Keeping Up With All The Industry Press Releases
The Hawai‘i Bowl has named SoFi (pronounced so-FI) as its new title sponsor. The 17th edition of the SoFi Hawai‘i Bowl will feature the hometown University of Hawai‘i against Louisiana Tech on Saturday, Dec. 22, at 5:30 p.m. HT (10:30 p.m. ET) at Aloha Stadium and will air on ESPN and available via the ESPN … Read More
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The ACC Network will launch on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2019, ESPN and the Atlantic Coast Conference announced today. Just one week later, on August 29, the first conference football game will kick off on the new all-ACC platform when Georgia Tech visits Clemson for a Thursday night contest. The 24/7 network is poised to air 1,300 live events annually across its TV and digital offerings from around the conference’s 15 member schools and 27 sponsored sports.
The post ACC Network to Launch August 22, 2019; Georgia Tech at Clemson First Network Game August 29 appeared first on ESPN MediaZone U.S..
New Features Include Carrie Underwood Music Experience, a Selfie Mirror in Collaboration with @OnHerTurf, and a Partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America
STAMFORD, Conn. – November 30, 2018 – NBC Sports Group’s Sunday Night Football bus travels to Pittsburgh this week ahead of Sunday night’s Chargers-Steelers game (coverage begins at 7:00 p.m. ET on NBC).
The SNF bus continues to travel the country, making stops in the host cities of Sunday Night Football games, giving fans a behind-the-scenes look into the action of SNF broadcasts.
New features on board this season include a Carrie Underwood SNF Open experience, a selfie-mirror presented by @OnHerTurf – a partnership between Refinery29 and NBC Sports that shares in the celebration and amplification of women in sports – and an area showcasing SNF’s new initiative with Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
In addition, fan favorites returning to the bus include a life-size player wall, the official Player of the Game Ball signed at the end of every SNF matchup, and the replica of the Football Night in America desk. The bus continues its journey this week making stops in the PIttsburgh-area ahead of the Sunday Night Football game as the Los Angeles Chargers take on the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The bus will arrive in Pittsburgh on Friday, November 30 for its first stop at Carnegie Boys & Girls Club from 3:45 p.m.—5:45 p.m. On Saturday, December 1, the bus will be PPG Place – Market Square for a Holiday Festival & Market, as part of the Holidays in Downtown Pittsburgh from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. ET. On Sunday, December 2, the bus will be at Heinz Field for game day from 5:00 p.m. until kickoff at 8:20 p.m. ET.
The schedule for this week:
| Date | Time (ET) | Location |
|
Friday, Nov. 30
Saturday, Dec. 1
Sunday, Dec. 2
|
3:45 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.
11 a.m. –3 p.m.
5 p.m. – 8:20 p.m. |
Carnegie Boys & Girls Club (Event Not Open to Public)
PPG Place – Market Square
Heinz Field |
ABOUT THE SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL BUS
Since week 1, the bus has traveled across the country to each SNF host city. To give more fans a chance to join in on the experience, the SNF Bus also visits markets along the route without a SNF game on the schedule. The bus arrives in each host 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 and experiences.
The 2018 bus features football field decaling on the floor, and a replica of the Football Night in America studio where fans can grab a mic, and act as “special correspondents” for photos. From the Carrie Underwood music experience and the @OnHerTurf display, to the life-size NFL player wall, fans have numerous opportunities to interact and share memories from the bus.
The full list of cities the SNF bus will be visiting throughout the season:
| Week | Date | Matchup |
| 13 | 2-Dec | Los Angeles Chargers at Pittsburgh |
| 14 | 9-Dec | Los Angeles Rams at Chicago |
| 15 | 16-Dec | Philadelphia at Los Angeles Rams |
| 16 | 23-Dec | Kansas City at Seattle |
| 17 | 30-Dec | TBD |
THE SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL BUS BY THE NUMBERS
SOCIAL MEDIA
The Sunday Night Football bus also incorporates social media inside and out, with SNF’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts (@SNFon NBC) along with the #SNF hashtag displayed on the exterior.
A dedicated producer will collect photos and create 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 the Sunday Night Football Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts and NBC Sports on Snapchat.
–NBC SPORTS GROUP–
This year’s NCFAA Contributions to College Football Award—given during The Home Depot College Football Awards—will recognize the impact of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) throughout college football’s nearly 150-year history.
The post Historically Black Colleges and Universities to be Honored with NCFAA Contributions Award During The Home Depot College Football Awards appeared first on ESPN MediaZone U.S..
The top two SEC teams meet again. Ahead of the rematch of last year’s College Football Playoff championship game, College GameDay Built by The Home Depot will be live from International Plaza, just outside of Mercedes Benz Stadium.
The post <i>College GameDay</i> Heads to SEC Championship Game in Atlanta as No. 1 Alabama faces No. 4 Georgia appeared first on ESPN MediaZone U.S..
ESPN today announced that its special “All-Access” content initiative is returning on Wednesday, Dec. 5 for a full day of coverage dedicated to the Toronto Raptors, who currently hold the NBA’s best record. The initiative is called Toronto All-Access, and it will feature exclusive Raptors content across ESPN platforms throughout the day, culminating with a prime-time national telecast of the Raptors vs. Philadelphia 76ers at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. Mike Breen, analyst Doris Burke and reporter Tom Rinaldi will provide commentary for the game.
The post ESPN Goes All-In for Toronto All-Access on December 5 appeared first on ESPN MediaZone U.S..
Live Coverage Begins Friday at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports App & NBC Sports Gold’s “Snow Pass”
U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist Katie Ledecky Headlines Live Coverage of USA Swimming Winter Nationals Beginning Today at 5 p.m. ET on Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA
Additional Events Include: FIS Cross-Country Skiing, IBU Biathlon, FIL Luge & More
STAMFORD, Conn. – November 29, 2018 – U.S. Olympic gold medalist Ted Ligety makes his season debut at the iconic Birds of Prey event from Beaver Creek, Colo., while two-time Olympic champion Mikaela Shiffrin goes for speed at Lake Louise, Alberta, as part of NBC Sports’ fully-packed weekend coverage of the 2018-19 FIS Alpine Skiing World Cup Season.
Shiffrin, who won the Killington slalom for the third straight time last weekend, will compete in both downhill and Super-G in Lake Louise, where she won first career speed victory last season. Ligety and three-time Olympian Steven Nyman, who finished 11th at Lake Louise last weekend in his first race since tearing his ACL last year, lead the American men’s contingent.
Live coverage begins Friday at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, and NBC Sports Gold’s “Snow Pass.”
Additional events this week include:
Following are programming highlights from this week on NBC Sports:
FIS ALPINE SKIING WORLD CUP – LAKE LOUISE & BEAVER CREEK
LIVE COVERAGE BEGINS FRIDAY AT 12:30 P.M. ET ON NBC SPORTS GOLD’S “SNOW PASS” & NBCSN
| Date | Event | TV Platform | Time (ET) | Streaming Time (ET) | Streaming Platform |
| 11/30/2018 | Beaver Creek – Men’s Downhill – Xfinity Birds of Prey (LIVE) | NBCSN | 12:30 PM | 12:30 PM | NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app & NBC Sports Gold |
| 11/30/2018 | Lake Louise – Women’s Downhill (LIVE) | Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA | 2:30 PM | 2:30 PM | OlympicChannel.com, Olympic Channel app & NBC Sports Gold |
| 11/30/2018 | Lake Louise – Women’s Downhill* | NBCSN | 5:30 PM | N/A | N/A |
| 12/1/2018 | Beaver Creek – Men’s Super-G – Xfinity Birds of Prey (LIVE) | NBCSN | 1:00 PM | 1:00 PM | NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app & NBC Sports Gold |
| 12/1/2018 | Lake Louise – Women’s Downhill (LIVE) | NBCSN | 2:00 PM | 2:00 PM | NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app & NBC Sports Gold |
| 12/1/2018 | Beaver Creek – Men’s Super-G – Xfinity Birds of Prey* | NBC | 5:00 PM | N/A | N/A |
| 12/1/2018 | Beaver Creek – Men’s Super-G – Xfinity Birds of Prey* | Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA | 6:00 PM | N/A | N/A |
| 12/1/2018 | Lake Louise – Women’s Downhill* | Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA | 10:00 PM | N/A | N/A |
| 12/2/2018 | Beaver Creek – Men’s Giant Slalom – Xfinity Birds of Prey (Run 1) | N/A | N/A | 11:45 AM | NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app & NBC Sports Gold |
| 12/2/2018 | Lake Louise – Women’s Super-G (LIVE) | Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA | 1:00 PM | 1:00 PM | OlympicChannel.com, Olympic Channel app & NBC Sports Gold |
| 12/2/2018 | Beaver Creek – Men’s Giant Slalom – Xfinity Birds of Prey (Run 2) (LIVE) | NBCSN | 2:30 PM | 2:30 PM | NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app & NBC Sports Gold |
| 12/2/2018 | Beaver Creek – Men’s Giant Slalom – Xfinity Birds of Prey (Run 2)* | NBC | 5:00 PM | N/A | N/A |
| 12/2/2018 | Lake Louise – Women’s Super-G* | NBCSN | 6:30 PM | N/A | N/A |
| 12/2/2018 | Beaver Creek – Men’s Giant Slalom – Xfinity Birds of Prey (Run 2)* | Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA | 11:30 PM | N/A | N/A |
*Same-day delay
USA SWIMMING WINTER NATIONALS – GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA
LIVE COVERAGE BEGINS THURSDAY AT 5 P.M. ET ON OLYMPIC CHANNEL: HOME OF TEAM USA
Highlighting NBC Sports’ coverage are Ledecky, who holds world records in the 400-meter, 800-meter and 1500-meter freestyles, and Manuel, who won two gold and two silver medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics and became the first African American woman to win an individual Olympic gold medal in swimming. Five-time Olympic gold medalists Nathan Adrian and Dana Vollmer, and 2016 Olympic silver medalist and two-time world champion Chase Kalisz are expected to compete as well. Vollmer returns to competition for the first time since January.
Ted Robinson (play-by-play) calls the event alongside three-time Olympic gold medalist Rowdy Gaines and reporter Ahmed Fareed.
| Date | Time (ET) | Event | Platform |
| Thurs., Nov. 29 | 5 p.m. | Day 2 Finals (LIVE) | Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, OlympicChannel.com, Olympic Channel app |
| Fri., Nov. 30 | 5 p.m. | Day 3 Finals (LIVE) | Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, OlympicChannel.com, Olympic Channel app |
| Sat., Dec. 1 | 5 p.m. | Day 4 Finals (LIVE) | NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app, usaswimming.org |
| Sun., Dec. 2 | 10 p.m. | Swimming: Finals | NBCSN, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app |
| Sun., Dec. 16 | 3 p.m. | Swimming: Finals | NBC, NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app |
FIS CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING WORLD CUP – LILLEHAMMER, NORWAY
LIVE COVERAGE BEGINS FRIDAY AT 6 A.M. ET ON OLYMPIC CHANNEL: HOME OF TEAM USA
NBC Sports begins its presentation of the 2018-19 FIS Cross-Country Skiing World Cup season this weekend from Lillehammer, Norway, as part of more than 40 hours of coverage set to air throughout 2018-19 across NBCSN, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, OlympicChannel.com and the Olympic Channel app.
2018 Olympic gold medalist Jessie Diggins is expected to headline the American women, along with two-time Olympians Sophie Caldwell and Sadie Bjornsen. Two-time Olympian Erik Bjornsen (brother of Sadie) and three-time Olympian Simi Hamilton are expected to lead the American men.
| Date | Event | TV Platform | Time (ET) | Streaming Time (ET) | Streaming Platform |
| 11/30/2018 | Lillehammer – Men’s & Women’s Sprint (LIVE) | Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA | 6:00 AM | 6:00 AM | OlympicChannel.com, Olympic Channel app & NBC Sports Gold |
| 12/1/2018 | Lillehammer – Women’s 10km* | Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA | 12:00 PM | 4:30 AM | OlympicChannel.com, Olympic Channel app & NBC Sports Gold |
| 12/1/2018 | Lillehammer – Men’s 15km | N/A | N/A | 6:15 AM | OlympicChannel.com, Olympic Channel app & NBC Sports Gold |
| 12/1/2018 | Lillehammer – Women’s 10km* | NBCSN | 9:30 PM | N/A | N/A |
| 12/2/2018 | Lillehammer – Women’s 10km Pursuit* | Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA | 2:30 PM | 4:15 AM | OlympicChannel.com, Olympic Channel app & NBC Sports Gold |
| 12/2/2018 | Lillehammer – Women’s 10km Pursuit* | NBCSN | 3:30 PM | N/A | N/A |
| 12/2/2018 | Lillehammer – Men’s 15km Pursuit | N/A | N/A | 5:45 AM | OlympicChannel.com, Olympic Channel app & NBC Sports Gold |
*Same-day delay
FIS SKI JUMPING WORLD CUP – LILLEHAMMER, NORWAY & NIZHNY TAGIL, RUSSIA – COVERAGE BEGINS FRIDAY AT 7 P.M. ET ON OLYMPIC CHANNEL: HOME OF TEAM USA
The women’s ski jumping World Cup season gets underway with a stop in Lillehammer, Norway, where the U.S. is expected to be led by 2018 Olympian Nita Englund. The men’s ski jumping World Cup makes its third stop of the year in Nizhny Tagil, Russia, where the U.S. will be headlined by PyeongChang Olympian Kevin Bickner.
| Date | Event | TV Platform | Time (ET) | Streaming Time (ET) | Streaming Platform |
| 11/30/2018 | Nizhny Tagil – Men’s HS134 (Qualifying) | N/A | N/A | 9:45 AM | OlympicChannel.com, Olympic Channel app & NBC Sports Gold |
| 11/30/2018 | Lillehammer – Women’s Individual* | Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA | 7:00 PM | 11:30 AM | OlympicChannel.com, Olympic Channel app & NBC Sports Gold |
| 12/1/2018 | Nizhny Tagil – Men’s Individual* | Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA | 7:00 PM | 9:45 AM | OlympicChannel.com, Olympic Channel app & NBC Sports Gold |
| 12/1/2018 | Lillehammer – Women’s Individual* | Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA | 8:30 PM | 11:15 AM | OlympicChannel.com, Olympic Channel app & NBC Sports Gold |
| 12/2/2018 | Lillehammer – Women’s Individual* | Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA | 7:00 PM | 6:45 AM | OlympicChannel.com, Olympic Channel app & NBC Sports Gold |
| 12/2/2018 | Nizhny Tagil – Men’s Individual* | Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA | 8:30 PM | 10:00 AM | OlympicChannel.com, Olympic Channel app & NBC Sports Gold |
*Same-day delay
–NBC SPORTS–
The College Football Playoff and the New Year’s Six Exclusively Revealed on ESPN During the Sport’s Selection Day
The post The College Football Playoff and the New Year’s Six Exclusively Revealed on ESPN During the Sport’s Selection Day appeared first on ESPN MediaZone U.S..
Flyers Content for Philly Pass Includes Pre- and Postgame Programs, Studio Shows and Additional Specials, Including The Case for 88 and Flyers in 50
The Pass Now Includes Content from all four Philly Pro Teams: Eagles, Sixers, Phillies and Flyers
“Philly Pass” Available for Purchase for $29.99/Year
PHILADELPHIA – November 29, 2018 – Starting today, NBC Sports Gold’s “Philly Pass” now includes Philadelphia Flyers content on its direct-to-consumer product. This new streaming product targets Philadelphia sports fans residing outside the NBC Sports Philadelphia territory. “Philly Pass” is available for purchase for $29.99 for the year, or $3.99 per month. Fans can visit www.nbcsports.com/gold/phillypass to purchase the product and confirm if the pass is available in their area.
Flyers fans will receive access to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Flyers pre- and postgame programming, plus specials such as “The Case for 88,” “Flyers in 50,” and the 42nd Annual Flyers Wives Carnival. In all, “Philly Pass” has more than 200 pre- and postgame shows and postgame press conferences for the Philadelphia Eagles, Flyers, Phillies and Sixers, with analysis from former Philly pro athletes and local experts. Fans will enjoy more than 30 hours/week of studio shows, including the network’s weekday sports program “Philly Sports Talk” and the Eagles-centric “Quick Slants;” plus team-oriented content, including the 2018 Eagles Championship Parade, Villanova Championship Parade, and “World Champions: The Story of the ’08 Phillies” documentary.
“Philly Pass” is NBC Sports Regional Network’s second foray into direct to consumer offerings, as “Blazers Pass” launched in November 2017. “Philly Pass,” launched in September, is part of NBC Sports Gold’s suite of direct-to-consumer live streaming products to desktop, mobile, tablets and connected TV devices.
NBC Sports Gold is available on Apple iOS, Android, Apple TV V4, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Chromecast and online at NBCSportsGold.com. NBC Sports Gold is powered by Playmaker Media, NBC Sports Digital’s technology service which provides end-to-end support for companies in need of best-in-class live streaming and VOD solutions.
– NBC SPORTS REGIONAL NETWORKS –
Carol Ko
203-356-2784
carol.ko@nbcuni.com
“We’re starting to see coaches really change. In some ways, PFF and what Doug Pederson did last year has made life tougher on coaches.” – Collinsworth
“The great wild card right now is probably what Frank Reich is doing with the Colts.” – Collinsworth on the NFL playoff picture
“All 32 teams are at very different levels. Every team’s got different ways of doing things.” – Palazzolo on NFL teams using PFF data
Episodes Released on Thursday Mornings – Click Here to Listen
STAMFORD, Conn. – November 29, 2018 – Mike Tirico interviews Sunday Night Football analyst Cris Collinsworth and Pro Football Focus’ Steve Palazzolo on the latest episode of The Mike Tirico Podcast, available now across all podcast platforms.
In this week’s episode, Collinsworth discusses a typical week of prep for SNF, the influence of Pro Football Focus and analytics in football, the evolution of offense in the NFL, and his thoughts on the NFL playoff picture. Palazzolo, senior analyst and director of video content for Pro Football Focus, talks about how different teams use data to evaluate game plans and talent, a closer look at QB accuracy, and how weather can affect quarterbacks. Collinsworth is also a majority owner of Pro Football Focus.
This marks the seventh episode of The Mike Tirico Podcast. Click here to listen to prior episodes which include interviews with Notre Dame Football head coach Brian Kelly and Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers.
The Mike Tirico Podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Spotify, Stitcher and podcasting apps.
PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS
2:30 – Collinsworth on his typical week of SNF prep work
3:30 – Influence of Pro Football Focus and analytics on football
14:00 – How new tackling rules and defensive changes have led to higher scoring in the NFL
21:30 – Collinsworth weighs in on the NFL playoff picture and teams flying under the radar
28:30 – Palazzolo discusses how teams use PFF and data
32:00 – Palazzolo dives further into QB accuracy
Following are quotes from this week’s episode:
CRIS COLLINSWORTH WITH MIKE TIRICO
Collinsworth on influence of Pro Football Focus and analytics: “We’re starting to see coaches really change. In some ways, PFF and what Doug Pederson did last year has made life tougher on coaches. The math says they have been punting too much, not going for it in the red zone enough, and not going for it on fourth down enough.”
Tirico: “It feels like all of a sudden, in the last 18 months, all of that old school thinking is not getting thrown out the window, but examined very closely.”
Collinsworth: “We are talking about nuances and we are talking about degree here, as far as what puts the game away or what is the best strategy from a pure percentage standpoint. You can really narrow that down now. Sometimes it’s a 52-48 call. Now you’re really sitting there with your gut.”
Tirico: “What’s fascinating to me now is that old-school coaches are facing this challenge…do you understand the analytics, can you apply them because it’s counter to what you’ve always thought? It’s beyond the fourth-and-two…it’s going to get to personnel decisions that teams make as they’re in their offseason and examining what players did in each scenario. Football was never looked at in this way before.”
Collinsworth: “There’s a human factor to the whole thing too, and the human factor is the choke factor on fourth down. It’s not like it’s second-and-eight and if you drop a pass or throw a bad ball, you just go on to third down and try it again. This is fourth down, this is usually game on the line. Nerves play a part…there are other things that I think we will continue to discover.”
Collinsworth on high scoring and offensive innovation in the NFL: “I think it is fantastic for pro football…now you don’t have to have one of those eight (elite quarterbacks) to have a chance to win…now what’s happened is that we’ve got these guys that even if they don’t have a great arm, they can be great read option players because they’re smart, or they’re athletic, or they can really run or do something else. I think the idea that we’ve now moved from 6-8 quarterbacks that can win the Super Bowl every year into more of the 12-14 quarterbacks that might be able to because of these various styles makes the game more interesting.”
Collinsworth on NFL playoff picture: “Watch out for the defensive teams…teams like the Texans, the Ravens, the Cowboys, the Bears – some of those teams that can really play defense…it’s always the one that sneaks through…there are hot offenses, but there are also hot defenses, and those are the ones we tend to ignore…the great wild card right now is probably what Frank Reich is doing with the Colts…I tend to think this is a little more wide open than people think.”
STEVE PALAZZOLO WITH MIKE TIRICO
Palazzolo on how NFL teams use Pro Football Focus: “All 32 teams are at very different levels of – I don’t want to use the word competence – but they use things differently. They have different focuses. That’s the most eye-opening thing…every team’s got different ways of doing things. But there’s a lot of data going into weekly game planning…I think we’re helping to make teams more efficient.”
Palazzolo on offensive trends he’s seeing in the NFL: “We see offenses that are better at attacking the base coverages around the NFL, and I think it’s the eye candy in the running game…there’s jet motion, there’s orbit motion, all of these different things…essentially, offenses are getting good at winning the numbers advantage on defense. If you can move just one defender, all of a sudden, the run play or pass play opens up.”
–NBC SPORTS–