Archives for October 2015

NBC SPORTS DIGITAL “BYTES”

October 30, 2015 – Vol. 72

NBC Sports Digital “Bytes” is a collection of highlights, information and metrics for NBC Sports Digital properties. Previous editions can be found on NBCSportsGroupPressbox.com.

NBC Sports Live Extra to be Offered on all-new Apple TV

As previously announced, the NBC Sports Live Extra app will be available on the new Apple TV. The app will provide customers with more than 3,000 live events a year, including the Sunday Night Football matchup of two undefeated teams – the Green Bay Packers (6-0) vs. the Denver Broncos (6-0) – this Sun., Nov. 1. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET with Football Night in America.

Apple TV users will also have access to exclusive coverage of some of the most-watched properties and events in sports including the upcoming 2016 Rio Olympics; live NHL games including the Stanley Cup Playoffs and Final; 2015-2016 Premier League game; NASCAR Sprint Cup races and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase; PGA Tour; French Open Tennis; the Triple Crown horse racing; original programming such as The Dan Patrick Show and Men In Blazers, and much more. Click here for more information.

NBC Sports Digital Celebrates Battle Of Undefeated Teams Ahead Of Packers-Broncos on NBC’s Sunday Night Football

As the 6-0 Broncos host the 6-0 Packers on NBC’s Sunday Night Football this week — the first-ever primetime game featuring opponents with records of 6-0 or better — NBC Sports Digital surrounds the marquee matchup with comprehensive digital and social content.

The Sunday Night Football Social Media team will be activating with a tailored strategy through the SNFonNBC Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts to give fans a close-up look at everything on the field and behind the scenes:

• The hashtag #SNFundefeated will be included on all SNF social efforts.
• Custom artwork specifically for this game will begin to roll out on SNF’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
• Custom videos specific to this week’s matchup can be found here on the SNF on NBC Facebook page.
• Sideline Access during the game from sideline reporter Michele Tafoya and NBC Sports’ social media producer will be pushed out on game day.

In a video on NBCSports.com, Bob Costas looks ahead at this week’s game, including the similarities and differences between Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers. Click here for a link.

In addition, Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth previewed the game following Sunday Night Football last week here. All digital Sunday Night Football video can be found here.

Finally, NBCSports.com contributor Tom Gower analyzed what could be the crucial aspects of the game, including the concerns about Manning’s arm strength, Green Bay’s lingering penalty problem and how crucial the ensuing 7-0 record will be for the winner. Gower’s pieces can be found here.

NASCAR Talk Delivers Record Traffic as the Chase for the Sprint Cup Heats Up

As the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup heats up in one of the most dramatic seasons to date, NASCAR Talk on NBCSports.com is on track to have its best month ever in page views, racking up 3,160,244 views to date this October, up 24% versus the previous record (2,551,441, July).

Golf Channel Digital Posts Record Traffic Across All Key Platforms And Metrics

While monthly digital traffic data is not final until the end of the calendar month, Golf Channel Digital’s traffic through Tuesday, Oct 27 already had set several monthly records, according to Adobe Site Catalyst, including posting best October numbers ever:

• Golf Channel Mobile totaled 24.0 million page views
• Golf Channel Digital totaled 2.6 million video starts
• Golf Channel Digital totaled 3.6 million unique visitors

NBC Sports Regional Networks Welcome Back Basketball!

Warriors / CSNBayArea.com

CSN Bay Area’s – the exclusive local television home of the NBA Champion Golden State Warriors – digital coverage for the 2015-16 NBA season includes 70 regular season games, Warriors Pregame Live and Warriors Postgame Live streamed live on CSNBayArea.com and via the NBC Sports Live Extra app, and extensive coverage on CSNBayArea.com’s “WarriorsTalk” page from Warriors Insider Monte Poole and Senior Insider Ray Ratto.

Kings / CSNCalifornia.com

CSN California’s – the exclusive local television home of the Sacramento Kings – digital coverage for the 2015-16 NBA season includes 80 regular season games, Kings Pregame Live and Kings Postgame Live streamed live on CSNBayArea.com and via the NBC Sports Live Extra app, and comprehensive coverage on CSNBayArea.com’s “KingsTalk” page from Kings Insider James Ham and Senior Insider Ray Ratto.

Bulls / CSNChicago.com

2015 NBA All-Stars Jimmy Butler and Pau Gasol join a loaded Bulls roster featuring Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, Mike Dunleavy, Nikola Mirotic, Kirk Hinrich and rookie Bobby Portis. CSN Chicago will broadcast and live stream 42 live regular season Bulls games (23 home, 19 away) with the always-entertaining announcing tandem of Neil Funk and Stacey King plus sideline reporter Chuck Garfien, including in-depth pre-game and post-game show with hosts Mark Schanowski and Will Perdue, and the most comprehensive Bulls digital coverage to date via Bulls Insider Vincent Goodwill and Bulls digital producer Mark Strotman.

Wizards / CSNMidAtlantic.com

CSN Mid-Atlantic will surround the Washington Wizards 2015-16 NBA season with expanded digital coverage, highlighted by live-streaming of 80 regular-season games, along with pregame and postgame shows, on CSNmidatlantic.com and NBC Sports Live Extra. Wizards Insider J. Michael will provide comprehensive news and analysis throughout the season across CSN Mid-Atlantic’s digital media platforms, which are led by CSNmidatlantic.com and the CSN Mid-Atlantic mobile app. Fans can also follow the coverage on Twitter at @CSNWizards and join the conversation by using #WizardsTalk.

76ers / CSNPhilly.com

Comcast SportsNet and The Comcast Network’s coverage of all 82 regular season Sixers games, as well as the pregame and postgame shows, will be streamed live on CSNPhilly.com and via the NBC Sports Live Extra app for tablets and mobile devices. Throughout the season, Comcast SportsNet’s Sixers’ coverage will include daily reports with live player interviews, press conferences and practice highlights during “Philly Sports Talk,” “SportsNet Central” and The Comcast Network’s “Breakfast on Broad.” CSNPhilly.com will also have extensive video and in-depth features, plus the Sixers-centric show, “3 in the Key,” which features guests debating the hot topics surrounding the Sixers, in a three-minute no holds barred discussion. Fans can follow all Sixers games online with Comcast SportsNet’s “In-Game Live,” which allows fans to follow the game live with play-by-play, in-progress stats and tweets from Comcast SportsNet’s Sixers reporters. Fans can follow Comcast SportsNet on Twitter or Facebook.

Celtics / CSNNE.com

Comcast SportsNet’s coverage of 80 regular season Celtics games, as well as exclusive CSN pregame and postgame shows, will be streamed live on CSNNE.com and via the NBC Sports Live Extra app.  This is the second season Celtics games will be available to stream live for authenticated subscribers and, and it got off to a great start in the season opener, setting record marks in all key streaming metrics. Additionally, CSNNE.com (@CSNNE) will provide 24/7 coverage of all the Celtics action all season long. CSNNE.com Celtics Insider Sherrod Blakely will deliver the latest breaking news, opinion and analysis throughout the season and will take some time on the sidelines as well.  Blakely will also be part of a robust talent team on “Celtics Talk TV” – a digital-only show that covers key Celtics and NBA story lines, and he will also be hosting a weekly Celtics podcast with special key guests each week.

Trail Blazers / CSNNW.com

New Trail Blazer Insider Jason Quick (@JWQuick) brings his 16 years of covering the Blazers to Comcast SportsNet Northwest this season alongside digital report Jamie Hudson (@JamieHudsonCSN) and longtime columnist Dwight Jaynes (@DwightJaynes). Quick, Hudson and Jaynes bring fans daily updates no matter where the team is with full coverage each game day.

GolfAdvisor.com’s First-Ever Sweepstakes a Success

GolfAdvisor.com, golf’s leading  golf course ratings and reviews website, received more than 60,000 entries for its first-ever sweepstakes, the “Ultimate Buddies Trip presented by Srixon,” which concluded Sunday.

The “Ultimate Buddies Trip” will turn a time-honored golfing tradition into a trip of a lifetime for the soon-to-be announced winner who will receive an all-expense paid trip for four to one of the world’s top golf destinations, The Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island, S.C., home of Harbour Town Golf Links and host of the PGA TOUR’s RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing; as well as a complete Srixon equipment makeover featuring the company’s line of Z 355 clubs.

NBC Sports Group Launches CPTR’D (Captured)

As previously announced, NBC Sports Group recently launched CPTR’D (Captured), a new sports short-form feature contest open to filmmakers of all levels who aspire to follow NBC Sports’ Emmy Award-winning storytelling heritage. Select short-form feature submissions will be presented across NBC Sports Group’s digital platforms, and the winning CPTR’D project will be telecast on NBCSN and will win $10,000.

Beginning November 9, filmmakers will be invited to submit short-form feature projects which run 10 minutes or less, on any sports-related topic. All CPTR’D entries must be submitted by January 12, 2016, are required to include originally shot footage, and are subject to all official rules of the contest. For more information click here: http://www.cptrdcontest.com.

Five CPTR’D finalists will be announced on February 4, 2016. The films will be posted on www.cptrdcontest.com. Beginning that day, visitors to the site will be able to view all finalist selections and vote for their favorite project. All judging of initial CPTR’D submissions will be done by a panel of NBC Sports Group executives, as well as sports and entertainment industry influencers. The first through fifth-place selections will be decided by a collaboration of public and judges votes. First, second and third-place winners of CPTR’D will be announced on March 9, 2016.

CSN Mid-Atlantic Goes Viral With “You Like That!”

Following the Washington Redskins 31-30 comeback victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, Oct. 25, CSN Mid-Atlantic captured video of the now-famous “You Like That!” postgame statement from Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins.

As of Wednesday, Oct. 28, the video, which was immediately posted across CSN Mid-Atlantic’s digital platforms, had earned more than 17 million loops on CSN Mid-Atlantic’s Vine account, and its link had appeared on Twitter more than 61,000 times, generating more than 236 million potential impressions. On CSN Mid-Atlantic’s Facebook page, the video has been viewed more than 730,000 times by nearly 690,000 unique users, garnering 23,000 likes and 9,000 comments.

The creation and distribution of the video was the subject of a Washington Post column on Monday: An oral history of the greatest Vine of Cousins’ life.

High School Football In-Demand In Chicago and with NFL Players

CSNChicago.com’s “High School Lites Viewers’ Choice Game” — where students and fans vote weekly where CSN Chicago should bring its cameras to highlight a game – has taken off with poll voting and social media buzz.  For October, weekly poll votes have grown from 15,000 to 25,000 to 35,000 to a record-high of 57,000 votes. In addition, current New Orleans Saints RB Pierre Thomas took to Twitter to communicate his vote for his alma mater T.F. South H.S.

#CubsSocial Media Night on CSN Chicago Earns Emmy Nomination

CSN Chicago received an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement for Interactivity for its #CubsSocial Media Night broadcast of the Chicago Cubs vs. San Francisco Giants in August 2014.  The Chicago/Midwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences will hold the awards ceremony on November 7th.

ICYMI on NBC SportsWorld, NBC Sports Digital’s Long-Form Website

Joe Posnanski will be following the MLB World Series for the duration, filing daily updates. His most recent piece argues that the Royals are a classic case of the sum being greater than its parts. Click here for the long-form story on NBC SportsWorld.

Joe Prince-Wright sat down with Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany and talked to him at length about what makes the city of Manchester so special as well as what the club hopes to accomplish this season. Kompany also talked about whether he’d play in MLS once his career in the Premier League is done. Click here for the long-form story on NBC SportsWorld.

— NBC SPORTS DIGITAL–

(All times ET)

The “Press Pass” on NBC Sports Group Press Box is a quick overview of upcoming program information and highlights from the NBC Sports Group Communications team. For live streaming information on NBC Sports Live Extra, and Golf Channel Live Extra, click here.

Friday, October 30
1 p.m. on NBCSN – Formula One Practice 1 – Mexican Grand Prix
3 p.m. on NBCSN – Breeders’ Cup Classic – Keeneland
5 p.m. on Golf Channel – Champions Tour: Toshiba Classic
6 p.m. on NBCSN – NASCAR Spring Cup Series Qualifying – Martinsville
7:30 p.m. on NBCSN – College Football: Dartmouth @ Harvard
11:30 p.m. on NBCSN – Formula One Practice 2 – Mexican Grand Prix
11 p.m. on Golf Channel – PGA TOUR: CIMB Classic

Saturday, October 31
5 a.m. on Golf Channel – European Tour: Turkish Airlines Open
7 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League Preview
8 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League Live
8:45 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League: Chelsea v. Liverpool
9 a.m. on CNBC – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Second Practice – Martinsville
11 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League: Crystal Palace v. Manchester United
11 a.m. on USA – Premier League: Swansea City v. Arsenal
12 p.m. on NBC – Rugby World Cup: Final – New Zealand v. Australia
12 p.m. on CNBC – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Final Practice – Martinsville
1 p.m. on NBCSN – Breeders’ Cup Classic – Keeneland
2 p.m. on CNBC – Formula One Qualifying – Mexican Grand Prix
2:30 p.m. on NBC – World Gymnastics Championships – Glasgow
4 p.m. on NBC – Breeders’ Cup Classic – Keeneland
4 p.m. on NBCSN – College Football: James Madison @ William & Mary
5 p.m. on Golf Channel – Champions Tour: Toshiba Classic
7:30 p.m. on NBCSN – College Football: Maine @ Villanova
8 p.m. on Golf Channel – LPGA Tour: Blue Bay LPGA
11 p.m. on NBCSN – Premier Boxing Championships – Houston
11 p.m. on Golf Channel – PGA TOUR: CIMB Classic

Sunday, November 1
5:30 a.m. on Golf Channel – European Tour: Turkish Airlines Open
6 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League Match of the Day
7:30 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League Live
8:30 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League: Everton v. Sunderland
11 a.m. on USA – Premier League: Southampton v. Bournemouth
11 a.m. on NBCSN – NASCAR America
12 p.m. on NBC – World Gymnastics Championships – Glasgow
12:30 p.m. on NBCSN – Countdown to Green
1 p.m. on NBCSN – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race – Martinsville
1 p.m. on USA – Goal Zone
1:30 p.m. on NBC – Formula One Pre-Race – Mexico City
2 p.m. on NBC – Formula One Race – Mexican Grand Prix
4 p.m. on NBC – Formula One Extra
4:30 p.m. on NBC – ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating – Canada
4:30 p.m. on Golf Channel – Champions Tour: Toshiba Classic
5:30 p.m. on NBCSN – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Post Race
6 p.m. on NBCSN – NASCAR Victory Lap
7 p.m. on NBC – Football Night in America
8 p.m. on Golf Channel – LPGA Tour: Blue Bay LPGA
8:20 p.m. on NBC – Sunday Night Football: Green Bay Packers @ Denver Broncos
12:30 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League Match of the Day II
1:30 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League Match of the Week

FORMULA ONE
NBC Sports Group continues its’ coverage of Formula One racing with comprehensive coverage of the Mexican Grand Prix, with live race coverage airing Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on NBC.

F1 coverage begins today at 1 p.m. ET on NBCSN with F1 Mexican Grand Prix – Practice 1, followed with F1 Mexican Grand Prix – Practice 2 at 11:30 p.m. ET.

Coverage of F1 continues on Saturday with F1 Mexican Grand Prix – Qualifying at 2 p.m. ET.

Sunday’s F1 coverage on NBC begins with F1 Countdown at 1:30 p.m. ET, immediately followed by F1 Mexican Grand Prix at 2 p.m. ET. Coverage concludes with F1 at 4 p.m. ET on NBC.

Lead F1 announcer Leigh Diffey will call the Mexican Grand Prix, joined by analysts David Hobbs and Steve Matchett. F1 insider Will Buxton will report on the action from the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City, Mexico.

BREEDER’S CUP
NBC Sports Group presents coverage of the 32^nd Breeder’s Cup Classic, live this Saturday, Oct. 31, at 4 p.m. ET on NBC.

NBCSN’s live coverage of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships begins today at 3 p.m. ET, culminating with a three-hour show Saturday, Oct. 31 at 1 p.m. ET.

Coverage of the Breeders’ Cup features Tom Hammond and Jerry Bailey. Laffit Pincay III will host coverage from Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Ky. Pincay III is joined by analyst Randy Moss, contributing analysts/handicappers Bob Neumeier and Eddie Olczyk; reporters Kenny Rice, Donna Brothers, Jay Privman, Nick Luck, and Carolyn Manno. Larry Collmus will serve as the race caller.

NASCAR
NBC Sports Group continues its coverage of NASCAR this weekend with the Round of Eight as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Playoffs roll into Martinsville Speedway.

This weekend’s coverage of NASCAR begins this evening at 6 p.m. ET on NBCSN with Sprint Cup Series Qualifying.

Coverage of NASCAR continues on Saturday with the Sprint Cup Series Second Practice at 9 a.m. ET. on CNBC, followed by the Sprint Cup Series Final Practice at 12 p.m. ET on CNBC.

Sunday’s coverage of NASCAR kicks off with an episode of NASCAR America at 11 a.m. ET on NBCSN. Coverage on NBCSN continues with Countdown to Green at 12:30 p.m. ET, leading into NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race – Martinsville at 1:15 p.m. ET.

Coverage concludes with the Sprint Cup Post Race Show at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN, immediately followed by NASCAR Victory Lap at 6 p.m. ET.

Rick Allen calls this weekend’s action from “The Old Dominion State” alongside analysts Steve Letarte and Jeff Burton. Krista Voda, Kyle Petty and Dale Jarrett host pre- and post-race coverage. Rutledge Wood and Nate Ryan contribute to breaking news from the track.

PREMIER LEAGUE
NBC Sports Group’s continues its coverage of Premier League this weekend with live matches across NBCSN and USA Network.

Coverage of Premier League begins Saturday, Oct. 31, at 7 a.m. ET on NBCSN with Barclays Premier League Preview, immediately followed by Premier League Live at 8 a.m.

Live match coverage kicks off at 8:45 a.m. on NBCSN with Chelsea v. Liverpool. Coverage continues at 11 a.m. ET with Crystal Palace v. Manchester United on NBCSN, and Swansea City v. Arsenal on USA Network.

Sunday’s coverage of Premier League begins with Premier League World at 6 a.m. ET on NBCSN. Coverage on NBCSN continues with Premier League Live at 7:30 a.m. ET, immediately followed by Everton v. Sunderland at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Coverage moves to USA Network at 11 a.m. ET with Southampton v. Bournemouth, immediately followed by Goal Zone at 1 p.m. ET.

Rebecca Lowe hosts Premier League Live, alongside Kyle Martino and Robbie Mustoe.

Below is a full list of match commentators for this weekend’s Premier League coverage:

Saturday, October 31
8:45 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League: Chelsea v. Liverpool, commentated by Arlo White and Lee Dixon
11 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League: Crystal Palace v. Manchester United, commented by Daniel Mann and Andy Hinchcliffe
11 a.m. on USA – Premier League: Swansea City vs. Arsenal, commentated by Gary Taphouse and Dean Sturridge
11 a.m. on Premier League Extra Time – Premier League: Manchester City v. Norwich City, commentated by Rob Hawthorne and Davie Provan
11 a.m. on Premier League Extra Time – Premier League: Watford v. West Ham, commentated by Jim Proudfoot and Tony Gale
11 a.m. on Premier League Extra Time – Premier League: Newcastle v. Stoke City, commentated by Tony Jones and Danny Higginbotham
11 a.m. on Premier League Extra Time – Premier League: West Brom v. Leicester City, commentated by Joe Speight and Trevor Francis

Sunday, November 1
8:30 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League: Everton v. Sunderland, commentated by Peter Drury and Jim Beglin
11 a.m. on USA – Premier League: Southampton v. Bournemouth, commentated by Jon Champion and Andy Townsend

Monday, November 2
3 p.m. on NBCSN – Premier League: Tottenham v. Aston Villa, commentated by Martin Tyler and Chris Waddle

RUGBY
NBC Sports presents live coverage of the Rugby World Cup Final when New Zealand faces Australia at Twickenham Stadium in London, England, this Saturday, Oct 31, at 12 p.m. ET on NBC.

Bill Seward will serve as the play-by-play commentator for Rugby World Cup 2015 coverage on NBC, joined in the booth by Brian Hightower. 

GYMNASTICS
NBC presents coverage of the 2015 World Gymnastics Championships this Saturday, Oct. 31, at 2:30 p.m. ET with the team women’s final and Sunday, Nov. 1, at 12 p.m. ET with the women’s all-around final from Glasgow, Scottland.

NBC Sports Group’s gymnastics team of Al Trautwig, Tim Daggett, and Nastia Liukin host coverage of the event.

PREMIER BOXING CHAMPIONS
Premier Boxing Champions coverage continues this Saturday, Oct. 31, live at 11 p.m. ET on NBCSN, highlighted by a super welterweight bout between undefeated Jermell “Iron Man” Charlo (26-0, 11 KOs) and Joachim Alcine (35-7-2, 21 KOs) from NRG Arena in Houston, Texas.

Coverage begins with a super welterweight bout between Tony Harrison (21-1, 18 KOs) and Cecil McCalla (20-2, 7 KOs). Todd Harris calls the action alongside analysts “Sugar” Ray Leonard and B.J. Flores, with Paul Burmeister reporting from ring-side.

FIGURE SKATING
NBC Sports Group’s lead figure skating team continues their fall coverage this Sunday, November 1, at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC with 2015 Skate Canada International.

Calling the action live from Enmax Centre in Lethbridge, Alberta, is Terry Gannon (play-by-play) alongside Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski. Tracy Wilson will contribute to this weekend’s coverage.

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
Sunday Night Football heads to Denver for a matchup of division leaders, as Peyton Manning and the undefeated Denver Broncos host the undefeated Aaron Rodgers and Green Bay Packers this Sunday at 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC. Coverage begins with Football Night In America at 7 p.m. ET on NBC.

Calling the action live from Sports Authority Field at Mile High is Al Michaels (play-by-play) alongside Cris Collinsworth (analyst). Joining Michaels and Collinsworth is Michele Tafoya, who will report from the sidelines.

Bob Costas will host Football Night In America reporting live alongside Hines Ward from Colorado at 7 p.m. ET on NBC. Joining Costas and Ward from NBC Sports Group’s International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn., is co-host Dan Patrick, Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison and Peter King. Kathryn Tappen will report from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on the Seahawks-Cowboys game.

GOLF
NBC Sports Group’s tournament coverage continues this weekend with the PGA TOUR’s CIMB Classic, European Tour’s Turkish Airlines Open, Champions Tour’s Toshiba Classic and the Blue Bay LPGA.

Live tournament coverage of the PGA TOUR’s CIMB Classic continues tonight at 11 p.m. ET on Golf Channel. Coverage concludes Saturday, Oct. 31, at 11 p.m. ET on Golf Channel

Coverage of the Turkish Airlines Open continues Saturday, Oct. 31, at 5 a.m. ET on Golf Channel, and concludes Sunday, Nov. 1, at 3:30 a.m. ET on Golf Channel.

Live coverage of the Champions Tour on Golf Channel kicks off today at 5 p.m. ET, and continues Saturday, Oct 31, at 5 p.m. ET. Coverage concludes Sunday, Nov. 1, at 4:30 p.m. ET on Golf Channel.

Coverage of the Blue Bay LPGA on Golf Channel begins Saturday, Oct. 31, at 8 p.m. ET, and continues Sunday, Nov. 1, at 8 p.m. ET.

Steve Sands (play-by-play) and Frank Nobilo (analyst) will host Golf Channel’s coverage from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Joining Sands and Nobilo are Phil Blackmar and Dom Boulet from the tower. Arron Oberholser will contribute from the course.

Dougie Donnelly (play-by-play) and Warren Humphreys (analyst) will host Golf Channel’s coverage from The Montgomerie Maxx Royal in Antalya, Turkey. Julian Tutt will join Donnelly and Humphreys from the course, with Mike Ritz contributing from the studio.

Brian Hammons (play-by-play) and Lanny Wadkins (analyst) host Golf Channel’s coverage of the Toshiba Classic from Newport Beach, Calif. Hammons and Wadkins are joined by John Mahaffey and Dave Marr from the tower. Billy Ray Brown will contribute from the course.

Warren Smith (play-by-play) will host Golf Channel’s coverage from Jian Lake Blue Bay Golf Course in China. Joining Smith, are analysts Kate Burton and Sandra MacKenzie.

Stops Include Wilfley Boys & Girls Club, Maize in the City Halloween Event & Game Day at Sports Authority Field at Mile High

 Packers-Broncos is NFL’s First-Ever Primetime Meeting between Teams 6-0 or Better

New Features on Sunday Night Football Bus Include Behind-the-Scenes Footage, a Replica of the Football Night in America Desk

STAMFORD, Conn. – October 30, 2015 – Just in time for a battle of undefeateds, NBC Sports Group’s Sunday Night Football bus continues its tour this week in the Denver area, traveling from the Wilfley Boys & Girls Club today to Game Day at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on Sunday. This season, visitors on the bus will get a behind-the-scenes look at SNF broadcasts, plus a special video commemorating Sunday Night Football’s 10th season, a replica of the Football Night in America desk, GIF photo booth, life-size “Photo Bomb” wall, and more.

Today the bus will be open to members of the Wilfley Boys & Girls Club* in Denver, Colo., from 4 – 6 p.m. ET. On Saturday, Oct. 31, the bus will be open to fans at the XFINITY Retail Store in Denver, Colo., from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. ET before making its way to the Maize in the City Halloween Event in Thornton, Colo., from 4 – 6 p.m. ET. The bus will be open to fans beginning at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 1, at Game Day at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, leading up to kickoff of Sunday Night Football.

The full schedule for this week’s destinations:

Date	Time (ET)	Location
Fri.., Oct.30	4 p.m. – 6 p.m.	Wilfley Boys & Girls Club, 4595 Navajo Street, Denver, CO 80211*
Sat., Oct. 31	10 a.m. – 12 p.m.	XFINITY Retail Store, 1390 S Colorado Blvd., Denver, CO 80222
Sat., Oct 31	4 p.m. – 6 p.m.	Maize in the City Halloween Event: 10270 Riverdale Rd., Thornton, CO 80229
Sun., Nov. 1	1 p.m. – 5 p.m.	Game Day at Sports Authority Field at Mile High: 1701 Bryant St., Denver, CO 80204 (Outside Gate 9 in the south east section of the stadium near the horse statue)

*Not open to the public

Sunday Night Football, television’s No. 1 primetime show, continues this Sunday, Nov. 1, featuring the first-ever primetime game featuring opponents with records of 6-0 or better, as the Green Bay Packers (6-0) visit the Denver Broncos (6-0) from Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Coverage begins with Football Night In America – the most-watched weekly studio show in sports – at 7 p.m. ET.

ABOUT THE SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL BUS

The bus arrives in each city two to three days prior to the game, making stops at local landmarks and events before heading to the game site. Once at the stadium, the Sunday Night Football bus gives fans the opportunity to interact with America’s most-watched primetime television show with exclusive activities, memorabilia and a 55-inch monitor housing social media elements.

The inside of the bus brings fans from the field to the studio set, featuring football field decaling on the floor, a welcome reel with the SNF production team looking back on 10 years of SNF, and replica of the Football Night in America studio available for fan photos, complete with a GIF photo booth which takes a series of pictures and compiles them into a sharable GIF. From the life-size NFL players and Carrie Underwood on the outside, to the life-size “Photo Bomb” wall featuring NFL players and wall adorned with Wilson footballs representing each SNF match-up on the inside, fans have numerous opportunities to interact and share memories from the bus.

Following each Sunday night game, the stars of the game will autograph the 2015 “Players of the Game Sunday Night Football,” which is displayed on the bus alongside the football signed by the 2014 SNF players of the game. In addition, key highlights from last season’s SNF are shown on the bus’ TV, and a photo of each 2015 SNF Player of the Game will be added to the SNF schedule display on the outside of the bus each week.

THE SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL BUS BY THE NUMBERS

• The 45 ft.-long bus is wrapped with images of NFL players, Carrie Underwood and the 2015 SNF schedule (for images, click here).
• The SNF bus will drive more than 25,000 miles across the country through the season, and cross the country at least three times.
• There will be 17 game day stops (for the 2015 SNF schedule, click here).
• The bus will make multiple stops in each local market.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA

The Sunday Night Football bus also incorporates social media inside and out, with SNF’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts along with the #SNF hashtag displayed on the exterior.

Fans can digitally follow the Sunday Night Football bus at NBCSports.com/FollowSNF. The site includes an interactive map of where the bus has been, and where it’s traveling next, allowing fans to take a virtual #SNF tour. In addition, fans can also participate in a tweet contest to show their team pride and see who’s leading in Twitter mentions each week.

A dedicated producer collects photos and creates videos of the bus’ travels and the cast of characters it encounters along the way. Life on the road with the Sunday Night Football bus is featured on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, as well as aggregated on NBCSports.com/FollowSNF using #SNF.

-NBC Sports Group-

Semifinalists from the 2015 NCAA Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships in May to Reconvene, Airing Live on Golf Channel

Defending National Champions Stanford (Women) and LSU (Men) Headline Field

Women’s Field: Stanford, Baylor, USC and Duke

Men’s Field: LSU, USC, Illinois and Georgia

Website: East Lake Cup

ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 29, 2015 – The final rosters have been announced for the inaugural East Lake Cup in Atlanta, Ga., as the four semifinalists from the 2015 NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships will reconvene at East Lake Golf Club on Monday and Tuesday, Nov. 2-3 for a collegiate match play championship, airing live on Golf Channel each day from 2-5 p.m. ET.

The participating universities include:

Women’s Division
Stanford University (2015 NCAA Women’s National Champions); Baylor University (2015 Women’s National Championship runner-up); the University of Southern California (USC), currently the top-ranked team in the country in both the Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings and Golfstat Relative Ranking; and six-time National Champions Duke University. The women’s division features three programs currently ranked in the top-six in the Golfstat Relative Ranking.

Men’s Division
Louisiana State University (LSU), the reigning 2015 NCAA Men’s National Champions; USC, who lost to LSU in the championship match; the University of Illinois, who has won three of their last four fall collegiate events and is currently the top-ranked team in the country according to the GCAA Coaches Rankings, and the University of Georgia, two-time national champions.

EAST LAKE CUP WOMEN’S DIVISION ROSTERS
(click on player names for full bios)

Stanford University: Shannon Aubert (Sophomore), Casey Danielson (Junior), Quirine Eijkenboom (Junior), Lauren Kim (Senior), Mariah Stackhouse (Senior), Head Coach: Anne Walker

Baylor University: Maggie Beth Byers (Junior), Louise Gateau-Chovelon (Junior), Laura Lonardi (Senior), Giovana Maymon (Sophomore), Lauren Whyte (Sophomore), Head Coach: Jay Goble

Duke University: Celine Boutier (Senior), Sandy Choi (Junior) Virginia Elena Carta (Freshman) Leona Maguire (Sophomore), Gurbani Singh (Sophomore), Head Coach: Dan Brooks

USC: Tiffany Chan (Junior), Karen Chung (Junior) Kyung Kim (Senior), Robynn Ree (Freshman), Gabriella Then (Junior), Head Coach: Andrea Gaston

EAST LAKE CUP MEN’S DIVISION ROSTERS                                                              

LSU: Sam Burns (Freshman), Nathan Jeansonne (Freshman), Brandon Pierce (Junior), Eric Ricard (Junior), Zach Wright (Senior), Head Coach: Chuck Winstead 

USC: Sean Crocker (Sophomore), Rico Hoey (Junior), Andrew Levitt (Senior), Justin Suh (Freshman), Jonah Texeira (Sophomore), Head Coach: Chris Zambri

University of Illinois: Alex Burge (Senior), Charlie Danielson (Senior), Thomas Detry (Senior), Nick Hardy (Sophomore), Dylan Meyer (Sophomore), Head Coach: Mike Small

University of Georgia: Zach Healy (Sophomore), Lee McCoy (Senior), Jaime Lopez Rivarola (Junior), Greyson Sigg (Junior), Sepp Straka (Senior), Head Coach: Chris Haack

FORMAT
MATCH PLAY

Two match-play tournaments will be contested simultaneously at East Lake Golf Club for the women’s and men’s divisions, with five players competing for each team. Monday, Nov. 2 will feature the semifinals:

Women’s Division:
Stanford vs. Duke
Baylor vs. USC

 Men’s Division:
LSU vs. Georgia
USC vs. Illinois

The finals and consolation matches will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Stanford claimed their first NCAA Women’s Team National Championship in May over Baylor 3 to 2 when Stanford’s Mariah Stackhouse defeated Baylor’s Hayley Davis on the first playoff hole in the fifth and final match.  In the semifinal matches, Baylor defeated Duke 3 to 2 and Stanford defeated USC 3 to 2.

LSU won its first men’s golf NCAA Men’s Team National Championship in 50 years this past June, defeating USC 4 to 1 after senior All-American Ben Taylor earned the deciding point by rolling in a nine-foot par putt to claim a 1-up victory. In the semifinal matches, LSU defeated Georgia 3-1-1 and USC defeated Illinois, also 3-1-1.

WHERE
EAST LAKE GOLF CLUB

The historic East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, GA is the home course of legendary golfer Bobby Jones and is the oldest golf course in the city of Atlanta. Over the years, the golf course has hosted many national and regional championships, including the 1950 U.S. Women’s Amateur, 1963 Ryder Cup, and 2001 U.S. Men’s Amateur. It is now the permanent home of the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola, the culminating event of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedEx Cup. Additional information may be found at www.eastlakegolfclub.com.

The East Lake Cup is designed to highlight the best of college golf as well as draw attention to the work of the East Lake Foundation. The Foundation is a charitable organization dedicated to helping families build better lives and children reach their highest potential through its holistic approach to community revitalization incorporating mixed-income housing, cradle-to-college education and community wellness.

The East Lake Cup, benefitting the East Lake Foundation, also will present the Tom Cousins Award, a new annual recognition of an outstanding male and female golfer who exemplify the values of the East Lake Foundation: excels in academics, engaged in his or her community and has overcome adversity. This award is named for Tom Cousins, founder of the East Lake Foundation, which transformed a community in despair into a thriving neighborhood, now a national model for community redevelopment through Purpose Built Communities.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Monday, Nov. 2
10 a.m.                                 Semifinal Matches Begin
2-5 p.m.                                Golf Channel Live Coverage

Tuesday, Nov. 3
10 a.m.                                 Consolation Matches Begin
11:45 a.m.                            Championship Matches Begin
2-5 p.m.                                Golf Channel Live Coverage

General Admission and public parking to the East Lake Cup November 2-3 is FREE

Each of the Mascots for the respective schools also will be in attendance at East Lake Golf Club on Monday, Nov. 2, interacting with fans and participating in Golf Channel’s news and tournament coverage. In addition, Georgia Tech’s mascot and the University of Oregon’s mascot – Oregon is the host school for the 2016 NCAA Division I Golf Championships – will be on-site at East Lake Golf Club.

For more information about the East Lake Cup please visit the tournament website here. Stay connected with the championship on Twitter via @GolfChannel using the hashtag #EastLakeCup.

-NBC Sports Group-

Coverage Available on NBC Sports Live Extra

STAMFORD, Conn. – October 29, 2015 – NBC presents coverage of the 2015 World Gymnastics Championships this Saturday, Oct. 31, at 2:30 p.m. ET with the team women’s final and Sunday, Nov. 1,  at Noon ET with the women’s all-around final from Glasgow, Scottland.

Headliners in the women’s field include two-time reigning world all-around champion Simone Biles and 2012 Olympic gold-medalists Gabby Douglas and Aly Raisman.

COMMENTATORS: NBC Sports Group’s gymnastics team of Al Trautwig, Tim Daggett, and Nastia Liukin host coverage of the event.

NBC Sports Live Extra – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs – will stream coverage on NBC via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to for their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. The NBC Sports Live Extra app is available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store and Apple TV. For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra.

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–

“Inside Look presented by Cadillac,” hosted by Comcast SportsNet’s Mark Schanowski, featuring Fred Hoiberg to debut Tuesday, November 3 at 9:00 PM CT

CSNChicago.com to provide additional web-exclusive coverage of ‘Inside Look,’ including extended video clips

Chicago, IL (October 29, 2015) – Comcast SportsNet, the television home for the most games and most comprehensive coverage of the Chicago Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox, continues to delve into the lives of some of the biggest names in Chicago sports with its candid, monthly, one-on-one interview series Inside Look presented by Cadillac.

Debuting Tuesday, November 3 at 9:00 PM CT (immediately following Kia Bulls Postgame Live), Comcast SportsNet’s Mark Schanowski hosts an exclusive one-on-one interview with new Chicago Bulls head coach FRED HOIBERG.  Hoiberg, who enjoyed a ten-year playing career in the NBA, including four seasons with the Bulls, enters his first season as an NBA head coach after spending five successful seasons as the head coach of his alma mater, Iowa State University, where he produced a stellar 116-56 record, which included a trip to the NCAA “Sweet Sixteen” in 2014.  In this edition of Inside Look, Hoiberg discusses everything from why he accepted the Bulls head coaching position, to the expectations of his arrival back in Chicago, his life-changing heart ailment, his strategy of getting past LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, and much more.

In addition, viewers are urged to check out Comcast SportsNet’s website – CSNChicago.com – for additional interview content never before seen on TV.  Fans will also be able to watch every Inside Look guest interview online after it debuts on Comcast SportsNet.  Comcast SportsNet will also re-air Inside Look with Fred Hoiberg on the following dates/times: Wed, Nov. 4 at 11:30pm – Mon, Nov. 9 at 9pm – Thu, Nov. 12 at 11:30am & 8pm on CSN+ – Fri, Nov. 13 at 8:30am on CSN+ – Sat, Nov. 14 at 12:30pm – Mon, Nov. 16 at midnight on CSN+ – Tue, Nov. 17 at 12:30pm – Sat, Nov. 21 at 12:30pm – Mon, Nov. 23 at 10:30pm on CSN+ – and Tue, Nov. 24 at 7:30pm.  Schedule subject to change.

Note the following quotes from Inside Look with Fred Hoiberg presented by Cadillac premiering Tuesday, November 3 at 9:00 PM on Comcast SportsNet:

HOIBERG on how the Bulls are a perfect fit:
“I’m familiar with the organization, familiar with guys that are in the front office.  A lot of people on the business side were here when I was playing in Chicago that I got to know, so familiarity was a big thing.  Plus, the opportunity to come and win a championship.  This roster is set up to compete for that.  In my opinion, it’s one of the best sports cities in the world.  It’s just an unbelievably supportive sports town and I’m excited to be a part of that.”

HOIBERG on his heart ailment:
“I’ll never forget walking in to see the cardiologist and he said, ‘you have a life threatening condition, and you need open heart surgery.’  It’s just a kick to your gut because I was in the best shape of my life and I just had my best year in the NBA.  I was looking forward to a very long career and then you hear news like that and you associate that surgery with your grandparents.  I never knew a young person that had open heart surgery.”

HOIBERG on his strategy of beating LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers:
“It’s hard, there’s no doubt about it.  It was like trying to get through Michael (Jordan).  He was the best player in the league and it’s the same with LeBron.  He’s such a great passer and they’ve got great shooting around him.  To see what they did last year with a couple of their key pieces hurt was extraordinary.  You just try to put a game plan out there on the floor that’s going to give you a great chance to win.  We’re going to do that and hopefully get that opportunity.” 

HOIBERG on expectations:
“In coming here, I know there’s a lot of pressure.  If I didn’t feel that we were up for the challenge, I wouldn’t have taken this job.  You want that.  You want that pressure, you want those expectations.  You just have to do everything in your power to put the guys in a position where you can go out, win games, and compete.  Ultimately, in this business, you want to compete for championships.  That’s the expectation and hopefully it will be that for a long time.”

Comcast SportsNet Chicago, a partnership between the Chicago Blackhawks (NHL), Chicago Bulls (NBA), Chicago Cubs (MLB), Chicago White Sox (MLB) and the NBC Sports Group, features over 275 live pro games in high definition each year.  In addition, CSN delivers extensive pre/post-game coverage for its core pro team partners, as well as the Chicago Bears, along with Emmy Award-winning regional sports news and analysis via SportsNet Central and SportsTalk Live.  Through the network’s growing digital platform, CSNChicago.com, Chicago sports fans tap into the most comprehensive and dedicated 24/7 online destination for breaking news, up-to-the-minute game previews/recaps, highlights, multimedia video clips, blogs and standout coverage from CSNChicago.com’s team of “Insiders.”  Follow the network on Twitter via @CSNChicago.

NBC Sports Regional Networks, part of the NBC Sports Group, consist of 11 regional networks that deliver more than 2,400 live sporting events annually, along with award-winning breaking news, comprehensive analysis, digital content and original programming to more than 43 million homes. The NBC Sports Regional Networks are: Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, Comcast SportsNet California, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, which serves Baltimore and Washington D.C., Comcast SportsNet New England, Comcast SportsNet Northwest, The Comcast Network, Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia and SportsNet New York. For more information, visit ComcastSportsNet.com. For more information about NBC Sports Group properties, including press releases, photos, talent and executive bios and headshots, please visit NBCSportsGroupPressBox.com. 

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Johnny Weir, Tara Lipinski & Terry Gannon Host

Coverage Features Olympians and Top International Competitors

STAMFORD, Conn. – October 29, 2015 – NBC presents 2015 Skate Canada International coverage this Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET featuring performances from the men’s and ladies’ free skate competition from Enmax Centre in Lethbridge, Alberta.

Leading Team USA are 2014 Olympic team bronze medalist and 2015 U.S. champion Ashley Wagner, who also won silver at the 2014 Skate Canada, and 2015 U.S. silver medalist Adam Rippon.

The international field features reigning World, European and Grand Prix champion Yelizaveta Tuktamysheva of Russia; 2014 Olympic silver medalist and three-time World champion Patrick Chan of Canada; and 2014 Olympic and World champion Yuzuru Hanyu of Japan.

COMMENTATORS: NBC’s lead figure skating team of three-time U.S. figure skating champion Johnny Weir, 1998 Olympic gold medalist Tara Lipinski, and play-by-play announcer Terry Gannon will handle coverage alongside Tracy Wilson.

Skate Canada is the second event of the 2015 International Skating Union (ISU) Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series. The Grand Prix Series, now in its 21st season, consists of six international events in a cumulative point-scoring format. Approximately 300 athletes from 30 countries are expected to participate in the series. Each athlete is eligible to score points in up to two of the six scheduled events. The top six point-earners in each discipline qualify for the 2015 ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, set for Dec. 10-13, in Barcelona, Spain.

NBC SPORTS LIVE EXTRA

NBC Sports Live Extra — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs — will stream coverage on NBC and NBCSN via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to for their subscription service, and making high quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. The NBC Sports Live Extra app is available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store and Apple TV. For desktops, NBC Sports Live Extra can be accessed at NBCSports.com/liveextra.

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–