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Archives for September 2020

NASCAR PLAYOFFS CONTINUE AT TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY THIS SUNDAY AT 2 P.M. ET ON NBC

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Sunday’s Cup Series Coverage Begins at 1 p.m. ET on NBC With NASCAR America Pre-Race Show

NASCAR Xfinity Series Racing at Talladega – Coverage Begins Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN

Return to Nashville Superspeedway Kicks Off NBC Sports’ 2021 NASCAR Schedule

INDYCAR Harvest GP Doubleheader at IMS – Friday at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA Network and Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 30, 2020 – The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs continue this weekend from Talladega Superspeedway on NBC Sports, as pre-race coverage begins this Sunday at 1 p.m. ET on NBC with the NASCAR America Pre-Race Show, followed by Countdown to Green. Coverage of the Cup Series YellaWood 500 begins at 2 p.m. ET on NBC.

Saturday’s Xfinity Series pre-race coverage begins at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN, with the green flag slated to wave shortly after 4:30 p.m. ET.

With his overtime victory on Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Kurt Busch became the first driver to claim a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs’ Round of 8. Regular season champion Kevin Harvick is currently best on points, trailed by Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski.

2020 NASCAR CUP SERIES PLAYOFF STANDINGS

Drivers Points/Wins
Kurt Busch 1 win
Kevin Harvick + 61
Denny Hamlin + 58
Brad Keselowski + 16
Martin Truex Jr. + 15
Joey Logano + 11
Chase Elliott + 10
Alex Bowman + 9
Kyle Busch – 9
Clint Bowyer – 20
Aric Almirola – 27
Austin Dillon – 32

 

The return to Nashville Superspeedway begins NBC Sports’ portion of the 2021 NASCAR schedule, beginning June 20, and culminating with the Championship at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 6-7. Nashville is the first of 39 total races NBC Sports will present in 2021, which once again includes the entire NASCAR Playoffs.

NASCAR CUP SERIES RACING FROM TALLADEGA – SUNDAY AT 2 P.M. ET ON NBC

Host Krista Voda, NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee and 1999 NASCAR Cup Series champion Dale Jarrett and analyst Brad Daugherty will provide pre- and post-race studio coverage.

NBC Sports’ lead NASCAR race announcer Rick Allen, 21-time Cup Series race winner and “The Mayor” of NASCAR Jeff Burton and two-time Daytona 500 Champion and recent NASCAR Hall of Fame selection Dale Earnhardt Jr. will call the race from the broadcast booth at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte will be providing analysis on-site for the weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.

Marty Snider, Dave Burns and Kelli Stavast will serve as pit reporters on-site from Talladega.

XFINITY SERIES RACING FROM TALLADEGA – SATURDAY AT 4:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

NBC Sports’ Xfinity Series coverage from Talladega begins Saturday with Countdown to Green at 3:30 p.m. ET leading into Xfinity Series racing at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. The Xfinity Series Playoffs began last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where Chase Briscoe earned his series-best eighth victory of the season. The win propels Briscoe to Round 2 of the Playoffs, while Austin Cindric and Noah Gragson round out the top three in the standings.

Allen, Earnhardt Jr., Burton and Letarte will call Saturday’s Xfinity race on NBCSN with Snider and Stavast reporting from pit road.

2020 PIT CREW ALL-STARS TO BE RECOGNIZED DURING NASCAR PLAYOFFS

During the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, NBC Sports will salute this year’s Pit Crew All-Stars. This group of unsung heroes – 16 in all, matching the 16 Playoff drivers – comes from the ranks of over-the-wall crew members, engineers, shop employees, hauler drivers, and/or team officials. Throughout the Playoffs, NBC will showcase the All-Stars’ stories, and what makes them and their abilities so special.

MIKE SKINNER JOINS DALE JR. DOWNLOAD – TONIGHT AT 5 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

Former NASCAR Cup Series driver Mike Skinner is this week’s guest on the Dale Jr. Download that airs tonight at 5 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Skinner was the 1995 NASCAR Gander Truck Series champion and currently co-hosts Skinner Round-Up on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio with his wife Angie Skinner.

Produced on-site at Dirty Mo Media Studios in Mooresville, N.C., the Dale Jr. Download on NBCSN takes viewers couch-side for the taping of the motorsports icon’s weekly podcast, featuring unparalleled perspective, candid commentary, and insight that fans have come to expect from Dale Jr.

INDYCAR HARVEST GP – RACE 1 FRIDAY AT 3:30 P.M. ET ON USA NETWORK; RACE 2 SATURDAY AT 2:30 P.M. ET ON NBC

The 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season returns to action with the INDYCAR Harvest GP doubleheader at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s road course on Friday and Saturday. Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon (456 pts) can capture his sixth career INDYCAR championship if he finishes fourth or better in all three remaining races this season (this weekend’s doubleheader and the season finale at St. Petersburg on Sunday, Oct. 25).

Coverage from IMS begins Thursday with a practice session at 2:25 p.m. ET, followed later in the afternoon with qualifying coverage starting at 6:20 p.m. ET, both exclusively on NBC Sports Gold’s INDYCAR Pass. Race 1 will be presented on Friday at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA Network.

Saturday’s coverage begins with qualifying at 10:20 a.m. ET exclusively on NBC Sports Gold. The second race of the INDYCAR Harvest GP doubleheader will be presented on NBC at 2:30 p.m. ET.

NBC Sports’ lead INDYCAR broadcast team of Leigh Diffey (play-by-play), Townsend Bell (analyst), and Paul Tracy (analyst) will have the call for the weekend doubleheader with Kevin Lee and Dillon Welch providing reports from the pits.

LUCAS OIL PRO MOTOCROSS THUNDER VALLEY – SATURDAY AT 7:30 P.M. ET ON NBCSN

The 2020 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship season continues with the Thunder Valley National in Lakewood, Colo., Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Zach Osborne leads the 450MX Class points standings, while Dylan Ferrandis is atop the 250 MX Class standings with two rounds remaining in the 2020 campaign.

Veteran play-by-play voice Jason Weigandt, analyst and two-time AMA Pro Motocross Champion Grant Langston, and pit reporter Will Christien will call the race.

In addition to coverage on NBCSN, NBC Sports Gold’s Pro Motocross Pass will super-serve Motocross fans everywhere with programming that includes live, commercial-free coverage of every Moto 1 and Moto 2 from each round.

Following is this week’s motorsports programming across NBC Sports:

DATE COVERAGE TIME (ET) NETWORK
Wed., Sept. 30 Dale Jr. Download – Mike Skinner 5 p.m. NBCSN
Thurs., Oct. 1 INDYCAR Harvest GP Practice 2:25 p.m. NBC Sports Gold
  INDYCAR Harvest GP Race 1 Qualifying 6:20 p.m. NBC Sports Gold
Fri., Oct. 2 INDYCAR Harvest GP Race 1 3:30 p.m. USA Network
Sat., Oct. 3 INDYCAR Harvest GP Race 2 Qualifying 10:20 a.m. NBC Sports Gold
  INDYCAR Harvest GP Race 2 2:30 p.m. NBC
  Xfinity Series – Countdown to Green 3:30 p.m. NBCSN
 

 

 NASCAR Xfinity Series Race – Talladega 4:30 p.m. NBCSN
  Xfinity Series Post-Race 7 p.m. NBCSN
  Lucas Oil Pro Motocross – Thunder Valley 7:30 p.m. NBCSN
Sun., Oct. 4 NASCAR America Pre-Race Show 1 p.m. NBC
  Cup Series – Countdown to Green 1:30 p.m. NBC
  NASCAR Cup Series Race – Talladega 2 p.m. NBC
  Cup Series Post-Race 6 p.m. NBCSN

 

NBC SPORTS’ NASCAR COVERAGE

NBC Sports is the official home of the 2020 NASCAR Playoffs, covering the race for the NASCAR Cup Series & NASCAR Xfinity Series championships. NBC Sports’ NASCAR programming also includes NBCSN’s daily motorsports show, NASCAR America; races from NASCAR’s regional touring series; annual events such as the NASCAR Cup Series Awards and NASCAR Hall of Fame induction ceremony; and original programming specials.

 

–NBC SPORTS–

DIVISION CHAMPIONS MEET AS JIMMY GAROPPOLO & SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS HOST CARSON WENTZ & THE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES ON THIS WEEK’S EDITION OF NBC’S SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

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Coverage Begins with Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET; Followed by 8:20 p.m. ET SNF Kickoff

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports App to Live Stream All Sunday Night Football Games

Universo to Televise All SNF Games in Spanish-Language

“Sunday Night 7” Free-to-Play Game Features $100,000 Jackpot Every Contest

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 30, 2020 – It’s a matchup of 2019 division champions on this week’s edition of NBC’s Sunday Night Football, as Jimmy Garoppolo and the defending NFC champion San Francisco 49ers host Carson Wentz and the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles and 49ers won the NFC East and NFC West respectively in 2019, are currently within one game of first place in their respective divisions, and represented the NFC in two of the last three Super Bowls. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET with Football Night in America on NBC, followed by kickoff at 8:20 p.m. ET from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

The 49ers lead the all-time series 18-13-1, although the Eagles were victorious in the last matchup, 33-10, in 2017. The victory was the sixth win in a row for Philadelphia in a campaign where the team finished 13-3, culminating in winning Super Bowl LII over the New England Patriots by a score of 41-33 that aired on NBC.

Calling Eagles-49ers is Al Michaels (play-by-play), in his record 35th season as the voice of the NFL’s premier primetime package; 16-time Emmy Award-winner Cris Collinsworth; and three-time Emmy Award-winning sideline reporter Michele Tafoya. Three-time Super Bowl referee Terry McAulay is the Sunday Night Football rules analyst.

NBC’s coverage of Sunday Night Football is led by executive producer Fred Gaudelli and director Drew Esocoff. SNF is the only show to win 10 Sports Emmy Awards for Outstanding Live Sports Series.

Last week, the injury-riddled 49ers defeated the Giants, 36-9, behind 343 passing yards from quarterback Nick Mullens and a touchdown by running back Jerick McKinnon. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo missed the matchup due to an ankle injury and is questionable for Sunday’s game.

After the conclusion of the Packers’ 37-30 victory over the Saints on last week’s edition of SNF, Cris Collinsworth discussed the 49ers’ impressive Week 3 performance: “Anytime you go in without your quarterback, 11 guys out (with injuries) that game, and go in and not just win, but dominate on the road, you know you have something special cooking. Those guys are going to get healthy, watch out for the 49ers.”

The Eagles battled the Bengals to a 23-23 tie on Sunday, marking the first tie to take place in the NFL since Detroit-Arizona finished even at 27-27 in Week 1 last season. Wentz, who has five total touchdowns through three weeks this season, will aim to lead the Eagles to their first victory and keep pace in the NFC East.

Mike Tirico will host Football Night in America at 7 p.m. ET alongside Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy, two-time Super Bowl champion Rodney Harrison, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, and NFL Insider Mike Florio. Liam McHugh will co-host FNIA on-site from Levi’s Stadium. Football Night is produced by Rob Hyland and directed by Mike Sheehan.

NBCSPORTS.COM & NBC SPORTS APP TO LIVE STREAM ALL NBC NFL GAMES

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will stream all NBC games to desktops, mobile, tablets, and connected TVs via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to their subscription service, and making high-quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. The full HD-quality video stream will come directly from NBC’s broadcasts. NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app are available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox, and Chromecast.

TELEMUNDO DEPORTES PRESENTS FULL SEASON OF SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

Telemundo Deportes will televise the entire NBC Sunday Night Football package live including all Sunday night regular-season games, the NFL Kickoff game, the annual Thanksgiving night game and three Playoff Games. Universo will televise 21 games, with Telemundo to broadcast the newly-added primetime NFL Wild Card playoff game on Sunday, January 10. Coverage of the 2020 NFL season across both Telemundo and sister network, Universo, mark the first time ever that the full SNF schedule is available in Spanish-language in the U.S.

“SUNDAY NIGHT 7” FREE-TO-PLAY GAME RETURNS WITH $100,000 JACKPOT EVERY CONTEST

Once again this season, in the build-up to each week’s Sunday Night Football matchup, fans can participate in NBC Sports’ free-to-play game, Sunday Night 7, which features a $100,000 jackpot every contest over the course of the regular season and NBC NFL playoff games. Sunday Night 7 is available for download NOW on the NBC Sports Predictor app (available in the App Store and Google Play Store) and at NBCSports.com/Predictor.

Last week, two winners spilt the Sunday Night 7 jackpot, with each taking home $50,750.

PETER KING’S NFL COLUMN “FOOTBALL MORNING IN AMERICA” DEBUTS EVERY MONDAY EXCLUSIVELY ON NBCSPORTS.COM

A new “Football Morning in America” will post every Monday morning exclusively on NBCSports.com. It was announced in May 2019 that King signed an exclusive agreement with NBC Sports Group that included writing a weekly Monday morning NFL column for NBCSports.com; making regular appearances on PFT Live with Mike Florio; and continuing to contribute to Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.

CHRIS SIMMS UNBUTTONED

NBC Sports’ Chris Simms examines everything happening in the NFL and around the sports world. Along with a rotation of NBC Sports hosts including Ahmed Fareed, Paul Burmeister and Liam McHugh, Chris Simms Unbuttoned analyses the NFL with in-depth Xs and Os breakdowns; one-on-one interviews with players, coaches and executives; and game recaps and preview.

ROTOWORLD

Rotoworld offers comprehensive fantasy football coverage throughout the 2020 NFL season across NBC Sports’ platforms. Rotoworld’s Fantasy Football Draft Guide and premium tools are available for purchase now via Rotoworld’s new subscription model, beginning at only $3.99 per month. The industry-leading source for fantasy football news and information, the 2020 Rotoworld Fantasy Football Draft Guide features more than 450 extensive player profiles, ‘Sleepers and Busts,’ player projections, positional rankings and tier groupings from Rotoworld’s NFL experts, and more. For the first time, Rotoworld’s Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet is downloadable and available for free by registering on Rotoworld.com. The Cheat Sheet, which includes top 200 PPR rankings, PPR positional rankings, dynasty rookies, and more, is also available as part of the 2020 Draft Guide.

PFT LIVE – WEEKDAYS AT 7 A.M. ET ON PEACOCK

Mike Florio and co-host Chris Simms bring fans the latest NFL news and interviews with players and coaches every weekday morning with PFT Live streaming live on Peacock at 7 a.m. ET. Peter King and NBC Football Night in America analyst Rodney Harrison also contribute regularly to PFT Live’s coverage throughout the season.

The two-hour PFT Live is known for delivering inside information and comprehensive analysis from an independent perspective. The show covers all the latest news around the league, breaks down reports and rumors and features interviews with players, coaches and executives. The show will be re-aired on NBCSN from 9-11 a.m. ET.

PODCASTS

NBC Sports’ football podcasts provide extensive weekly offerings from NBC Sports’ most popular personalities and present special guests, exclusive interviews, and robust conversations across all of football on The Peter King Podcast, Chris Simms Unbuttoned, PFT PM, and Rotoworld Football. While The Peter King Podcast features intimate discussions with the NFL’s top players, Chris Simms Unbuttoned and PFT PM dive into deep conversations around the sports’ hottest topics, and Rotoworld Football explores fantasy implications for fans. New episodes of NBC Sports podcasts are available for download each week on all major podcast platforms including: NBCSports.com/podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and iHeart.

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SOCIAL MEDIA

  • SNF ON INSTAGRAM: Through the unique filter of Instagram, fans will get an in-depth look at each week’s Sunday Night Football game with the most engaging photos and videos from across the NFL. SNF also utilizes Instagram Stories for up-to-the-minute coverage of the league.
  • SNF ON TWITTER: The very latest news, video, analysis from the Football Night in America crew and much more lives on @SNFonNBC, the real-time engine for NBC’s year-round NFL coverage.
  • SNF ON FACEBOOK: With more than 3.5 million followers, SNF’s Facebook page is the hub of football conversation. It’s the place to converse and engage with fellow fans on the latest news and action across the NFL.
  • NBC SPORTS ON TIKTOK: New for 2020, NBC Sports’ presence on TikTok puts the spotlight on the offbeat and exuberant side of the National Football League for a young, highly-engaged audience.

NBC SPORTS REGIONAL NETWORKS

NBC Sports Regional Networks, which serve top NFL markets such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and San Francisco, will surround the 2020 NFL season with in-depth news, analysis and original programming on the teams that matter most in 32 million U.S. households.

SNF GRILL BRINGS STADIUM EXPERIENCE TO FRONTLINE WORKERS

Throughout the first half of the 2020 NFL season, NBC will celebrate and support local communities by bringing the SNF Grill, a mobile concession stand setup, to the host cities of each Sunday Night Football game. The SNF Grill will thank first responders and frontline workers by bringing a gameday stadium experience, filled with free meals and football-related fun, to hospitals, fire stations, and other frontline worker venues.

In accordance with health and safety standards, social distancing and masks will be required at all stops.

CARRIE UNDERWOOD

Seven-time Grammy Award-winner and multi-platinum recording artist Carrie Underwood stars in the show open for NBC’s Sunday Night Football.

Working within social-distancing parameters, the 2020 Sunday Night Football show open was uniquely produced without extras in a studio or stadium, while also celebrating the millions who watch the games.

For the first time, the SNF show open will feature user-generated content from fans showcasing their team spirit. In addition, cameos from some of the NFL’s biggest stars, also recorded remotely, will be highlighted.

NBC’S SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL IS PRIMETIME TELEVISION’S NO. 1 SHOW FOR RECORD NINE CONSECUTIVE YEARS: NBC’s Sunday Night Football finished the 2019-20 TV season as primetime’s #1 TV show in all key metrics for an unprecedented ninth consecutive year – adding to its record for the most consecutive years atop the charts (since 1950), based on official live plus same day data provided by Nielsen. Sunday Night Football also ranked as the No. 1 show in the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic for the 10th consecutive TV season.

2020 NBC SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Sun. Oct. 4 Week 4 Philadelphia Eagles at San Francisco 49ers
*Sun. Oct. 11 Week 5   Minnesota Vikings at Seattle Seahawks
*Sun. Oct. 18 Week 6 Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers
*Sun. Oct. 25 Week 7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Las Vegas Raiders
*Sun. Nov. 1 Week 8 Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
*Sun. Nov. 8 Week 9 New Orleans Saints at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
*Sun. Nov. 15 Week 10 Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots
*Sun. Nov. 22 Week 11  Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders
**Thurs. Nov. 26 Week 12 Baltimore Ravens at Pittsburgh Steelers
*Sun. Nov. 29 Week 12 Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers
*Sun. Dec. 6 Week 13 Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs
*Sun. Dec. 13 Week 14 Pittsburgh Steelers at Buffalo Bills
*Sun. Dec. 20 Week 15 San Francisco 49ers at Dallas Cowboys
*Sun. Dec. 27 Week 16 Tennessee Titans at Green Bay Packers
*Sun. Jan. 3 Week 17 TBD

*Flex Week
** Thanksgiving Night Game

FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING: Flexible scheduling will be used in Weeks 11-17. Additionally, in Weeks 5-10, flexible scheduling may be used in no more than two weeks. In Weeks 5-16, the schedule lists the games tentatively set for Sunday Night Football on NBC. Only Sunday afternoon games are eligible to be moved to Sunday night, in which case the tentatively scheduled Sunday night game would be moved to an afternoon start time. Flexible scheduling will not be applied to games airing on Thursday or Monday nights.

For Week 17, the Sunday night game will be announced no later than six days prior to January 3. The schedule does not list a Sunday night game in Week 17, but an afternoon game with playoff implications will be moved to that time slot. Flexible scheduling ensures quality matchups in all Sunday time slots in those weeks, and gives “surprise” teams a chance to play their way into primetime.

– SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL –

RETURN TO NASHVILLE SUPERSPEEDWAY KICKS OFF NBC SPORTS’ 2021 NASCAR SCHEDULE

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NBC Sports Presents 39 NASCAR Races in 2021 Beginning with Return to Nashville on June 20

Cup Series Takes on Road America on July 4th Weekend and Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course at Revamped Brickyard Weekend on August 14-15

Cup Series Racing from Atlanta Motor Speedway Returns to NBC Sports July 11

Regular-Season Finale at Daytona International Speedway on August 28

Bristol (Sept. 18), Charlotte ROVAL (Oct. 10) and Martinsville (Oct. 31) Return as Playoff Cutoff Races

Cup and Xfinity Series Championship Races from Phoenix on November 6-7

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 30, 2020 – The return to Nashville Superspeedway begins NBC Sports’ portion of the 2021 NASCAR schedule, beginning June 20, and culminating with the Championship at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 6-7. Nashville is the first of 39 total races NBC Sports will present in 2021, which once again includes the entire NASCAR Playoffs.

In addition to Nashville, schedule highlights include:

  • The NASCAR Cup Series takes on additional road courses in 2021 at Road America on the Fourth of July and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course for the first time, headlining a revamped Brickyard Weekend on August 14-15 featuring a NASCAR-INDYCAR doubleheader;

 

  • NBC Sports presents its first Cup Series race from Atlanta Motor Speedway since 2006 on July 11;

 

  • The regular-season finale returns to Daytona International Speedway on August 28;

 

  • Bristol (Sept. 18), Charlotte ROVAL (Oct. 10) and Martinsville (Oct. 31) return as Cup Series Playoff cutoff races;

 

  • The NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series Championships will be decided at Phoenix Raceway on November 6-7.

 

“There’s no better place to celebrate the start of NBC Sports’ portion of the 2021 NASCAR season than in the ‘Music City’ of Nashville,” said Michael Perman, vice president, programming, NBC Sports. “This latest evolution in NASCAR’s schedule is a credit to Jim France, Steve Phelps and everyone in the industry as it represents the most dynamic slate of races in recent times. From new road course events at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Road America, to the unpredictability of the superspeedways at Talladega and Daytona, plus pressure-packed Playoff cutoff races at Bristol, the ROVAL, and Martinsville – fans will be treated to exciting racing across NBC Sports through the Championship at Phoenix.”

“The ability to deliver this historic NASCAR Cup Series schedule is a testament to the thorough collaboration across NASCAR, the broadcast partners, racetracks and the race teams,” said Ben Kennedy, NASCAR vice president, racing development. “We couldn’t be more thrilled with the mix of new venues and new track layouts to go along with the traditional, history-rich racetracks that are part of the 2021 slate. When you bring all these pieces together, it will prove to be one of the most dynamic NASCAR Cup Series schedules in decades. We look forward to NBC Sports showcasing many of these new venues starting in Nashville next year.”

Following are NBC Sports’ 2021 NASCAR Cup Series schedule. Networks and start times will be revealed at a later date:

NBC SPORTS 2021 NASCAR CUP SERIES SCHEDULE
Date Location
Sun., June 20 Nashville Superspeedway
Sat., June 26 Pocono Raceway
Sun., June 27 Pocono Raceway
Sun., July 4 Road America
Sun., July 11 Atlanta Motor Speedway
Sun., July 18 New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Sun., Aug. 8 Watkins Glen International
Sun., Aug. 15 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course
Sun., Aug. 22 Michigan International Speedway
Sat., Aug. 28 Daytona International Speedway
Sun., Sept. 5 Darlington Raceway
Sat., Sept. 11 Richmond Raceway
Sat., Sept. 18 Bristol Motor Speedway
Sun., Sept. 26 Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Sun., Oct. 3 Talladega Superspeedway
Sun., Oct. 10 Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL
Sun., Oct. 17 Texas Motor Speedway
Sun., Oct. 24 Kansas Speedway
Sun., Oct. 31 Martinsville Speedway
Sun., Nov. 7 Phoenix Raceway

 

*subject to change

–NBC SPORTS–

NBC SPORTS PRESENTS 145th PREAKNESS STAKES THIS SAT., OCT. 3 AT 4:30 PM ET ON NBC

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Kentucky Derby Winner Authentic Headlines Field as Trainer Bob Baffert Aims for Record Eighth Preakness Victory

Musician Wyclef Jean to Perform Live from Pimlico on Saturday’s Broadcast

Saturday’s Coverage from Pimlico Includes the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes for 3-Year-Old Fillies & A Feature on Baffert’s 2020 Kentucky Derby

Special Riders Up Documentary, This Friday at 6 p.m. ET & Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN Highlights Racing at Santa Anita in Early Days of Pandemic

This Weekend’s Horse Racing Coverage Begins Friday on NBCSN with TVG Trackside Live at 4 p.m. ET & Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series at 5 p.m. ET; Coverage Continues Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN with Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 30, 2020 – NBC Sports presents the 145th Preakness Stakes this Saturday, Oct. 3 at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC live from Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, MD.

This year’s Preakness Stakes moved from May 16, and is the final race of the 2020 Triple Crown, marking the first time since 1931 that the Triple Crown races have not been run in the traditional Kentucky Derby-Preakness Stakes-Belmont Stakes sequence. In addition, this year’s Preakness Stakes has been designated as a “Win and You’re In” race for the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 7 on NBC. This Saturday’s coverage also includes the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes for three-year-old fillies.

Trainer Bob Baffert aims to win a record eighth Preakness Stakes with 2020 Kentucky Derby winner Authentic (the 9-to-5 morning line favorite) headlining the field, which also includes Art Collector (5-to-2), who was considered a Derby favorite before a minor foot problem prevented him from entering, and Swiss Skydiver (6-to-1), who can become the first filly to win the Preakness since 2009 (Rachel Alexandra).

Saturday’s coverage will include two jockey cams to provide unique on-track perspective, along with enhanced audio through a mic’d up trainer and jockey. The show will also contain a feature on Baffert’s 2020 Kentucky Derby experience, including a half-hour span in which Thousand Words was scratched prior to the race after flipping in the paddock and Authentic knocking down Baffert down post-race in the winner’s circle. Thousand Words (6-to-1) is also running in the Preakness on Saturday.

Musician and actor Wyclef Jean, a three-time Grammy Award winner, will perform at Pimlico with a symphony orchestra and call Riders Up.

This weekend’s horse racing coverage begins Friday with TVG Trackside Live at 4 p.m. ET on NBCSN, followed by two races on the “Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In – presented by America’s Best Racing” telecast at 5 p.m. ET from Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Kentucky.

On Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET, NBCSN will televise three automatic Breeders’ Cup qualifying races — the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes, the Bourbon Stakes and the Indian Summer Stakes — from Keeneland as part of the “Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series: Win and You’re In – presented by America’s Best Racing.”

At 6 p.m. ET on Friday and 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, NBCSN will present Riders Up, a special documentary highlighting racing at Santa Anita Park at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The documentary was filmed and produced by The Hennegan Brothers, who are multiple Eclipse Award-winning directors.

SOCIALLY-DISTANCED COMMENTATORS: NBC Sports’ coverage of the Preakness Stakes features host Ahmed Fareed and analyst Randy Moss from NBC Sports Group’s International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn. Hall of Fame jockey and analyst Jerry Bailey and handicapper Eddie Olczyk join from their respective homes, while reporters Britney Eurton and Kenny Rice and race caller Larry Collmus will be on-site at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.

The Preakness Stakes is produced by Lindsay Schanzer and directed by Kaare Numme. The coordinating producer of NBC’s horse racing coverage is Rob Hyland, who has been a part of the network’s horse racing coverage since 2001. Executive producer and president, production, NBC Sports and NBCSN is Sam Flood.

Highlights of Saturday’s Preakness Stakes coverage on NBC include:

    • The 96th running of the Black-Eyed Susan Stakes on Saturday on NBC.
    • A feature on Bob Baffert’s Kentucky Derby, which included a half-hour span in which Thousand Words, who is competing in this weekend’s Preakness Stakes, was scratched after flipping in the paddock, leading to the broken wrist of assistant trainer Jimmy Barnes. After winning the Derby, Authentic then acted up in the winner’s circle, causing Baffert to fall.
    • Jerry Bailey and Randy Moss remotely go “around the barns” to meet the contenders of the 145th Preakness Stakes.
    • Reporter/handicapper Matt Bernier reports from Keeneland Race Course, and looks ahead to the upcoming Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Nov. 6-7 at Keeneland on NBC and NBCSN.
    • Two jockey cams to provide unique on-track perspective.
    • One jockey and one trainer will be mic’d.

 

THIS WEEK’S NBC SPORTS HORSE RACING SCHEDULE (ALL TIMES ET)
Date Time Event Network
Fri., Oct. 2 4 p.m. TVG Trackside Live NBCSN
Fri., Oct. 2 5 p.m. Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series NBCSN
Sat., Oct. 3 4:30 p.m. Preakness Stakes NBC
Sun., Oct. 4 4:30 p.m. Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series NBCSN

 

PREAKNESS STAKES COVERAGE ON COVERAGE ON NBCSPORTS.COM, NBC SPORTS APP & PEACOCK

NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app will stream live coverage to desktops, mobile, tablets, and connected TVs via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value to their subscription service, and making high-quality content available to MVPD customers both in and out of the home and on multiple platforms. The full HD-quality video stream will come directly from NBC’s broadcasts. NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app are available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Samsung Smart TVs, Xbox, and Chromecast. NBC Sports.com, the NBC Sports app, and Peacock – NBCUniversal’s streaming service – will provide a full race replay of the Kentucky Derby.

NBC SPORTS RADIO PREAKNESS STAKES COVERAGE

In partnership with Horse Racing Radio Network (HRRN), NBC Sports Audio Network will present two hours of live Preakness Stakes race coverage beginning Saturday, Oct. 3 at 4 p.m. ET featuring host Mike Penna and analyst Bobby Neuman. The broadcast will include a simulcast of the live race call by NBC Sports’ Larry Collmus. This is the sixth consecutive year HRRN and NBC Sports have teamed to produce radio coverage of the Triple Crown, which will be available throughout North America on SiriusXM satellite radio (channels 219 on Sirius and 201 on XM) along with terrestrial affiliates throughout the United States.  Live streaming can also be accessed at NBCSports.com, and the HRRN website.

NBC SPORTS GROUP AND HORSE RACING: NBC Sports Group is the exclusive home to the most important and prestigious events in horse racing, including the Triple Crown, the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, Royal Ascot, and Pegasus World Cup Invitational Series. NBC has been the exclusive home of the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes since 2001, and the Belmont Stakes since 2011, when NBC Sports Group reassembled the Triple Crown.

–NBC SPORTS–

ESPN, ABC, NBA and The Undefeated Team Up to #ChampionBlackBusinesses for the 2020 NBA Finals

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ESPN, in collaboration with ABC, the NBA and The Undefeated, today announced the #ChampionBlackBusinesses initiative as part of ESPN’s “Rise Together” campaign unveiled earlier in the NBA season. #ChampionBlackBusinesses will elevate Black-owned businesses and their stories, and cement the importance their imprint has on their communities, across ESPN platforms during The Finals and beyond.

The post ESPN, ABC, NBA and The Undefeated Team Up to #ChampionBlackBusinesses for the 2020 NBA Finals appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..

MANCHESTER CITY VISIT LEEDS UNITED THIS SATURDAY, OCT. 3 AT 12:30 PM ET ON NBC & UNIVERSO, HEADLINING WEEKEND PREMIER LEAGUE ACTION

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Manchester United v. Tottenham at 11:30 a.m. ET Highlights NBCSN Tripleheader this Sunday, Oct. 4

Chelsea Host Crystal Palace Saturday at 7:30 a.m. ET on Peacock Premium, Kicking Off this Weekend’s Coverage

Transfer Deadline Day Extravaganza on Monday, Oct. 5 – Special 11-Hour Sky Sports News Coverage Streams Live on Peacock Beginning at 8 a.m. ET, Plus Three-Hour Premier League Live: Transfer Deadline Special, on NBCSN at 4 p.m. ET

Leeds United Manager Marcelo Bielsa Joins Roger Bennett for New Episode of Inside the Mind, Available on the “Premier League on NBC Sports” YouTube Channel

STAMFORD, Conn. – Sept. 30, 2020 – Patrick Bamford and Leeds United host Manchester City, who were last season’s Premier League runners-up, and champions the prior two seasons, this Saturday, Oct. 3 at 12:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Universo, highlighting this weekend’s Premier League action.

After opening the season with a close loss at defending champions Liverpool, Leeds have won their past two Premier League outings, including a 1-0 win at Sheffield United last Sunday in which Bamford scored an 88th-minute winner. Manchester City are looking to bounce back after last weekend’s 5-2 defeat against Jamie Vardy and Leicester City at Etihad Stadium. Arlo White will call the match on NBC, joined by former Premier League footballer Lee Dixon, live from Elland Road.

Rebecca Lowe hosts Goal Zone, Premier League Mornings, and Premier League Live, joined by former Jamaica National Team player Robbie Earle, and former Premier League and U.S. Men’s National Team goalkeeper Tim Howard.

This weekend’s coverage kicks off Saturday at 7 a.m. ET with Premier League Mornings on Peacock Premium, followed by Chelsea hosting Crystal Palace at 7:30 a.m. ET. At 10 a.m. ET, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Everton – who’ve won their opening three Premier League games – host Brighton & Hove Albion on NBCSN and Universo. Saturday’s coverage concludes on Peacock Premium starting with Premier League Live at 2:30 p.m. ET, followed by Newcastle v. Burnley at 3 p.m. ET and Goal Zone at 5 p.m. ET.

Sunday’s live Premier League coverage features a trio of Peacock Premium matches in the morning, beginning at 7 a.m. ET with Jamie Vardy and top-of-the-table Leicester City hosting West Ham, who recorded their first victory of the season in a 4-0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday. Also at 7 a.m. ET, Southampton host West Bromwich Albion, who are still looking for their first Premier League victory since rejoining the Premier League this season. Following at 9 a.m. ET, Arsenal host Sheffield United.

Sunday’s tripleheader on NBCSN begins with Wolverhampton Wanderers v. Fulham at 9 a.m. ET (NBCSN, Telemundo), followed by Premier League Live at 11 a.m. ET and Tottenham visiting Manchester United at 11:30 a.m. ET (NBCSN, Telemundo). Spurs are coming off a 1-1 draw with Newcastle last Sunday, while Manchester United fought back in dramatic fashion to beat Brighton & Hove Albion, 3-2, last weekend. White and Dixon will call Manchester United-Tottenham, which sees Jose Mourinho return to Old Trafford, on NBCSN.

At 2:15 p.m. ET on NBCSN and Universo, defending champions Liverpool visit Aston Villa in a clash of so-far perfect clubs at Villa Park, followed by Goal Zone at 4:15 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

TRANSFER DEADLINE DAY EXTRAVAGANZA ON PEACOCK & NBCSN ON MONDAY, OCT. 5

On Monday, Oct. 5, NBC Sports will present immersive coverage of Premier League Transfer Deadline Day. Beginning at 8 a.m. ET, Peacock on its free service will stream live Sky Sports News’ 11 hours of international deadline day coverage. Then at 4 p.m. ET, NBCSN will present a three-hour Premier League Live: Transfer Deadline Special. The live three-hour special, featuring Rebecca Lowe, Robbie Earle and Tim Howard will cover breaking news and include insights and analysis on all the latest transfers at Monday’s deadline.

“INSIDE THE MIND” OF MARCELO BIELSA

Roger Bennett hosts the latest edition of Inside the Mind with Leeds United manager, Marcelo Bielsa. Roger will discuss with Bielsa about how he led Leeds back to the Premier League this season and his overall philosophy as a manager. The interview can be seen on the Premier League on NBC Sports YouTube channel.

THE 2 ROBBIES PODCAST

Robbie Mustoe and Robbie Earle discuss and dissect the top Premier League storylines after every match day on “The 2 Robbies” podcast. On last Sunday’s episode, Earle and Mustoe recapped an eventful Matchday 3 in the Premier League including controversial hand-ball decisions at Crystal Palace and Tottenham, Manchester City’s implosion in their 5-2 defeat to Leicester City and Chelsea’s comeback draw after falling behind 3-0 to West Brom. Today’s episode will reflect on Liverpool’s 3-1 win over Arsenal, Tottenham knocking Chelsea out of the Carabao Cup and a look ahead to Matchday 4. The “2 Robbies” podcast is available anywhere you listen to podcasts.

PREMIER LEAGUE PICK ‘EM

NBC Sports’ Premier League Pick ‘Em returns on the free-to-play NBC Sports Predictor games app, available in the App Store and Google Play Store. Each match week, Premier League Pick ‘Em features a $50,000 jackpot prize for a “perfect score” – predicting the correct exact results of all featured matches in that contest (information on scoring, prizing, and Official Rules here).

Matches in Play for Premier League Pick ‘Em:

Match Week 4

Date Time (ET) Match
Sat., Oct. 3 12:30 p.m. – NBC, Universo Leeds United v. Manchester City
Sun., Oct. 4 9 a.m. – NBCSN, Telemundo Wolverhampton Wanderers v. Fulham
Sun., Oct. 4 9 a.m. – Peacock Premium Arsenal v. Sheffield United
Sun., Oct. 4 11:30 a.m. – NBCSN, Telemundo Manchester United v. Tottenham
Sun., Oct. 4 2:15 p.m. – NBCSN, Universo Aston Villa v. Liverpool

 

NBC SPORTS PUB PASS

For commercial establishments looking to show Premier League, they can get the NBC Sports Pub Pass, the new customizable platform specifically for the retail pub/restaurant market in the USA. The NBC Sports Pub Pass offers Pubs, Bars, Clubs and Restaurants and commercial establishments nationwide all the Premier League matches and programming specifically for commercial establishments – Live, Commercial-Free and On-Demand. To subscribe or to find out more information about the NBC Sports Pub Pass go to https://www.nbcpubpass.com/.

LIVE STREAMING

Peacock – NBCUniversal’s new streaming service – features free and premium tiers across mobile, web and connected TV devices. Starting this season, Peacock Premium is the exclusive home of 175 live matches and a total of 1,500 hours of Premier League programming – the most robust offering ever available in the U.S. – including full-event replays for all 380 matches on-demand (after 9 p.m. ET) for the 2020-21 season. Premier League matches are included with Peacock Premium, which is $4.99 per month. Additionally, Peacock will feature Premier League news and other programming from Premier League Productions on its free, exclusive Premier League TV channel on Peacock, now streaming seven days a week. Visit peacocktv.com/premierleague for more information.

Viewers can sign up for Peacock for free at peacocktv.com. Peacock is currently available on the Roku platform; Apple devices including iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV 4K and Apple TV HD; Google platforms and devices including Android™, Android TV™ devices, Chromecast and Chromecast built-in devices; Microsoft’s Xbox One family of devices, including Xbox One S and Xbox One X; Sony PlayStation4 and PlayStation 4 Pro; and VIZIO SmartCast™ TVs and LG Smart TVs. Comcast’s eligible Xfinity X1 and Flex customers, as well as eligible Cox Contour customers, enjoy Peacock Premium included with their service at no additional cost.

Premier League games on NBC and NBCSN will be streamed on NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app — NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs. Coverage will be streamed via “TV Everywhere,” giving consumers additional value 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 app is available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV and Amazon Fire.

Following is the match schedule for this weekend’s Premier League coverage (all times ET, subject to change):

Date Time (ET) Match Platform
Sat., Oct. 3 7 a.m. Premier League Mornings Peacock Premium
Sat., Oct. 3 7:30 a.m. Chelsea v. Crystal Palace Peacock Premium
Sat., Oct. 3 9:30 a.m. Premier League Live NBCSN
Sat., Oct. 3 10 a.m. Everton v. Brighton & Hove Albion NBCSN, Universo
Sat., Oct. 3 12:30 p.m. Leeds United v. Manchester City NBC, Universo
Sat., Oct. 3 2:30 p.m. Premier League Live Peacock Premium
Sat., Oct. 3 3 p.m. Newcastle v. Burnley Peacock Premium
Sat., Oct. 3 5 p.m. Goal Zone Peacock Premium
Sun., Oct. 4 7 a.m. Leicester City v. West Ham Peacock Premium
Sun., Oct. 4 7 a.m. Southampton v. West Bromwich Albion Peacock Premium
Sun., Oct. 4 9 a.m. Wolverhampton Wanderers v. Fulham NBCSN, Telemundo
Sun., Oct. 4 9 a.m. Arsenal v. Sheffield United Peacock Premium
Sun., Oct. 4 11 a.m. Premier League Live NBCSN
Sun., Oct. 4 11:30 a.m. Manchester United v. Tottenham NBCSN, Telemundo
Sun., Oct. 4 1:30 p.m. Premier League Live NBCSN
Sun., Oct. 4 2:15 p.m. Aston Villa v. Liverpool NBCSN, Universo
Sun., Oct. 4 4:15 p.m. Goal Zone NBCSN
Mon., Oct. 5 4 p.m. Premier League Live: Transfer Deadline Special NBCSN

 

–NBC SPORTS–

PGA TOUR in Mississippi for Sanderson Farms Championship; Live Coverage Airs Thursday-Sunday on GOLF Channel

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Thompson Defends at ShopRite LPGA Classic in New Jersey,

with Live Coverage Airing Thursday-Sunday on GOLF Channel

GOLF Channel Airing More Than 20 Hours of Live Coverage of Aberdeen

Standard Investments Scottish Open, as Fleetwood, Fitzpatrick Lead Field

Next Week: Inaugural “Blessings Collegiate Invitational” Airing Monday-

Wednesday Live on GOLF Channel, in College Golf’s Return to Television

ORLANDO, Fla., (Sept. 30, 2020) – The PGA TOUR is in Mississippi this week for the Sanderson Farms Championship, as Sebastian Munoz defends his 2019 title. Live coverage airs Thursday-Sunday from 4-7 p.m. ET on GOLF Channel. Lexi Thompson will defend in New Jersey this week at the ShopRite LPGA Classic, which will be staged as a 72-hole event for the first time since 1990. The European Tour hosts the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, as Tommy Fleetwood and Matthew Fitzpatrick headline the field. GOLF Channel will carry more than 20 hours of live tournament coverage from Scotland, Thursday-Sunday. Next Monday-Wednesday, GOLF Channel will televise live coverage of the inaugural Blessings Collegiate Invitational presented by Tyson Foods, a new college golf event originating from Fayetteville, Ark.

PGA TOUR

Sanderson Farms Championship

Dates: Oct. 1-4

Venue: Country Club of Jackson, Jackson, Miss.

Tournament Airtimes on GOLF Channel (Eastern):

Thursday         4-7 p.m. (Live) / 8-11 p.m. (Replay)

Friday              4-7 p.m. (Live) / 8-11 p.m. (Replay)

Saturday          4-7 p.m. (Live) / 8-11 p.m. (Replay)

Sunday            4-7 p.m. (Live) / 8-11 p.m. (Replay)

PGA TOUR LIVE on NBC Sports Gold (Eastern):                              

Thursday                     8 a.m.-4 p.m. (Featured Groups)

  • Keegan Bradley/Sungjae Im/Scottie Scheffler (9:00 a.m. ET)
  • Stewart Cink/Zach Johnson/Hudson Swafford (9:11 a.m. ET)
  • Ryan Armour/Corey Connors/Sebastian Munoz (1:55 p.m. ET)
  • Sergio Garcia/Adam Long/Henrik Stenson (2:06 p.m. ET)

Friday                          8 a.m.-4 p.m. (Featured Groups)

  • Ryan Armour/Corey Connors/Sebastian Munoz (9:00 a.m. ET)
  • Sergio Garcia/Adam Long/Henrik Stenson (9:11 a.m. ET)
  • Keegan Bradley/Sungjae Im/Scottie Scheffler (1:55 p.m. ET)
  • Stewart Cink/Zach Johnson/Hudson Swafford (2:06 p.m. ET)

Broadcast Notes:

Munoz defends: Sebastian Munoz defeated Sungjae Im with a par on the first playoff hole to earn his first PGA TOUR victory.

Headlining the field: Sungjae Im, Scottie Scheffler, Sergio Garcia, Zach Johnson, Henrik Stenson, Charl Schwartzel, Sebastian Munoz and Hudson Swafford.

GOLF Channel Broadcast Team:

Play by Play: Steve Sands

Analyst: Matt Gogel

Tower: Craig Perks

On-Course: Jim Gallagher Jr. / Kay Cockerill

Interviews: Lisa Cornwell

LPGA TOUR

ShopRite LPGA Classic

Dates: Oct. 1-4

Venue: Seaview Golf Club (Bay Course), Galloway, N.J.

Tournament Airtimes on GOLF Channel (Eastern):

Thursday         1-4 p.m. (Live) / 4-6 a.m. (Friday replay)

Friday              1-4 p.m. (Live) / 4-7 a.m. (Saturday replay)

Saturday          1-4 p.m. (Live) / 4-6 a.m. (Sunday replay)

Sunday            1-4 p.m. (Live) / 4-6 a.m. (Monday replay)

Broadcast Notes:

Lee, McDonald and Popov scheduled to be “mic’d up” during Thursday’s opening round: GOLF Channel will “mic up” Andrea Lee, Ally McDonald and Sophia Popov (2020 AIG Women’s Open champion) during Thursday’s opening round coverage. While competing in the same group (12:44 p.m. ET tee time), each player will wear a microphone to provide an inside-the-ropes perspective for fans tuning in during the course of the telecast.

Tournament being staged as four-day event: Originally scheduled for late May, the event was postponed due to COVID-19, and now will be contested as a 72-hole event instead of the tournament’s traditional 54-hole format. It marks the second time overall and first instance since 1990 that the tournament will be played as a four-round event.

Thompson defends: Lexi Thompson finished one shot ahead of Jeongeun Lee6 to capture her 11th LPGA Tour title.

Headlining the field: Nelly Korda, Brooke Henderson, Mirim Lee, Sei Young Kim, Inbee Park, Sung Hyun Park, Lexi Thompson, Stacy Lewis, Hannah Green and Sophia Popov.

GOLF Channel Broadcast Team:

Play by Play: Grant Boone

Analyst: Paige Mackenzie

Tower: Tom Abbott

On-Course: Jerry Foltz / Karen Stupples

EUROPEAN TOUR

Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open

Dates: Oct. 1-4

Venue: The Renaissance Club, North Berwick, Scotland

Tournament Airtimes on GOLF Channel (Eastern):

Thursday         6:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live)

Friday              6:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live)

Saturday          7 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live)

Sunday            6:30 a.m.-Noon (Live)

Broadcast Notes:

Wiesberger defends: Bernd Wiesberger defeated Benjamin Hebert with a par on the third playoff hole to capture his sixth European Tour win.

Headlining the field: Tommy Fleetwood, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Ian Poulter, Bernd Wiesberger, Danny Willett, Padraig Harrington, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Martin Kaymer and Eddie Pepperell.

GOLF Channel Broadcast Team:

Host: Jay Townsend

Play by Play: Dominik Holyer

Analyst: Richard Boxall / Alison Whitaker / Ken Brown / Ewen Murray

On-Course: Wayne Riley / Andrew Coltart

Interviews: Tim Barter

COLLEGE GOLF

Blessings Collegiate Invitational presented by Tyson Foods

Dates: Oct. 5-7

Venue: Blessings Golf Club, Fayetteville, Ark.

Tournament Airtimes on GOLF Channel (Eastern):

Monday           4:30-7:30 p.m. (Live) / 8-11 p.m. (Replay)

Tuesday          4:30-7:30 p.m. (Live) / 8-11 p.m. (Replay)

Wednesday     4:30-7:30 p.m. (Live) / 8-11 p.m. (Replay)

Broadcast Notes:

Inaugural event: Announced earlier this month as a multi-year partnership with Blessings Golf Club and Tyson Foods, the new men’s and women’s college golf championship will be contested in Fayetteville, Ark.

Format: The competition will mark the first televised event of the 2020-’21 college golf season and feature a 54-hole stroke play format for individual and team honors. The competition will be contested without spectators.

Tournament field: The event will feature representatives of both the men’s and women’s golf teams from Southeastern Conference (SEC) universities. Among those expected to compete in the event include Ingrid Lindblad (LSU – No. 3 in World Amateur Golf Ranking) and Pauline Roussin-Bouchard (South Carolina – No. 4) in the women’s field, along with Ricky Castillo (Florida – No. 2) and Davis Thompson (Georgia – No. 4) on the men’s side.

GOLF Channel Broadcast Team:

Play by Play: Steve Burkowski

Analyst: Curt Byrum

Tower: John Cook

On-Course: Notah Begay / Billy Ray Brown

-NBC Sports Group-

Remaining ESPN MLB Wild Card Series Schedule

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ESPN today, in conjunction with Major League Baseball, announced the remainder of its schedule for the 2020 MLB Wild Card Series presented by Hankook Tire. The updated schedule includes start times and network information for Thursday, October 1 and Friday, October 2 across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN+.

The post Remaining ESPN MLB Wild Card Series Schedule appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..

ESPN’s Monday Night Football Generates 36% Year-Over-Year Viewership Spike for Week 3 Kansas City-Baltimore Matchup; MNF Viewership Up for 2020 Season

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ESPN’s Monday Night Football Generates 36% Year-Over-Year Viewership Spike for Week 3 Kansas City-Baltimore Matchup; MNF Viewership Up for 2020 Season

The post ESPN’s Monday Night Football Generates 36% Year-Over-Year Viewership Spike for Week 3 Kansas City-Baltimore Matchup; MNF Viewership Up for 2020 Season appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..

COLLEGE CENTRAL (5:30 P.M. ET TODAY ON GOLF CHANNEL) TO PREVIEW COLLEGE GOLF’S 2020 FALL SEASON AHEAD OF INAUGURAL BLESSINGS COLLEGIATE INVITATIONAL (OCT. 5-7)

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Blessings Golf Club (Fayetteville, Ark.) to Host Simultaneous Men’s & Women’s

Competition in Celebration of College Golf’s Return, Airing Live on GOLF Channel

Sixth-Annual East Lake Cup to Welcome Top-Ranked Women’s & Men’s Golf Programs to

Compete in Match Play Championship on GOLF Channel, Monday-Wednesday, Oct. 26-28

ORLANDO, Fla., (Sept. 29, 2020) – With the fall season now underway for many university golf programs around the country, GOLF Channel today (5:30 p.m. ET) will premiere a College Central special, previewing the biggest storylines and tournaments scheduled to take place during college golf’s fall season.

GOLF Channel college insider Steve Burkowski will host this evening’s show and be joined by analyst Paige Mackenzie, a former three-time NCAA All-American (Washington), as well as Ryan Lavner (college insider). The special will look ahead to the two premier fall tournaments: Blessings Collegiate Invitational presented by Tyson Foods (Monday-Wednesday, Oct. 5-7), and the East Lake Cup presented by ZipRecruiter and Uber (Monday-Wednesday, Oct. 26-28), both of which will be televised live on GOLF Channel. The show also will welcome head coaches from respective men’s and women’s programs preparing for the fall season, including:

  • Shauna Taylor (Arkansas women’s golf)
  • Kim Lewellen (Wake Forest women’s golf)
  • Matt Thurmond (Arizona State men’s golf)
  • Greg Sands (Texas Tech men’s golf)

BLESSINGS COLLEGIATE INVITATIONAL (MONDAY-WEDNESDAY, OCT. 5-7): Announced earlier this month as a multi-year partnership with Blessings Golf Club and Tyson Foods, the new men’s and women’s college golf championship will be contested in Fayetteville, Ark. The competition will mark the first televised event of the 2020’-’21 college golf season and feature a 54-hole stroke play format for individual and team honors. GOLF Channel will deliver live tournament coverage all three days, complemented by news and digital coverage:

Monday, Oct. 5           4:30-7:30 p.m. ET (Live)

Tuesday, Oct. 6           4:30-7:30 p.m. ET (Live)

Wednesday, Oct. 7      4:30-7:30 p.m. ET (Live)

The Blessings Collegiate Invitational is expected to feature some of college golf’s top-ranked individuals, including Ingrid Lindblad (LSU – No. 3 in World Amateur Golf Ranking) and Pauline Roussin-Bouchard (South Carolina – No. 4) in the women’s field, along with

Ricky Castillo (Florida – No. 2) and Davis Thompson (Georgia – No. 4) on the men’s side.

The 2020 Blessings Collegiate Invitational will be contested without spectators.

SIXTH-ANNUAL EAST LAKE CUP (MONDAY-WEDNESDAY, OCT. 26-28):

The East Lake Cup has become an annual staple on college golf’s fall calendar, traditionally reconvening the semifinal teams from both the women’s and men’s NCAA golf championships from earlier in the year. As a result of the 2020 NCAA championship being canceled, GOLF Channel announced that the 2020 East Lake Cup will include the top-four ranked women’s and men’s golf programs competing this fall, based on the final Golfstat rankings published on March 19. The 2020 East Lake Cup also will be contested without spectators.

The women’s field will include Florida, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Texas, while the men’s side will feature Oklahoma, Pepperdine, Texas and Texas Tech. GOLF Channel will deliver live tournament coverage all three days, complemented by news and digital coverage:

Monday, Oct. 26         3-6 p.m. ET (Live)

Tuesday, Oct. 27         3-6 p.m. ET (Live)

Wednesday, Oct. 28    3-6 p.m. ET (Live)

WATCH LISTS: HASKINS AND ANNIKA AWARDS PRESENTED BY STIFEL:

As the fall season gets underway, GOLF Channel associate editor Brentley Romine examines which student athletes are being considered for college golf’s most prestigious awards through a preseason watch list for both the Haskins Award and ANNIKA Award. The Haskins and ANNIKA Awards presented by Stifel will honor the male and female player of the year in Division I golf, and will be awarded in the spring around the 2021 NCAA Golf National Championships.

LATEST TOP-FIVE RANKING RELEASED FOR “PGA TOUR UNIVERSITY”:

In addition to the watch list for both the Haskins and ANNIKA Awards, Romine also surveys the latest PGA TOUR University rankings. Initially announced in June, “PGA TOUR U” is a new program designed to give post-college playing privileges to the top Division I golfers (in their senior year) on the TOUR’s various developmental tours, including the Korn Ferry TOUR. GOLF Channel will feature the current top-15 “PGA TOUR U” rankings each Wednesday on Golf Central and across GOLF Channel Digital platforms throughout the fall season.

GOLF CHANNEL IS THE HOME OF COLLEGE GOLF:

The Blessings Collegiate Invitational becomes one of six college golf championships televised on GOLF Channel, which includes the NCAA Women’s and Men’s Division I Golf National Championships, taking place in May of 2021 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Following its announcement in 2013 as the exclusive television provider of the NCAA Golf Championships, GOLF Channel has provided live coverage of the men’s NCAA championships since 2014 and the women’s NCAA championships since 2015, which now are hosted at the same venue in consecutive weeks. Throughout the collegiate golf season, GOLF Channel will deploy its comprehensive portfolio of news, digital and social media coverage year-round in covering collegiate golf, including specials for regional and national qualifying, on-site and wraparound news from golf’s biggest college events, and year-end award shows for the Haskins and ANNIKA Awards presented by Stifel.

-NBC Sports Group-