON THE COMPETITION

LADIES: “It seems like the ladies championship is always in transition with different skaters rising to the top. Alissa Czisny has established herself as the woman to beat. It will be interesting to see if she will be able to put her injury at the Grand Prix Final in December, behind her.”

MEN: “Jeremy Abbott had a really rough competition last year, coming in 4th overall, but I think he is the skater to beat this year. There should be a lot of fireworks in the men’s event.”

PAIRS: “There is an interesting story in the pairs competition. Previous champions have retired and their partners have remained. Caydee Denney and John Coughlin are an exciting pair to see, a new pair together, but they are both veterans and U.S. champions with previous partners.”

DANCE: “World champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White are amazing. USA dance has never been stronger ever in its history than it is now.”

NBCUniversal Surrounds Super Bowl XLVI

Features and Segments from NBCUniversal Properties Include CNBC, Golf Channel, Bravo, Telemundo, Access Hollywood, Weather Channel, E!, Style, G4, iVillage

NBC Sports Network to Present More Than 18 Hours of Live Super Bowl Programming including Costas Tonight: Live from the Super Bowl and Daily Editions of NBC SportsTalk: LIVE from the Super Bowl

TODAY Show Segments Live from Indianapolis Start Friday

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to Originate Four Shows from Indianapolis including LIVE Show on Super Bowl Sunday Night

NEW YORK – January 25, 2012 – NBCUniversal will surround its coverage of Super Bowl XLVI with an unprecedented and diverse collection of assets ranging from sports to news to entertainment. It will also utilize Spanish-language programs, kids news services, theme parks and in-flight programming to cover and promote the game.

Coverage of Super Bowl XLVI from Indianapolis on Sunday, February 5 begins at Noon, ET with the Super Bowl XLVI Pre-Game Show.

NBCUNIVERSAL AT THE SUPER BOWL: The following NBCUniversal properties and programs will have live presence in Indianapolis to cover Super Bowl XLVI.

· TODAY Show
· Weekend TODAY
· Late Night with Jimmy Fallon
· E! News
· Access Hollywood
· Bravo’s Top Chef
· CNBC sports-business reporter Darren Rovell
· Weather Channel’s Al Roker, Jim Cantore and Stephanie Abrams
· Style correspondents, Jeannie Mai and Alexa Prisco
· Golf Channel’s Feherty Live
· Telemundo
· NBC SportsTalk
· Scholastic Kids press corps reporter

NBC Sports Network: The recently rebranded NBC Sports Network will be live on site in Indianapolis with more than 18 hours of live coverage including the first ever Costas Tonight: Live from the Super Bowl and daily editions of NBC SportsTalk: LIVE from the Super Bowl.

TODAY Show: America’s No. 1 Morning News Program will kick off Super Bowl weekend with a split show from Indianapolis on Friday with Al Roker and Ann Curry. Natalie Morales and Savannah Guthrie will join TODAY’s coverage on Super Bowl morning.

TODAY with Kathie Lee and Hoda: The fourth hour of the TODAY Show will feature a Super Bowl-themed “Who Knew” segment on Wednesday of Super Bowl week and a Super Bowl kickoff featuring cuisine and chefs from the two Super Bowl cities Friday of Super Bowl weekend.

Weekend TODAY: Jenna Wolfe will report from Indianapolis for Weekend TODAY for Saturday’s coverage.

Late Night with Jimmy Fallon: For the first time in the show’s history, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon will take the show on the road – to Indianapolis – for a total of four shows; including one first-ever LIVE Late Night with Jimmy Fallon show on Sunday night after Super Bowl XLVI.

Weather Channel: Jim Cantore will join NBC’s Super Bowl coverage from Indianapolis, and Wake Up with Al’s Stephanie Abrams and Al Roker will also be on-site reporting the Super Bowl headlines for Weather Channel.

CNBC: Sports business reporter Darren Rovell will do live hits from Indianapolis Thursday-Sunday, and will also tape his NBC Sports Network show, Sports Biz: Game On from Indianapolis on the Friday before the game.

Golf Channel: In anticipation of season two of his critically acclaimed series premiering Feb. 27, David Feherty will host a special Feherty Live stage show from Indianapolis Friday night, which Golf Channel will air as a one-hour special Saturday at 10 p.m. ET. And throughout Super Bowl week, Golf Channel’s popular morning show, Morning Drive, will feature various NFL guests, including former and current players and executives to talk Super Bowl predictions. Friday’s Golf Central show will include look-ins at Feherty’s rehearsals in Indianapolis and promote Sunday’s Super Bowl.

E!: The nation’s premier destination for celebrity and entertainment news will report from Indianapolis Wednesday through Monday with correspondents Catt Sadler and David Burtka.

NewsChannel/Affiliates: NBC’s NewsChannel, which feeds all 235 NBC affiliates nationwide, will have numerous reporters on-site in Indianapolis doing live stand ups for stations and offering technical support for other on-site stations.

Bravo: Top Chef, Bravo’s Emmy-Award winning culinary show, will be on-site in Indianapolis with host Tom Colicchio and two popular former contestants, Richard Blais and Antonia Lofaso, competing to create the perfect tailgate food. Their tailgate preparations and end result will be featured on NBC’s Super Bowl XLVI Pre-Game Show. Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison of Football Night in America will determine the winner.

NBCU Entertainment: Stars of NBC’s primetime line-up will hit the Super Bowl pre-game red carpet with host Nick Cannon. Celebrities from NBC’s new primetime shows include Jessica Simpson (Fashion Star), Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green, Blake Shelton and Carson Daly (The Voice) and Katharine McPhee (Smash).

Access Hollywood: The No. 1 entertainment show will be on-site in Indianapolis with reports on all Super Bowl festivities Tuesday through Monday.

Style: The destination for inspiring lifestyle programming will feature a pre-game Super Bowl party-planning segment with Bill and Giuliana Rancic. Throughout Super Bowl week, the couple will offer party tips on Style and through Style’s twitter handle, @mystylequicktip. The segments will pay off in a Super Bowl Party reveal with Bill and Giuliana during Super Bowl pre-game, a few hours before the game kicks off.

iVillage: the largest content-driven community for women online, will feature VIDEOS and profiles on wives of NFL players on how they achieve family balance with the hectic schedule of the NFL. iVillage will also feature stories on Super Bowl community and philanthropic events throughout the week. The iVillage community will participate with their Super Bowl content through activities and discussions on the iVillage social media pages.

Telemundo/mun2: Stars of Telemundo and mun2 will be in Indianapolis all week, covering all the NFL and Super Bowl activities. Telemundo will air a 1 hour special, Sabor Al Super Bowl XLVI, on Saturday at 2pm EST/PST, 1pm CST, highlighting all activities leading up to the big game and providing expert analysis for the US Hispanic audience.

Universal Parks: Universal Parks and Resorts in Los Angeles and Orlando will help promote NBC’s coverage of Super Bowl XLVI by featuring NBC Sports-produced trailers and video on their CityWalk Astrovision screens throughout Super Bowl week. Super Bowl signage on print billboards and other signage throughout the Parks will also be present.

Universal Pictures: Several movies from Universal Pictures will be promoted during Super Bowl pre-game.

NBC News Scholastic Reporter: Kids press corps reporter Grace Ybarra will be on-site in Indianapolis to report on the youth-themed Super Bowl activities for Scholastic News, a youth-oriented news service and NBC News partner.

G4: The gaming and technology network will air a special Super Bowl-themed segment of the popular show, Gadget Pr0n, which will feature all the best gadgets and technology needed to create the ultimate Super Bowl viewing experience. The episode will air Monday, Jan. 30.

NBC Experience Store: The popular Rockefeller Center destination features a window display promoting NBC’s coverage of Super Bowl XLVI.

American Airlines: NBC’s in-flight programming on American Airlines, which reaches 5 million viewers/month is airing Super Bowl features throughout the month of January.

NBC Out-of-Home Platforms: NBC Sports utilized the promotional platforms of NBC’s out-of-home assets to extend the Super Bowl tune-in message. Super Bowl spots ran on the following screens: taxi cabs, universities, arenas, PATH stations and gas pumps.

NBC Retail Store Screens: NBC Sports-produced Super Bowl promos ran in retail stores including Wal-Mart, Costco and Sam’s Club stores nationwide throughout January. Super Bowl promos were seen on 210,000 screens in 6,400 stores, reaching 600 million viewers.

–SUPER BOWL XLVI–