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Archives for January 2012

NASCAR And Turner Sports Restructure And Extend Digital Partnership Through 2016

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NASCAR And Turner Sports Restructure And Extend

Digital Partnership Through 2016

Sanctioning Body To Operate Its Digital Platforms Starting In 2013;

Turner To Continue Exclusive Advertising Sales

Daytona Beach, Fla. (Jan. 30, 2012) — NASCAR and Turner Sports announced today a restructuring and extension of their long-standing digital partnership. The new agreement takes the relationship through 2016, with NASCAR managing business and editorial operations for its digital platforms beginning in 2013 and Turner Sports continuing to oversee advertising sales and sponsorships across NASCAR-branded digital platforms.

“Turner Sports has been, and will continue to be, a great partner for NASCAR,” said Brian France, chairman and chief executive officer of NASCAR. “Taking a leadership role as it relates to our digital rights is something we as the sanctioning body know is important for the future of our sport, the development of our drivers and most importantly, the experience for both our current fans and future followers.”

“Turner Broadcasting and NASCAR have helped make each other successful for more than 28 years through a working relationship that, over time, has evolved with the media and technology landscape,” said David Levy, president of sales, distribution and sports, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. “The latest extension of our partnership is a strategically and fiscally enhanced business model for our company and ensures that NASCAR.COM remains a core asset of Turner’s leading digital ad sales portfolio.  Our unrivaled sports assets and scale offer advertisers the means to deliver the most targeted and relevant marketing messages across multiple digital and mobile platforms and properties.”

Under the new partnership, NASCAR will assume operational control in 2013 of all of its interactive, digital and social media rights including technical operations and infrastructure of all NASCAR digital platforms. Turner will continue to represent sponsorships and advertising for all NASCAR digital platforms, with the unique users from the NASCAR digital properties continuing to roll up to the Turner digital portfolio.

NASCAR’s comprehensive digital and social media portfolio includes NASCAR.COM, the official online destination of NASCAR which provides racing enthusiasts with an all-inclusive offering of engaging content including fantasy games, video highlights, social elements and in-depth editorial content. NASCAR.COM, and the sport’s other digital and social media platforms, have been managed by Turner Sports since 2001.

“This move is about the media, our sponsors and most importantly, our fans,” said Marc Jenkins, vice president of digital media for NASCAR. “We will build an innovative portfolio of platforms that strives to be as diverse as it is comprehensive. For our fans our digital platform will become the online destination for all things NASCAR. For everyone else, it will be the vehicle we’ll use to turn them into fans.”

About NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, Inc. (NASCAR) is the sanctioning body for one of North America’s premier sports. NASCAR races are broadcast in more than 150 countries and in 20 languages. In the U.S., races are broadcast on FOX, TNT, ABC/ESPN/ESPN2, SPEED and SiriusXM Satellite Radio. NASCAR fans are among the most brand loyal in all of sports, and as a result more Fortune 500 companies participate in NASCAR than any other sport. NASCAR consists of three national series (the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series), four regional series, and one local grassroots series, as well as two international series. Also part of NASCAR is GRAND-AM Road Racing, known for its competition on road courses with multiple classes of cars. NASCAR sanctions more than 1,200 races at 100 tracks in more than 30 U.S. states, Canada and Mexico. Based in Daytona Beach, Fla., NASCAR has offices in eight cities across North America. The next NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the 54th annual Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, will air Feb. 26th on FOX at 1:00 p.m. ET. For more information and a complete schedule, visit www.nascar.com. Follow NASCAR on www.facebook.com/NASCAR or on Twitter: @NASCAR.

About Turner Sports

Turner Sports, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., is an industry leader in televised and online sports programming, airing championship level sporting events on TBS, TNT and truTV, and managing some of the most popular digital sports platforms. Turner Sports’ television line-up includes the NBA, Major League Baseball, the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, NASCAR and professional golf. The company’s digital portfolio includes SI.com, NASCAR.COM, NCAA.com, PGATOUR.COM, GOLF.com and PGA.com, as well as an accompanying collection of mobile websites and connected device apps. Turner Sports and the NBA also jointly manage NBA Digital, which includes NBA TV, NBA.com, NBA LEAGUE PASS, NBA Mobile, the NBA Game Time App, NBADLEAGUE.com and WNBA.com.

 

Notes from TNT’s Coverage of the NBA – Thursday, January 26, 2012

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Notes from TNT’s Coverage of the NBA – Thursday, January 26, 2012

TNT’s NBA coverage continues Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012 at 7 p.m. ET with a special one-hour edition of TNT NBA Tip-off presented by AutoTrader.com. Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith will have the exclusive announcement of the 2012 NBA All-Star starters.

Following the pre-game show, TNT’s doubleheader will feature the Chicago Bulls @ New York Knicks (8 p.m. ET) followed by the Denver Nuggets @ Los Angeles Clippers (10:30 p.m. ET)

**** **** **** ****

TNT NBA Tip-off presented by AutoTrader.com

Ernie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard on Charles Barkley: “[Charles] has always had my back since day one and I appreciate it.”

Barkley on Magic center Dwight Howard and his impact: “Bill Russell is the greatest defensive center ever. Dwight Howard, I’m not going to put him in Bill Russell’s category. [But Howard] is a great defender and great rebounder.”

O’Neal on Dwight Howard and the nickname ‘Superman’: “The good thing about Dwight Howard is he listened and responded. The one thing you have to know about me is that I know what I’m doing.”

**** **** **** ****

Game 1: Boston Celtics (91) @ Orlando Magic (83)

Announcers: Marv Albert (play-by-play) and Mike Fratello (analyst) with Craig Sager (reporter)

Fratello on Orlando forward Glen “Big Baby” Davis: “When it comes to team defense, ‘Big Baby’ Davis is an important part.”

Fratello on potential Eastern Conference playoff matchups: “In the East there are two teams who are clearly a step above the rest – Chicago and Miami. After that, who can’t beat anybody else in the Eastern Conference? If one of those teams [Orlando or Boston] end up with the wrong matchup in the first round [of the playoffs], watch out.”

**** **** **** ****

Halftime

Johnson, O’Neal, Smith and Barkley

Smith on the Boston Celtics’ sloppy first-half play resulting in the Magic holding a 21-point lead: “It’s mental effort that makes the difference, not always shots and rebounds.”

**** **** **** ****

Magic center Dwight Howard on trade rumors: “I’m not going to get traded any time [soon], so just play.”

Fratello on the Celtics’ surge in the second half and the Magic’s demise due to poor shot selection at the end of the 24-second clock: “Those are the shots the Magic have wound up with in the fourth quarter.”

Fratello on the Celtics defensive pressure that helped them close a 27-point deficit and win tonight’s game against the Magic: “You normally don’t see, in a NBA game, pressure take a toll [on a team] the way the Celtics did in the first game of this week [Monday vs. the Clippers] and the second half of tonight’s game.”

**** **** **** ****

Game 2: Memphis Grizzlies (91) @ L.A. Clippers (98)

Announcers: Dick Stockton (play-by-play), Steve Kerr (analyst), Reggie Miller (analyst) with Cheryl Miller (reporter)

Reggie Miller on Memphis Grizzlies Marc Gasol as the second best center in the league: “(Gasol is) much more well-rounded than [Los Angeles Lakers’] Andrew Bynum or [Utah Jazz’s] Al Jefferson. He can rebound, blocks shots, he’s got great hands and he can score.”

Kerr on the throwback uniforms and the night’s retro theme: “I wish some of the guys would’ve busted out the mutton chops and afros for tonight’s game.”

Reggie Miller on the Los Angeles Clippers offensive identity this season: “Eventually, they will be a good half-court team because of CP3 [Chris Paul] and Chauncey Billups. They’ll be an excellent half-court team.”

Kerr on the popularity of the Clippers in Los Angeles: “It’s fun. Let’s face it, the Clippers…they’ve been, probably, the worst franchise in the history of this league. You can’t sugarcoat it – 33 seasons here in L.A. and three winning seasons. Finally, we’re seeing some hope; actually, more than hope. We’re seeing tremendous talent from a team that is on the rise.”

**** **** **** ****

Halftime

Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal and Smith

O’Neal on Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay: “He’s leading his team and playing very well. When big Zach [Randolph] comes back they’re going to be a dangerous team.”

Barkley on Grizzlies forwards Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph: “That’s a really nice combination those two guys. If they can get on the same page, Memphis is a legit contender in the West.”

Smith on the Celtics head coach Doc Rivers: “I would love to play for Doc Rivers because he’s the kind of coach who’s with you in the trenches.”

**** **** **** ****

Kerr on Clippers point guard Chris Paul’s ability to score at the end of a game: “Chris Paul is a world-class game closer.”

TNT’s Cheryl Miller interviewed Clippers point guard Chris Paul following the game.

Chris Paul on what it will take to get to the next level despite blowing a big first-half lead: “We gotta get better defensively.”

**** **** **** ****

Inside the NBA presented by Hyundai

Johnson, Barkley, O’Neal and Smith

Barkley on the Clippers weaknesses: “They aren’t the best team in their own building. Their half-court offense is not very good and I don’t like their bench as far as the ‘bigs’ go. There is such a drop-off [in size] after Blake [Griffin] and DeAndre [Jordan] come out of the game. They get really small.”

O’Neal on the Clippers: “They are a work in progress but they play with a lot of effort and energy. They can win a lot of games with that. Down the stretch, they will become a better half court team as they play more games. I think they are going to be fine.”

Barkley on the Dwight Howard trade rumors: “The Dwight Howard [trade rumors] are not going to go away because the trade deadline is looming [March 15]. [The Magic] are going to have to address that and answer that question every day.”

The TNT studio crew picked their biggest surprise of the season

O’Neal on Magic guard Ryan Anderson: “He’s a great role player and a very consistent shooter. He doesn’t try to do too much, he does what he does and gets the open shot. If I was a general manager, I would sign him up today.”

Smith on the Chicago Bulls: “They’ve had injuries to key players and through that time, they’ve had John Lucas, Jr. and Mike James holding the fort down. When you expect Rose, Noah and Boozer to lead the team, [head coach Tom] Thibodeau has done a great job to get them to say, ‘no excuses, we should still be the best team in the East’ and they are.”

Barkley on the Denver Nuggets and Grizzlies: “The Nuggets are one of the best teams in the West and the Grizzlies have played very well since losing Zach Randolph [to injury]. [Nuggets] head coach George Karl has proven that he is one of the best coaches in the league.”

The TNT studio crew picked their biggest disappointments of the season

Barkley on the level of play in the NBA: “I love basketball but we’ve got some bad basketball teams in the NBA.”

O’Neal on the Washington Wizards: “With all the ability and talent that [guard] John Wall has, he needs to do a better job leading the team. They make a lot of juvenile mistakes. [Forward] Andray Blatche is a good player but he needs to step up his game a little bit. I’m surprised and disappointed that they are the worst team in the league right now.”

Smith on the New York Knicks: “They made a big acquisition with [center] Tyson Chandler and now they have ‘stickum’ on the basketball. They have a lot of guys that hold the basketball. This is not a team I want to watch with [head coach Mike] D’Antoni and the way it’s constructed.”

– 30 –

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

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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–

More Live Shows from Indianapolis & 100+ Hours of Coverage Highlight NFL Network’s Super Bowl XLVI Programming

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LIVE Super Bowl XLVI Media Day Coverage, Super Bowl Live, NFL Total Access at the Super Bowl & 8 ½-Hour NFL GameDay Morning on Super Bowl Sunday

30 On-Air Personalities with Combined 18 Super Bowl Rings Anchor LIVE Coverage from Indianapolis

Super Bowl Champion Packers CB Charles Woodson, Bengals Head Coach Marvin Lewis, Former Head Coach Jack Del Rio Headline List of Special Guests

Saturday Night Specials – Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2012 Announcement & Debut of Super Bowl Saturday Night – NFL Honors Red Carpet Show Exclusively on NFL Network

Super Bowl XLII & Giants-Patriots Week 9 Game Re-Aired in their Entirety

On the NFL’s biggest stage, NFL Network – the only network dedicated entirely to the sport of football – delivers comprehensive, wall-to-wall coverage of Super Bowl week from Indianapolis. With more than 100 hours of programming featuring 30 on-air personalities with a combined 18 Super Bowl rings, NFL Network is the go-to destination for expert analysis, the latest news and reports, special guest appearances, matchup-related programming and features, and more leading up to Super Bowl XLVI.

Beginning Monday, January 30, NFL Network kicks off from Indianapolis with more than 60 live hours of Super Bowl programming. From live telecasts of original shows such as NFL Total Access at the Super Bowl, Super Bowl Live, NFL GameDay Morning, NFL GameDay Final and The Coaches Show, on-location editions of No Huddle, Playbook and The Rich Eisen Podcast, Super Bowl features and expansive Giants-Patriots-related programming, NFL Network provides all-encompassing inside access to everything inside and outside of Super Bowl XLVI.

“Our fans want more football coverage, analysis and information during Super Bowl week,” said Mark Quenzel, NFL Network senior vice president for production and programming. “Each year we raise the bar with our coverage of the biggest event of the year. We have more Super Bowl rings than ever before, more live Super Bowl shows than ever before and more than 100 hours of programming, including a new Super Bowl Saturday Night Special. We will deliver everything the fans want leading up to when the Giants and Patriots take the field for Super Bowl XLVI.”

On Super Bowl Sunday, February 5 at 9:00 AM ET, NFL Network is LIVE from Lucas Oil Stadium with an 8 ½-hour edition of NFL GameDay Morning – the longest and most comprehensive pregame show on television. Host Rich Eisen and analysts Steve Mariucci, Marshall Faulk, Kurt Warner, Warren Sapp and Michael Irvin are joined by a team of reporters and guest analysts to preview the matchup between the New York Giants and New England Patriots, provide the latest news reports and injury updates, pregame interviews with coaches and special guests, and more. Additionally, Super Bowl champion and 2009 AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year Charles Woodson of the Green Bay Packers joins to offer his insight and analysis.

This year, NFL Network’s Super Bowl coverage features more LIVE on-location shows in the network’s history. New this year is Super Bowl Saturday Night, the one-hour red carpet show hosted by Rich Eisen and Melissa Stark on Saturday, February 5 at 8:00 PM ET, leading up to the inaugural NFL Honors awards show. Additional live shows include the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2012 Announcement on Saturday, February 5 at 5:30 PM ET, The Coaches Show Monday through Friday at 6:30 PM ET, and daily Super Bowl Live and NFL Total Access at the Super Bowl news and information shows.

Anchoring the live Super Bowl programming is an all-star talent roster of 30 on-air personalities who collectively hold 18 Super Bowl rings, 42 Pro Bowl nods and multiple Emmy award nominations. Among the NFL Network roster of talent on-hand in Indianapolis is former three-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots Willie McGinest and former New England fullback Heath Evans. Additionally, former Super Bowl champions Deion Sanders, Joe Theismann, Daryl Johnston and Brian Billick offer their experiences participating in the Super Bowl.

Analysts Mike Mayock, Jamie Dukes, Sterling Sharpe, Jay Glazer and Brian Baldinger provide further analysis, while reporters Michael Lombardi, Jason La Canfora, Albert Breer, Steve Wyche, Melissa Stark, Lindsay Soto, Stacey Dales, Steve Cyphers have the city of Indianapolis covered with reports from both team hotels, the Super Bowl Media Center, NFL Experience and additional locations.

Tuesday, January 31 is Super Bowl Media Day at Lucas Oil Stadium and NFL Network brings viewers exclusive live coverage from 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM ET as the New York Giants and New England Patriots face the media. Host Rich Eisen is joined by Marshall Faulk and Warren Sapp at the desk, while Deion Sanders and Lindsay Soto roam the scene, providing interviews with players and coaches. Between the Giants and Patriots media sessions, host Scott Hanson and analysts Willie McGinest and Jay Glazer offer further analysis and reflect on their own experiences participating in Media Day.

New this year, Eisen takes his wildly popular The Rich Eisen Podcast on the road for a special Super Bowl television edition on Thursday, February 2 at 12 Midnight ET. Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, who will call Super Bowl XLVI on NBC, will be on the podcast along with other guests from the NFL and the world of entertainment.

NFL Network presents full game re-airs of the Giants’ victory over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII on Tuesday, January 31 at 8:00 PM ET and the teams’ Week 9 meeting this season on Wednesday, February 1 at 8:00 PM ET. Additionally, on Friday, February 3, NFL Network re-airs the NFL Films-produced documentaries Brady 6 at 8:00 PM ET and both parts of the critically acclaimed Bill Belichick: A Football Life at 9:00 PM ET.

For the first time, NFL.com is live at the Super Bowl with NFL.com Live at Super Bowl XLVI. Host Dave Dameshek is joined by Adam Rank, Elliot Harrison and Jason Smith live from Radio Row Wednesday through Friday from 1:00 – 4:00 PM ET, providing analysis of the upcoming matchup and interviews with special guests such as New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III, actor Adam Sandler and more.

2012 marks NFL Network’s ninth year broadcasting live from the Super Bowl site and with each passing year, the only network dedicated to football continues to raise the bar in providing football fans with the comprehensive, round-the-clock coverage they crave. With NFL Network programming and content available on television and via Verizon mobile devices, football fans are only a click away from all the action in Indianapolis with reports and interviews on NFL.com, and NFL Media personalities will also be sharing Super Bowl week from their unique perspective on Twitter.

Highlights of NFL Network’s Super Bowl XLVI programming will include:

 

  • Monday, January 30 through Saturday, February 5 at 7:00 PM ET, NFL Total Access at the Super Bowl recaps the day’s action, provides the latest news reports, features on-air appearances by special guests and breaks down the key matchups leading up to kickoff of Super Bowl XLVI. Hosts Andrew Siciliano and Kara Henderson anchor the show from the NFL Experience.
  • Super Bowl Live airs Monday, January 30 from 2:00 – 7:00 PM ET, Wednesday, February 1 & Thursday, February 2 from 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM ET, and Friday, February 3 from 8:30 AM – 6:00 PM ET from the NFL Experience and Super Bowl Media Center with up-to-the-minute reports, analysis and interviews.
  • Super Bowl Saturday Night, one-hour red-carpet show on Saturday, February 4 at 8:00 PM ET leading up to the inaugural NFL Honors awards show on NBC. Rich Eisen and Melissa Stark report from the red carpet at the Murat Theater.
  • Live 8 ½-hour NFL GameDay Morning pregame show beginning at 9:00 AM ET on Super Bowl Sunday from Lucas Oil Stadium and the pregame tailgate at NFL Experience. The longest pregame show on television also includes live reports from both team hotels and Super Bowl Village.
  • 90 minutes of NFL GameDay Final post-Super Bowl coverage live from Lucas Oil Stadium, featuring postgame analysis, interviews with players and coaches, and players from the winning team on-set.
  • Four-and-a-half hours of exclusive live coverage from Super Bowl Media Day at Lucas Oil Stadium Tuesday, January 31, beginning at 9:00 AM ET.
  • NFL-related press conferences live, including team arrivals, player availability, AFC & NFC head coach press conferences (Friday, February 3), Madonna Super Bowl halftime entertainment press conference Thursday, Feb. 2 at 2:00 PM ET, Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year press conference Friday, Feb. 3 at 9:00 AM ET, Don Shula Coach of the Year press conference Friday, Feb. 3 at 9:15 AM ET and Commissioner Goodell’s Super Bowl press conference Friday, Feb. 3 at 11:30 PM ET.
  • Rich Eisen takes his wildly popular The Rich Eisen Podcast on road to Indianapolis with a special on-location television edition on Thursday, February 2 at 12 Midnight ET. Guests include Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, who will call Super Bowl XLVI on NBC.
  • Super Bowl champions Michael Irvin, Deion Sanders, Warren Sapp and Willie McGinest discuss and debate all of the hot topics leading up to the big game in front of a live-audience on No Huddle Thursday, February 2 at 10:00 PM ET.
  • Four episodes of The Coaches Show Tuesday, January 31 through Friday, February 3 at 6:30 PM ET LIVE from the NFL Media Center featuring Brian Billick, Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis (Tuesday & Wednesday) and former Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Jack Del Rio (Thursday & Friday).
  • Three episodes of Playbook from the NFL Experience in Indianapolis on Wednesday, February 1 through Friday, February 3 at 6:00 PM ET with Sterling Sharpe, Brian Baldinger, and Joe Theismann providing X-O analysis on the game plan using all-22 game film and insight straight from the players.
  • Exclusive Pro Football Hall of Fame Announcement Show in primetime, Saturday, February 4 at 5:30 PM ET.
  • On Tuesday, January 31, re-live two classic Super Bowls with a complete game re-air of Super Bowl XLII between the Giants and Patriots at 8:00 PM ET & complete game re-air of Super Bowl XXXVI between the Patriots and St. Louis Rams at 12 Midnight ET.
  • The Giants’ Week 9 victory over the Patriots airs in its entirety Wednesday, February 1 at 8:00 PM ET.
  • On Wednesday, February 1 at 12 Midnight ET, The NFL Season: A Biography concludes with a one-hour edition, followed by Sound FX: Best of the 2011 Season.
  • Re-live the previous 45 Super Bowls on Saturday, February 4 at 10:00 PM ET on Sound FX: Super Bowls I-XLV, featuring the best on-field sights and sounds from every game.
  • Live coverage from AFC team and NFC team hotels, including the Patriots’ arrival on Sunday, January 29 and the Giants’ arrival on Monday, January 30.
  • On Friday, February 3, NFL Network re-airs the NFL Films-produced documentaries Brady 6 at 8:00 PM ET and both parts of the critically acclaimed Bill Belichick: A Football Life at 9:00 PM ET.

Guest scheduled to appear on NFL Network:

  • Tuesday, Jan. 31 – Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis on The Coaches Show
  • Wednesday, Feb. 1 – Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis on The Coaches Show
  • Thursday, Feb. 2 – Former head coach Jack Del Rio on The Coaches Show
  • Friday, Feb. 3 – Former head coach Jack Del Rio on The Coaches Show
  • Sunday, Feb. 5  – Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers cornerback Charles Woodson as special Guest analyst on NFL GameDay Morning

***More Guests Announced During Super Bowl Week

NFL Network & NFL.com Super Bowl Talent

                                                           

                                                                                                                                                                            Twitter handle

Brian Billick Analyst @CoachBillick 1 Super Bowl ring
Heath Evans Analyst @heathevans 1 Super Bowl ring
Marshall Faulk Analyst @marshallfaulk 1 Super Bowl ring
Michael Irvin Analyst 3 Super Bowl ring
Daryl Johnston Analyst @DarylJohnston 3 Super Bowl rings
Michael Lombardi Analyst @michaelombardi 1 Super Bowl rings
Willie McGinest Analyst @WillieMcGinest 3 Super Bowl rings
Deion Sanders Analyst @DeionSanders 2 Super Bowl ring
Warren Sapp Analyst @QBKilla 1 Super Bowl ring
Joe Theismann Analyst @Theismann7 1 Super Bowl ring
Kurt Warner Analyst @kurt13warner 1 Super Bowl ring
Brian Baldinger Analyst
Albert Breer Reporter @AlbertBreer
Fran Charles Host @fran_charles
Steve Cyphers Reporter
Stacey Dales Reporter @StaceyDales
Jamie Dukes Analyst @jamiedukes
Rich Eisen Host @richeisen
Alex Flanagan Host @Aflanny
Jay Glazer Analyst @Jay_Glazer
Scott Hanson Reporter @hansonscott
Kara Henderson Host @KaraHenderson
Jason La Canfora Reporter @JasonLaCanfora
Steve Mariucci Analyst @SteveMariucci
Mike Mayock Analyst
Sterling Sharpe Analyst
Andrew Siciliano Host  @AndrewSiciliano
Lindsay Soto Host @lindsaysoto
Melissa Stark Reporter
Steve Wyche Reporter @wyche89

Detailed Day-by-Day Coverage (all times ET):

Monday, January 30

8:00 AM – Game of the Week: New England Patriots vs. Carolina Panthers – Super Bowl XXXVIII

9:00 AM – Game of the Week: New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles – Super Bowl XXXIX

10:00 AM – America’s Game: 1986 New York Giants

11:00 AM – America’s Game: 1990 New York Giants

12 NOON – America’s Game: 2001 New England Patriots

1:00 PM – America’s Game: 2004 New England Patriots

2:00 PM – Super Bowl Live – LIVE

  • New York Giants team arrival
  • Team availability (3:30 PM ET)
  • Team availability (4:30 PM ET)

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access at the Super Bowl – LIVE from NFL Experience

8:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Super Bowls

9:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Teams That Didn’t Win the Super Bowl

10:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Players to Never Have Played in a Super Bowl

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access at the Super Bowl

12 MIDNIGHT – Super Bowl Classic: New York Giants vs. Buffalo Bills – Super Bowl XXI

3:00 AM – America’s Game: 1990 New York Giants

Tuesday, January 31

9:00 AM – Super Bowl Live: Media Day – LIVE from Lucas Oil Stadium

9:30 AM – Super Bowl XLVI Media Day: New England Patriots availability – LIVE

11:00 AM – Super Bowl Live: Media Day – LIVE from Lucas Oil Stadium

12 NOON – Super Bowl XLV Media Day: New York Giants availability – LIVE

1:30 PM – Super Bowl XLV Media Day: New England Patriots availability – ENCORE

3:00 PM – Super Bowl Live: Media Day – ENCORE

4:00 PM – Super Bowl XLV Media Day: New York Giants availability – ENCORE

5:30 PM – America’s Game: 2007 New York Giants

6:30 PM – The Coaches Show – LIVE

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access at the Super Bowl – LIVE from NFL Experience

8:00 PM – Super Bowl Classic: New York Giants vs. New England Patriots – Super Bowl XLII

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access at the Super Bowl

12 MIDNIGHT – Super Bowl Classic: New England Patriots vs. St. Louis Rams – Super Bowl XXXVI

3:00 AM – America’s Game: 2001 New England Patriots

 

 

Wednesday, February 1

8:00 AM – NFL Total Access at the Super Bowl – LIVE coverage of New England Patriots & New York Giants team availability

11:00 AM – Super Bowl Live – LIVE from NFL Experience & Super Bowl Media Center

  • FedEx Player of the Year announcement

6:00 PM – Playbook

6:30 PM – The Coaches Show – LIVE

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access the Super Bowl – LIVE from NFL Experience

8:00 PM – Full Game Re-Air: New York Giants vs. New England Patriots – Week 9, 2011

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access at the Super Bowl

12 MIDNIGHT – The NFL Season

1:00 AM – Sound FX: Best of 2011 Season

2:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Biggest Upsets

3:00 AM – Playbook

3:30 AM – Sound FX: Bill Belichick

 

 

Thursday, February 2

8:00 AM – NFL Total Access at the Super Bowl – LIVE coverage of New England Patriots & New York Giants team availability

11:00 AM – Super Bowl Live – LIVE from Super Bowl Media Center

  • Madonna press conference

6:00 PM – Playbook

6:30 PM – The Coaches Show – LIVE

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access at the Super Bowl – LIVE from NFL Experience

8:00 PM – Super Bowl Commercials

9:00 PM – Game of the Week: New England Patriots at New York Giants – Week 17, 2007

10:00 PM – No Huddle

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access at the Super Bowl

12 MIDNIGHT – The Rich Eisen Podcast

12:30 AM – Sound FX: 2011 New England Patriots

1:00 AM – NFL’s Top 10: Super Bowl Performances

2:00 AM – No Huddle

3:00 AM – Playbook

3:30 AM – Sound FX: Michael Strahan

Friday, February 3

8:00 AM – The Rich Eisen Podcast

8:30 AM – Super Bowl Live – LIVE coverage of Super Bowl press conferences

  • New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick press conference
  • NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year press conference
  • NFL Don Shula Coach of the Year press conference
  • New York Giants head coach Tom Coughlin press conference
  • NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell press conference

12:30 PM – Super Bowl Live – LIVE from Super Bowl Media Center

6:00 PM – Playbook

6:30 PM – The Coaches Show – LIVE

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access at the Super Bowl – LIVE from NFL Experience

8:00 PM – Brady 6

9:00 PM – Bill Belichick: A Football Life – Part I

10:00 PM – Bill Belichick: A Football Life – Part II

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access at the Super Bowl

12 MIDNIGHT – Super Bowl Classic: New York Giants vs. New England Patriots – Super Bowl XLII

3:00 AM – Playbook

3:30 AM – The Rich Eisen Podcast

Saturday, February 4

7:00 AM – No Huddle

8:00 AM – Bill Parcells: A Life in Football

9:30 AM – Sound FX: 2011 New England Patriots

10:00 AM – Brady 6

11:00 AM – Playbook

12 NOON – Super Bowl Commercials

1:00 PM – NFL’s Top 10: Super Bowls

2:00 PM – Super Bowl XLII: New York Giants vs. New England Patriots

2:30 PM – NFL Replay: New York Giants at New England Patriots – Week 9, 2011

5:00 PM – Super Bowl Live – LIVE from Super Bowl Media Center

5:30 PM – Hall of Fame Announcement Show: Class of 2012 – LIVE from Super Bowl Media Center

7:00 PM – NFL Total Access at the Super Bowl – LIVE from NFL Experience

8:00 PM – Super Bowl Saturday Night – LIVE from Murat Theater

9:00 PM – Playbook

10:00 PM – Sound FX: Super Bowls I-XLV

11:00 PM – NFL Total Access at the Super Bowl

12 MIDNIGHT – NFL Honors

2:00 AM – Full Game Re-Air: New York Giants at New England Patriots – Week 9, 2011

 

 

Sunday, February 5

9:00 AM – NFL GameDay Morning – LIVE from Lucas Oil Stadium

5:30 PM – NFL Follies: The New Year Mis-Tackular

6:30 PM – NFL GameDay StatZone

10:00 PM – NFL GameDay Final – LIVE split edition from Lucas Oil Stadium and NFL Network Los Angeles studios

NFL Network is the official television home for Super Bowl week, with more than 100 hours of high definition programming from Indianapolis, including press conferences, media day, team arrivals and much more with a live presence at the NFL Experience, Super Bowl Media Center, team hotels and Lucas Oil Stadium. NFL Network is the only network dedicated entirely to NFL news, interviews and analysis airing seven days a week, 24 hours a day on a year-round basis. For more information, log onto www.nfl.com/nflnetwork. NFL.com is the exclusive internet home of NFL Network.

– NFL Network –

ESPN at Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis

By

ESPN at Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis

110+ Hours of Television and Radio Programming

25+ On-air Commentators with 19 Super Bowl Rings

30th Super Bowl for Host Chris Berman

ESPN’s live coverage leading up to Super Bowl XLVI begins Monday, Jan. 30, at 6 a.m. ET from Pan American Plaza in Indianapolis and continues through Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 5, when the New England Patriots face the New York Giants at Lucas Oil Stadium. Highlights:

  • More than 110 hours of television and radio programming;
  • More than 25 on-air commentators (hosts, analysts, reporters and contributors) on site in Indianapolis – in all, an analyst team of former players and coaches with a combined 19 Super Bowl rings in 29 appearances in the NFL’s biggest game;
  • Content across 18 ESPN platforms: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Classic, ESPN HD, ESPN2 HD, ESPNEWS HD, ESPN Deportes HD, ESPN International, ESPN.com, ESPN Radio, ESPNRadio.com, ESPN Deportes Radio, ESPNdeportes.com, ESPN The Magazine, WatchESPN, and ESPN Mobile properties; and
  • Super Bowl XLVI aired live in more than 68 million households in 162 countries and territories via ESPN International.

All shows originating from Pan Am Plaza will be available for free public viewing. The on-site operation includes:

§  A 62-by-40-foot outdoor set, enclosed in glass and overlooking Lucas Oil Stadium;

§  A 24-by-48-foot demo field;

§  Aerial views via a “flycam” that spans 300 feet and is suspended 30 feet in the air;

§  Two 16-by-9-foot LED screens for fan viewing of ESPN’s on-site programs; and

§  Two pod camera locations at Pan Am Plaza that showcase the downtown skyline, Union Station and the stadium.

New in 2012:

  • Themed SportsCenter Specials (M-F, 3-4 p.m., ESPN): Host Steve Levy and NFL Insiders John Clayton, Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter discuss the latest league news Monday and Tuesday; Mike Tirico, Trent Dilfer and Merril Hoge discuss safety and head injuries Wednesday; the Monday Night Football team of Tirico, Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski preview the Super Bowl matchup Thursday; and, on Friday, ESPN’s Super Bowl champion analysts – Tedy Bruschi, Dilfer, Mike Ditka, Gruden, Keyshawn Johnson, Jerry Rice, Mark Schlereth and Steve Young – talk with Tirico about playing in the NFL’s title game.
  • SC Special: NFL Face to Face with Hannah Storm (Tues., Jan. 31 at 9 p.m., ESPN2): ESPN’s Hannah Storm conducts one-on-one interviews in this one-hour special with some of the NFL season’s biggest newsmakers: Packers quarterback Aaron Rogers, Panthers rookie quarterback Cam Newton, Lions defensive lineman Ndamukong Suh, and Colts owner Jim Irsay. Full release.
  • Bill Parcells’ Super Bowl Confidential (Wed., Feb. 1, 7 p.m., ESPN): Two-time Super Bowl-winning coach Bill Parcells discusses all facets of the Super Bowl with Tirico, drawing upon his more than 30 years of experience, including leading both the Giants (1986 and 1990) and Patriots (1996) to the Super Bowl, and his relationships with this year’s head coaches, Tom Coughlin and Bill Belichick, both of whom he mentored when they served as assistant coaches on his teams.
  • NFL32 (M-F, 6 p.m., ESPN2), which debuted in September, is a social media-driven NFL discussion show featuring host Suzy Kolber, NFL Insider Mortensen and a rotating cast of ESPN analysts and guests while engaging with fans via Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
  • NFL Kickoff (Friday, 7-9 p.m., ESPN2) with host Trey Wingo, and NFL analysts Bruschi and Schlereth. The show will cover team news, strategies, and injuries.
  • NFL Live expanded to one hour this year (previously 30 minutes) and will air daily from Indianapolis during Super Bowl week with host Wingo, and a rotating cast of ESPN NFL analysts (M-F, 4-5 p.m., ESPN).
  • SportsNation (M-F, 5-6 p.m., ESPN2) will originate from ESPN’s demo field with hosts Michelle Beadle and Colin Cowherd. Two acts that will be part of the show all week: the Blue Monkey Sideshow carnival act for SN’s ‘Halftime Show’ and Indy’s own “The Twin Cats” will be the show’s official house band.
Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 5

 

  • A special Sunday 6-10 a.m. edition of Mike & Mike from ESPN’s Bristol, Conn., studios can be heard and/or watched on ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN2 (6-9 a.m.) and ESPNEWS (9-10 a.m.). The show will provide a comprehensive live game-day preview of the Super Bowl in addition to Mike & Mike’s best interviews from Super Bowl week in Indianapolis.
  • Mike Tirico will host SportsCenter from Lucas Oil Stadium the morning of the Super Bowl (9-10 a.m., ESPN) with analysts Merril Hoge, Jon Gruden and Ron Jaworski.
  • Covering his 30th Super Bowl, Chris Berman will host the special four-hour Super Bowl edition of Sunday NFL Countdown (10 a.m.–2 p.m.) from Pan Am Plaza with analysts Cris Carter, Mike Ditka, Tom Jackson, and Keyshawn Johnson. The Monday Night Football team of Tirico, Gruden and Jaworski will join the crew from Lucas Oil Stadium, with Super Bowl champions Tedy Bruschi, Trent Dilfer, Jerry Rice and Steve Young. NFL Insiders Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter will also contribute reports.
  • Reporters Rachel Nichols (covering the Giants) and Ed Werder (Patriots) will provide team updates.
  • Postgame coverage on ESPN includes Berman, Jackson and Young on NFL Primetime (10:30-11:30 p.m.), followed by Stuart Scott, Steve Levy, Carter, Dilfer, and Johnson on SportsCenter (11:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m.).

 

ESPN Programming

Throughout Super Bowl week, a host of ESPN studio shows will originate from Pan Am Plaza in Indianapolis. The schedule:

Date Time (ET) Show Network
Mon, Jan. 30 – Thurs, Feb. 2 6-10 a.m. Mike & Mike in the Morning ESPN Radio/ESPN2
  9 a.m.-2 p.m. SportsCenter AM ESPN
  10 a.m.-1 p.m. The Herd with Colin Cowherd ESPN Radio/ESPNEWS
  1-4 p.m. Scott Van Pelt Show ESPN Radio/ESPNEWS
  3-4 p.m. SportsCenter Special ESPN
  4-5 p.m. NFL Live ESPN
  5-6 p.m. SportsNation ESPN2
  5-6 p.m. SportsCenter ESPN
  6-7 p.m. NFL 32 ESPN2
  8-9 p.m. ESPN International coverage
  9-10 p.m. SportsCenter ESPN
Fri, Feb. 3 6-10 a.m. Mike & Mike in the Morning ESPN Radio/ESPN2
  9 a.m.-2 p.m. SportsCenter AM ESPN
  10 a.m.-1 p.m. The Herd with Colin Cowherd ESPN Radio/ESPNEWS
  1-2 p.m. NFL Semanal ESPN Deportes
  1-4 p.m. Scott Van Pelt Show ESPN Radio/ESPNEWS
  3-4 p.m. SportsCenter Special ESPN
  4-5 p.m. NFL Live ESPN
  5-6 p.m. SportsNation ESPN2
  5-6 p.m. SportsCenter ESPN
  6-7 p.m. NFL 32 ESPN2
  7-9 p.m. NFL Kickoff ESPN2
  10-11 p.m. SportsCenter ESPN
Sat, Feb. 4 10-11 a.m. SportsCenter ESPN
  1-2:30 p.m. ESPN International coverage
  6-7 p.m. SportsCenter ESPN
Sun, Feb. 5 9-10 a.m. SportsCenter ESPN
  10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sunday NFL Countdown ESPN
  10:30-11:30 p.m. NFL Primetime ESPN
  11:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. SportsCenter ESPN

Note: Interview segments for First Take, Around the Horn, Pardon the Interruption and other ESPN programs will also originate from Indianapolis.

ESPN Radio

ESPN Radio will air more than 50 hours of live programming from Indianapolis prior to Super Bowl XLVI.

Super Bowl Week: Monday, Jan. 30-Friday, Feb. 3

ESPN Radio’s weekday Mike & Mike in the Morning (6-10 a.m.), The Herd with Colin Cowherd (10 a.m.-1 p.m.), The Scott Van Pelt Show (1-4 p.m.), and co-host Mark Schlereth’s half of Hill & Schlereth (7-10 p.m.), co-hosted by Mike Hill in Bristol, will originate from Indianapolis during Super Bowl week.

Mike & Mike with co-hosts Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic, and The Herd with Cowherd, will be open for public viewing at ESPN’s main set in Pan Am Plaza, surrounded by the NFL Super Bowl Village events. Van Pelt, with Ryen Russillo, and Schlereth, will broadcast their shows from the adjacent Pan Am Building. Mike & Mike is simulcast on ESPN2, while The Herd and Van Pelt are simulcast on ESPNEWS. All shows are streamed live on ESPN.com and available via ESPN Podcast.

Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 5:

A special Sunday 6-10 a.m. edition of Mike & Mike from ESPN’s Bristol, Conn., studios can be heard and/or watched on ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, ESPN2 (6-9 a.m.) and ESPNEWS (9-10 a.m.). The show will provide a comprehensive live game-day preview of the Super Bowl in addition to Mike & Mike’s best interviews from Super Bowl week in Indianapolis.

ESPNRadio.com will carry ESPN Radio programming live.

 

ESPN.com

ESPN.com will provide complete reporting and analysis of the game, teams, players, coaches and the entire Super Bowl scene from Indianapolis on Page 1 and the main NFL page, as well as on the 2012 edition of Super Bowl Central. ESPN.com will also present chats with ESPN.com writers and others, as well as video reports throughout the week.

ESPN’s roster of journalists will be on hand, including senior NFL writer John Clayton, as well as Adam Schefter, Ashley Fox, Elizabeth Merrill, the NFL Blog Network and Scouts Inc. They will provide insight, commentary, breaking news and analysis of all facets of the Super Bowl XLVI matchup. Other highlights:

  • NFL Any Era team: ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine put together a 20-member panel of Pro Football Hall of Famers to select an NFL Any Era team — current players who the stars of yesterday most admire for their toughness, grit and skill. ESPN.com will reveal four players a day, culminating with the final four on Friday, Jan. 27. The presentation includes a video roundtable with Hall of Famers Mike Ditka, John Randle and James Lofton, as well as a video interview with the No. 1 player;
  • Interactive presentation Inside a Moment in Time takes readers inside John Elway’s famous “Helicopter Run” in Super Bowl XXXII against the Packers. The presentation has video interviews with Elway, Rod Smith, Eugene Robinson and more;
  • Road to Indy blog: reports from ESPN.com’s blog network;
  • Complete coverage of Media Day, where users can interact with bloggers on the scene;
  • Super Bowl rings presentation highlighting one player from each of the 45 teams who have earned Super Bowl rings; and
  • In-depth analysis, scouting reports and rankings of all 106 players on the Super Bowl rosters from Scouts Inc.

ESPN Mobile will provide fans on-the-go with alerts, updates and news throughout the game. Additionally, fans can access the latest action through the ESPN mobile Web site and up-to-the-minute scores via the ESPN ScoreCenter mobile app.

ESPN International

ESPN International will air Super Bowl XLVI live to more than 68 million households in 162 countries and territories throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, Brazil, Africa, the Middle East, Israel, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Pacific Rim, and much of Europe. Commentary and analysis will be provided in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish. Highlights:

  • The game will be seen in HD in Australia, Latin America, Brazil and the Caribbean;
  • ESPN International’s SportsCenter production team will report throughout the week to Latin America and throughout the Pacific Rim;
  • ESPN Latin America will also air daily editions of NFL Semanal;
  • ESPN Brazil will air live the pre-game Abre o Jogo Super Bowl XLVI directly from Lucas Oil Stadium, along with a dedicated live Twittcam @espnagora behind the scenes and commentary from on-air duo Everaldo Marques and Paulo Antunes;
  • Live coverage on Super Bowl Sunday in Latin America will begin at 3 p.m. with an extended pregame: NFL Esta Noche: Previo Super Bowl XLVI EN VIVO, followed by the telecast of Super Bowl XLVI at 6 p.m.; and
  • Spanish-language Emmy nominee and play-by-play announcer Álvaro Martín, analyst and former New York Giants Super Bowl-winning kicker  Raúl Allegre, NFL Esta Noche hosts Eduardo Varela and Pablo Viruega, and reporters John Sutcliffe, Goga Ruiz and Ciro Procuna will report daily on Spanish-language editions of SportsCenter, Radio Formula, Nacion ESPN and Los Capitanes.

ESPN DEPORTES

ESPN Deportes will offer the most comprehensive coverage of Super Bowl XLVI on Spanish-language television in the U.S. The network will have a team of reporters and commentators in Indianapolis all week for nightly segments on SportsCenter and live feeds during Los Capitanes and Nación ESPN. Additionally, ESPN’s signature Spanish-language NFL news and analysis program, NFL Esta Noche, will air a special Saturday edition from Indianapolis with hosts Allegre, Martín, Procuna and Sutcliffe.

ESPN Deportes Radio, the only around-the-clock national Spanish-language sports radio network in the U.S., will provide Super Bowl reporting beginning Sunday, January 29. It will be heard during the regularly scheduled weekday programs ESPN Al Despertar, Zona ESPN and two special editions of the NFL show El Ultimo Pase.

ESPNdeportes.com, the Spanish-language Web site, will provide complete reporting and highlights from Indianapolis all week, including daily Cover It Live chats with ESPN Deportes’ on-site commentators, including Álvaro Martin, Raúl Allegre, Lalo Varela, Ciro Procuna and John Sutcliffe.

Spanish-language fans can also follow the action via social media on the network’s Facebook and Twitter pages.  Extensive coverage of Super Bowl week will also include fan polls, blogs, video reports, chats and exclusive video.

ESPN The Magazine

ESPN The Magazine is hosting its eighth annual NEXT EVENT on Friday, February 3, in Indianapolis to celebrate its annual NEXT issue, which recognizes an elite group of emerging athletes to watch in the year ahead. The Magazine will take over 40,000 square feet of a warehouse a few short miles from downtown Indy and convert the space into the most anticipated Super Bowl celebration of the weekend. The event includes a 40-foot “red carpet” entrance and a tailored social media studio featuring ESPN NFL analyst Marcellus Wiley and Numbers Never Lie host Charissa Thompson, as well as on-site sponsorship activations.

The Magazine’s NEXT Event will feature a live special performance by multi-platinum, Grammy-nominated artist DRAKE with music by DJ D-Nice in addition to athletes, musicians, VIPs and celebrities. The invite-only party will showcase what’s NEXT in sports, technology, lifestyle and, of course, what’s NEXT from ESPN. ESPN The Magazine’s NEXT Event sponsors include: Bud Light, Dunkin’ Donuts, Ford, Kaspersky Labs, LG, Makers Mark, Old Spice, Powerade, Snickers, Van Heusen Institute of Style, and Vicks Dayquil/Nyquil.

 

espnW

Kate Fagan will report daily from the Super Bowl for espnW.com starting Monday, Jan. 30. She will cover a variety of topics including Media Day and will preview Madonna’s much anticipated halftime show.

*All times ET unless otherwise noted.

– 30 –

Bill Polian Signs On With SiriusXM NFL Radio

By

Former Indianapolis Colts Vice Chairman and six-time “Executive of the Year”

makes his broadcast debut January 30

NEW YORK – January 27, 2012 – Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI) announced today that former Indianapolis Colts Vice Chairman Bill Polian has joined SiriusXM NFL Radio, the only radio channel dedicated to the NFL 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Polian will make his debut on Monday, January 30, on Late Hits (8:00 – 11:00 pm ET). He’ll host the show again on Wednesday, February 1, and Friday, February 3, and will be heard regularly on the channel throughout the year. SiriusXM NFL Radio is available to listeners nationwide on channel 88 on Sirius and XM Premier (formerly known as “The Best of Sirius”).

“I’ve been a guest on SiriusXM NFL Radio many times and it is an outstanding source for league news and information,” said Polian. “Now I get to be the one asking the questions. I’m excited to get on the air to talk shop with players, executives and coaches around the league and interact daily with many of the great fans who have helped make the NFL the most successful sports league in the world.”

“Bill Polian is one of the most respected front office executives the NFL has had and we’re thrilled to have him join our All-Star team of SiriusXM NFL Radio analysts,” said Steve Cohen, SiriusXM’s SVP of Sports Programming. “When it comes to evaluating talent, breaking down a draft class, assessing rosters and other matters that are critical to the success of an NFL team, there’s nobody better. Our listeners will learn a great deal from him when he’s on our airwaves.”

Polian built a reputation throughout his front office career as a superb talent evaluator and executive. He served as President and Vice Chairman of the Indianapolis Colts from 1997 through 2011, overseeing all football and administrative aspects of the club and guiding the franchise through an extraordinary period of success. Under Polian’s direction, the Colts selected quarterback Peyton Manning with the #1 pick in the 1998 NFL Draft. Manning went on to become a four-time league MVP, leading a long list of players signed by Polian who went on to become stars including Dwight Freeney, Dallas Clark, Edgerrin James, Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and many others. During Polian’s tenure, the Colts went to the playoffs 11 times, won eight division titles and two AFC Championship games, and defeated the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI.

Before joining the Colts, Polian was the first general manager of the expansion Carolina Panthers, leading the team’s front office from 1994 to 1997. Remarkably, the Panthers went to the NFC Championship game in only its second year of existence. Prior to his tenure in Carolina, Polian was the general manager of the Buffalo Bills for seven seasons. He was promoted to the position at the tail end of the 1985 campaign as the team was finishing up its second consecutive 2-14 season. The Bills would go on to make the playoffs in six consecutive seasons (1988-93) and win four consecutive AFC Conference Championships (1990-93).

In his 24 seasons as a general manager with Indianapolis, Carolina and Buffalo, Polian’s teams made 17 playoff, eight championship game and five Super Bowl appearances. He served as Vice President of Football Development for the NFL during the 1993 season. He helped formulate and implement the NFL’s current Collective Bargaining Agreement and he was a member of the league’s Competition Committee, Diversity Committee, Management Council Senior Executive Committee and was Chairman of the College Relations Committee. He is the first six-time winner of the Executive of the Year award from The Sporting News, an honor bestowed on him by his peers.

As the Official Satellite Radio Partner of the NFL, SiriusXM broadcasts every NFL game live nationwide, from the pre-season through the Pro Bowl and Super Bowl, plus live NFL talk every day of the year on SiriusXM NFL Radio, channel 88. For more information on SiriusXM’s NFL coverage, visit http://www.siriusxm.com/nfl.

###

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

By

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

Longhorn Network to Televise 62 UT Baseball & Softball Games Beginning January 28

By

Longhorn Network to Televise 62 UT Baseball & Softball Games Beginning January 28

 Longhorn Network will exclusively televise 32 games of the University of Texas baseball team and 30 games of the softball program. The games, stretching from January through May, will comprise more than 124 hours of live event programming for the 24/7 University of Texas network.
LHN’s coverage of UT baseball will commence Saturday, Jan. 28, with the alumni game featuring former Longhorns Roger Clemens, Huston Street, Drew Stubbs, Brandon Belt, James Russell and others, coached by Clemens and Brooks Kieschnick two-time national Player of the Year at Texas in 1992-93 and the first UT inductee to the College Baseball Hall Of Fame. Then, UT will open its regular-season slate with a three-game series against Duke. In late March, the Longhorns will face California from the Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas. LHN will also televise the last conference rivalry game vs. Texas A&M before closing out the season with a home series against Baylor. Kevin Dunn and Carter Blackburn, college sports commentator for ESPN, will handle play-by-play duties for the network, and former UT great and 17-year Major League veteran, Greg Swindell, will serve as analyst. The Longhorns ended the 2011 season with a 49-19 record and won their 77th conference title and advanced to the College World Series for the 34th time in school history.
 
In addition, Texas GameDay hosted by Lowell Galindo from UFCU Disch-Falk Field will provide comprehensive pre-game coverage of seven games including interviews with players and coaches, analysis and features.  Beginning in March, legendary Texas head coach Augie Garrido will host a weekly 30-minute coach’s show from Longhorn Network’s Austin studio.
 
Texas Baseball (all games Central time from UFCU Disch-Falk Field unless otherwise noted):
Date Time Opponent
Jan. 28 1 p.m. Alumni Game (90-minute Texas GameDay preceding event)
Feb. 17 7 p.m. Duke
Feb. 18 6 p.m. Duke
Feb. 19 12 p.m. Duke (30-minute Texas GameDay preceding event)
Feb. 21 6 p.m. UT-Arlington
Feb. 28 6 p.m. Houston Baptist
Mar. 6 4 p.m. Dallas Baptist
Mar. 9 6 p.m. Loyola Marymount (60-minute Texas GameDay preceding event)
Mar. 10 7 p.m. Loyola Marymount
Mar. 11 1 p.m. Loyola Marymount
Mar. 13 6 p.m. Texas State
Mar. 20 6 p.m. Stephen F. Austin
Mar. 28 6 p.m. UT-Pan American
Mar. 30 7 p.m. California (from Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas)
Mar. 31 3:30 p.m. California (from Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas)
Mar. 31 6:30 p.m. California (from Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas)
Apr. 1 1 p.m. California (from Dell Diamond in Round Rock, Texas)
Apr. 10 6 p.m. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Apr. 13 6 p.m. Oklahoma State (60-minute Texas GameDay preceding event)
Apr. 14 3 p.m. Oklahoma State
Apr. 15 2:30 p.m. Oklahoma State
Apr. 17 6 p.m. Texas State
Apr. 20 7 p.m. Kansas
Apr. 21 7 p.m. Kansas
Apr. 22 1 p.m. Kansas
Apr. 24 6 p.m. Central Arkansas
Apr. 29 2 p.m. Texas A&M (60-minute Texas GameDay preceding event)
May 1 6 p.m. Prairie View A&M
May 12 TBD Texas Southern (30 or 60-minute Texas GameDay preceding event)
May 12 TBD Texas Southern
May 18 6 p.m. Baylor (60-minute Texas GameDay preceding event)
May 19 1 p.m. Baylor
*For complete details on the Longhorns’ 2012 baseball team, visit: TexasSports.com
 
For softball, Longhorn Network will air 30 exclusive game telecasts, 16 of which will feature UT against 2011 NCAA Championship participants and seven against 2011 Women’s College World Series participants. The first game will be televised Thursday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. when the Longhorns get a visit from Cal State Fullerton. All-American and two-time Olympian Cat Osterman will share analyst duties with former NFCA first team All-American and Big 12 Co-Pitcher of the Year, Amanda Scarborough, from Red and Charline McCombs Field.
 
The Longhorns concluded the 2011 season with a 46-10 record, placing them 7th in the NCAA Women’s Softball RPI. The team returns seven positional starters, three pitchers and 12 total letter winners from a team that reached the NCAA Austin regional a season ago.
 
Texas Softball  (all times Central; played at Red and Charline McCombs Field unless otherwise noted))
Date Time Opponent
Texas Classic
        Feb. 9 7 p.m. Cal State Fullerton
        Feb. 10 5 p.m. UT-San Antonio
        Feb. 11 1 p.m. Colorado State
        Feb. 11 4 p.m. Semifinal
        Feb. 12 12 p.m. Consolation/Championship
        Feb. 15 5 p.m. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Time Warner Cable Texas Invitational
        Feb. 17 2 p.m. Pittsburgh
        Feb. 17 5 p.m. Tennessee
        Feb. 18 12 p.m. Illinois
        Feb. 18 3 p.m. Semifinal
        Feb. 19 11:30 a.m. Consolation/Championship
Feb. 29 5:30 p.m. Texas State
Feb. 29 8 p.m. Texas State
Mar. 2 5 p.m. Sam Houston State
Mar. 3 1:30 p.m. Sam Houston State
Mar. 4 2 p.m. Sam Houston State
Mar. 6 8  p.m. Texas Tech
Mar. 7 4 p.m. Texas Tech
Mar. 30 5 p.m. New Mexico
Mar. 31 11 a.m. Tulsa
Mar. 31 1:30 p.m. New Mexico
Apr. 1 11 a.m. New Mexico
Apr. 5 7 p.m. Missouri
Apr. 6 7 p.m. Missouri
Apr. 7 12 p.m. Missouri
Apr. 20 5 p.m. Oklahoma State
Apr. 21 1 p.m. Oklahoma State
Apr. 22 11 a.m. Oklahoma State
Apr. 29 5 p.m. Texas A&M
May 13 1 p.m. Baylor
*For complete details on the Longhorns’ 2012 softball team, visit: TexasSports.com
 
Where to Watch
Longhorn Network is available on Verizon FiOS TV, Grande Communications, Consolidated Communications, En-Touch Systems, E-Tex Communications, Bay City Cablevision, Mid-Coast Cablevision and Texas Mid-Gulf Cablevision. Longhorn Network is now available online to Verizon FiOS subscribers at LonghornNetwork.com. It will be available on tablets and on smartphones to fans with an affiliated video subscription in the near future.
 
About Longhorn Network
ESPN has a 20-year agreement to own and operate a year-round, 24-hour network dedicated to Texas athletics in partnership with UT and IMG College.  Longhorn Network offers a variety of content, highlighted by more than 200 exclusive events annually from 20 sports, original series and studio shows, historical programming and academic and cultural happenings. Additionally, the LonghornNetwork.com broadband companion to the TV network offers extensive content, particularly live games not carried on the linear TV network due to scheduling conflicts.
 

NBA Sunday Showcase Returns with Bulls-Heat on ABC

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NBA Sunday Showcase Returns with Bulls-Heat on ABC

ESPN’s NBA Ratings Up 31 Percent

ABC’s NBA Sunday Showcase returns with a blockbuster matchup this weekend when the Miami Heat and LeBron James host the Chicago Bulls and Derrick Rose – in an Eastern Conference Finals rematch – at 3:30 p.m. ET.  ESPN’s lead commentator team – Mike Breen and analyst Jeff Van Gundy – will call the game with reporter Lisa Salters.  Kia NBA Countdown with Hall of Famer Magic Johnson and analysts Jon Barry, Michael Wilbon and Chris Broussard will preview the action at 3 p.m.  Additionally, ESPN Radio will broadcast the game with coverage beginning at 2:30 p.m. Hall of Famers Jim Durham and Dr. Jack Ramsay will describe the action.

Also, ESPN will televise a Sunday night contest when the defending champion Dallas Mavericks and Dirk Nowitzki host the San Antonio Spurs and Tim Duncan at 8 p.m.  Dan Shulman will call the game – also available via ESPN3, ESPN Mobile TV and the WatchESPN app – with analyst Doris Burke.

ESPN’s Van Gundy and Breen on Heat/Bulls game:

On whether this matchup is a preview of the 2012 Eastern Conference Final:

Van Gundy – “Without question.  I don’t see anybody beating the Heat in the early rounds.  Atlanta and Indiana, with their length and depth, could give Chicago a good run.  Right now, they have what it takes to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals.  Even though last year’s matchup was decided in five games, I thought it was a close series.  Chicago is going to have to be a very driven team to overcome Miami’s talent.”

On the Heat as his championship pick:

Van Gundy – “They are the best team because of their talent and tenacity.  They can be a dominant team.  Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem are healthy, Shane Battier was a great pickup and Norris Cole has been a great backup at the point guard position.  They have good chemistry and a phenomenal talent base.  I think they are better than last year when Dallas beat them in The Finals.”

On the top storyline heading into Sunday:

Breen – “So far, they are clearly the top two teams in the East and both teams have a real shot at winning the championship.  It will be interesting to see how Chicago comes out after being eliminated by the Heat last season.  The Bulls know this is the team they will have to go through again this postseason.  It’s tough to get a barometer on the teams right now with so many players missing time and there is a long way to go between now and the playoffs.”

On Derrick Rose as the best point guard in the NBA:

Van Gundy – “He’s certainly one of the elite players in the league and he was deserving of the MVP award last year.  The point guard position is excellent.  Chris Paul and Deron Williams are excellent.  There are a lot of really good players.  Rose had a special season and he’s a special player.  Most importantly, it sounds like he’s a special teammate who cares most about team success.”

ESPN’s NBA Ratings Up 31 Percent

ESPN’s 14 NBA telecasts this season are averaging a 1.7 rating, an increase of 31 percent when compared with a 1.3 rating for 13 NBA games during the same time span (since Christmas) last year, according to Nielsen. The corresponding household impressions are up 26 percent (1,664,000 vs. 1,319,000) and average viewers are up 21 percent (2,149,000 vs. 1,780,000).

ESPN.com’s Heat/Bulls Coverage

This weekend’s content on ESPN.com, ESPNChicago.com and the Heat Index will include:

  • a “Hot Button” feature on which team improved the most since last season;
  • previews (including Sunday’s ESPN.com Daily Dime), photo galleries and columns leading up to the game;
  • in-game updates;
  • immediate reaction and postgame reports.

ESPN Classic: “The Heat is On”

Prior to the Heat’s matchups against the Knicks and Bulls this weekend, ESPN Classic will re-live some of the best games between the teams Friday, Jan. 27, including:

  • 1992 NBA Playoffs, First Round, Game 3: Bulls vs. Heat (2-4 a.m.) – Michael Jordan nets 56 points in a 119-114 Bulls victory;
  • 2000 NBA Playoffs, Semifinals, Game 3: Heat vs. Knicks (4-6 a.m.) – Anthony Carter hits a baseline runner with 2.2 seconds left as the Heat escape 77-76 in overtime;
  • 1999 NBA Playoffs, First Round, Game 5: Knicks vs. Heat (8-10 a.m.) – Allan Houston scores the game-winning basket in a 78-77 Knicks win;
  • 2000 NBA Playoffs, Semifinals, Game 7: Knicks vs. Heat (10 a.m.-12 p.m.) – the Knicks survive with a 83-82 win in a classic Game 7;
  • 1997 NBA Playoffs, Semifinals, Game 5: Knicks vs. Heat (12-2 p.m.) – the Heat win 96-81 as a brawl occurs with 1:53 remaining in the game;
  • 1998 NBA Playoffs, First Round, Game 4: Heat vs. Knicks (2-4 p.m.) – the Knicks edge the Heat 90-85;
  • 2011 regular season: Knicks vs. Heat (4-6 p.m.) – Amare Stoudemire blocks LeBron James’ layup with seven seconds left to secure a 91-86 Knicks win;
  • 2011 regular season: Bulls vs. Heat (6-8 p.m.) – the Bulls win the third straight regular season game against the Heat 87-86.

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Namath Documentary To Air On HBO Saturday At 9:00 P.M.

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HBO SPORTS AND NFL FILMS EXAMINE THE LIFE OF “BROADWAY JOE”

NAMATH, ONE OF PRO FOOTBALL’S BIGGEST STARS, IN A

DOCUMENTARY DEBUTING JAN. 28, EXCLUSIVELY ON HBO

          The Emmy®-winning combination of HBO Sports and NFL Films explores the fascinating life and career of one of pro football’s biggest stars when NAMATH, a documentary on New York Jets icon Joe Namath, debuts SATURDAY, JAN. 28 (9:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.

Other HBO playdates:  Jan 28 (1:00 a.m.) and 31 (noon, midnight), and Feb. 3 (5:30 p.m.), 5 (11:15 a.m.), 7 (noon, 3:30 a.m.), 9 (8:00 p.m., 1:30 a.m.), 11 (3:00 p.m.), 15 (11:30 a.m., 5:45 p.m.) and 17 (7:30 p.m.)

HBO2 playdates:  Jan. 30 (4:30 p.m., 12:50 a.m.) and Feb. 6 (6:30 p.m., 4:30 a.m.), 18 (7:45 a.m.), 21 (12:25 p.m., 8:00 p.m.), 26 (8:30 a.m.) and 29 (midnight)

HBO On Demand availability:  Jan. 30-Feb. 28

Born in Beaver Falls, Pa. in 1943, Namath was raised in western Pennsylvania and was a stellar high school athlete in basketball, baseball and football.  He accepted a football scholarship to the University of Alabama and played quarterback for the legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant.  Namath led the Crimson Tide to the top of the national polls in 1964 and his stock as a pro football prospect soared.

With entertainment mogul Sonny Werblin at the helm of ownership of the New York Jets, Namath elected to sign with the upstart American Football League for a then-staggering $427,000, and by game five of his first season had become the Jets’ starting quarterback.  He was subsequently named AFL Rookie of the Year, and was one of the first sports celebrity superstars, captivating both the entertainment press and fans with his movie-star looks and bigger-than-life “Broadway Joe” personality.

In a moment that would alter the NFL landscape, Namath led the underdog New York Jets to a world championship title in Super Bowl III versus the heavily favored Baltimore Colts.   His “guarantee” of a Jets upset brought him legendary status.

While his MVP performance in Super Bowl III was the high point, Namath fashioned a high-flying all-star career during his 13 years in pro football, and was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1985.

Now 68, Namath remains engaged in the game with which he has had a lifelong love affair.  He provides radio commentary, is connected to new media initiatives through Facebook and Twitter (@realjoenamath), and hosts his own website destination (broadwayjoe.tv).

Interviews for the documentary include:  family members Frank Namath, Rita Sims and Jessica Namath; family friends Linwood Alford, Wibby Glover, Al Hassan, Jimmy Walsh and Tad Dowd; former New York Jets teammates Matt Snell, John Schmitt, Don Maynard, Richard Castor, Emerson Boozer and John Riggins; former Jets assistant coach Ken Meyer; former Alabama teammate Gaylon McCollough; former Alabama assistant coach Howard Schnellenberger; former Baltimore Colts head coach Don Shula; former NFL players Mike Curtis, Ben Davidson and Fred Dryer; sports journalists Sal Marchiano, Suzy Kolber, Dave Anderson and Rick Telander; producers Larry Spangler and Roger Smith; attorney Mike Bite; and actress Ann-Margret.

HBO Sports and NFL Films have a long history of acclaimed football productions, including the 2010 documentary “Lombardi,” which earned rave reviews and received the Sports Emmy® for Outstanding Documentary.

The executive producers of NAMATH are Rick Bernstein for HBO Sports and Steve Sabol for NFL Films; produced by Joe Lavine for HBO Sports and Keith Cossrow for NFL Films; Liev Schreiber narrates; music composed by Dave Robidoux of NFL Films; writer, Ouisie Shapiro; senior coordinating producers for NFL FILMS, Pat Kelleher and Ross Ketover; executive producer for Namanco Productions Inc, James Walsh.

 

Highlights of NAMATH:

Former Alabama teammate Gaylon McCollough:  “He had good command of the Alabama offense.  He was shifty, he was all over the field and he almost left you standing in your boots when you were trying to tackle him.  He had tremendous speed and quickness and agility.  He was like trying to tackle the wind.  He could stop on a dime and throw a jump pass 40 or 50 yards.  It was different from what our opponents had seen in the past.”

Gaylon McCollough:  “One of the tragedies in American sports is that most people never had the chance to see a healthy Joe Namath play, to see how good he really was.  If you had ever seen him at his best, you’d never forget it.”

Former New York Jets offensive coach Ken Meyer:  “[He’s] the only quarterback I’ve ever been around that you didn’t have to look to see when the ball was released…You could hear the ‘whoosh’ when the ball left his hand.  And that is not kidding!”

Sports journalist Rick Telander:  “There had not been anybody like Joe Namath, not in sports.  Long hair, sideburns…a Fu Manchu.  Suddenly it’s like, ‘We got some kind of revolutionary here.’  No, you got a guy who’s growing a Fu Manchu ‘cause the chicks dig it.”

New York sportscaster Sal Marchiano:  “So here was this rascal – not a maverick – a rascal who wore white shoes, wore his hair long, and he went his own way.  He was Mick Jagger in a football uniform.  He wasn’t Pat Boone.  And that’s what America wanted.”

Former Colts head coach Don Shula on Namath delivering in Super Bowl III:  “You gotta give credit where credit is due, and Namath, he made the predictions, then he made ‘em come true.”

Former NFL player Fred Dryer:  “That guy was very important to the game of football as a cultural icon, and how he brought professional football into the television era and with it a whole degree of excitement…The likes of him will never ever, ever pass this way again.”

Joe Namath:  “Something’s been guiding me around throughout my life.  I keep saying, ‘I’m just a lucky guy.’ ”

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