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NBCUNIVERSAL’S PEACOCK TO PRESENT FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND NIL OPPORTUNITY AS PART OF MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL GAME BETWEEN BAYLOR UNIVERSITY AND GONZAGA UNIVERSITY IN INAUGURAL ‘PEACOCK CLASSIC’

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“Peacock Classic” – a Rematch of the 2021 NCAA National Championship Game – to Stream Live Exclusively on Peacock Friday, December 2nd at 8 p.m. ET from the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota

In Conjunction with NBC Sports Athlete Direct, Student-Athletes on the Gonzaga and Baylor Men’s Basketball Teams to Have Equal NIL Opportunity to Collaborate with the Event Sponsors

Nov. 16, 2022 (New York, NY) — The inaugural ‘Peacock Classic’ men’s college basketball game featuring a 2021 National Championship rematch between Baylor University and Gonzaga University will be presented live exclusively on Peacock at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, Dec. 2, from the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Sanford Sports, in collaboration with Complete Sports Management and Range Media Partners, are partnering with NBCUniversal to present the debut event.

In this landmark deal, participating student-athletes from the Baylor and Gonzaga men’s basketball teams will have the opportunity to partner with the event’s sponsors through name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals facilitated by NBC Sports Athlete Direct. The announcement was made today by Complete Sports Management’s Lea Miller and Range Sports president, Will Funk.

Produced by NBC Sports and presented live exclusively on Peacock, the game marks the first time the two schools will meet since the 2021 National Championship Game, where Baylor defeated Gonzaga, 86-70, marking the Bears’ first-ever NCAA men’s basketball title.

NBC Sports Athlete Direct, a NIL community connecting student-athletes, advertisers and fans, will facilitate all aspects of these groundbreaking NIL deals, marking the first time participating student-athletes will have the opportunity to partner with the sponsors of a game they are playing in and be paid the same rate. Each member of the Baylor and Gonzaga men’s basketball teams who opts-in to the campaign and is eligible to participate via NBC Sports Athlete Direct will promote the sponsors via their personal social media channels. Sanford Sports, with Complete Sports Management, will serve as the event organizers, with Range Media Partners handling TV distribution and commercial partnerships.

“Presenting and sponsoring the first-ever ‘Peacock Classic’ is a historic moment for Peacock, providing fans with a must-see matchup featuring two of college basketball’s premier programs,” said Rick Cordella, President, Programming, NBC Sports, Peacock Sports. “In conjunction with NBC Sports Athlete Direct, we’re excited to offer an innovative NIL opportunity that benefits Gonzaga and Baylor student-athletes.”

Funk said, “Our goal is to create the most visible platform for student-athletes and provide them the best opportunities to showcase their skills and build their brands.  With this event, we want to play a key role in the evolution of collegiate athletics by ensuring that the student-athletes, are given opportunities to monetize their name, image, and likeness.”

“Complete Sports Management is proud to partner with Sanford Sports, Range Media and NBCUniversal’s Peacock on this exciting new endeavor,” said Lea Miller-Tooley, President of CSM. “This is unique in the college basketball space, and we are proud to be at the forefront of it.”

“For the past several years, the Sanford Pentagon has become a destination for division I teams,” said Jesse Smith, vice president of Sanford Sports. “We are thrilled to have Baylor and Gonzaga tip-off on our court. Tickets for this game sold out in the first five minutes they were available to the public, so I guarantee the fanbase will be loud and it will just all around be great basketball played in a memorable atmosphere.”

About Range Sports

Range Sports, part of brand marketing, talent representation and cultural capital firm Range Media Partners works synergistically across Range’s existing departments to produce live and on-demand original sports programming, manage and advise best in class sports talent, properties and IP, and invest in the future of sports content and distribution. Range Sports, in collaboration with Range Media Partners’ Unscripted and Scripted entertainment departments, develops nonfiction projects, documentaries, and real-time series about the most compelling sports moments, stories, teams and athletes. Range Sports also advises properties for media rights sales, corporate/brand partnerships and consults for brands with regards to sports strategy and investment.

About Complete Sports Management

Complete Sports Management is an all-encompassing sports marketing agency whose core capabilities include the creation of sporting events, event management, sponsorship, hospitality packages and ticket promotions. A global brand; but, with a personal touch, Complete Sports Management is responsible for the creation of top-tier sporting events such as the Battle 4 Atlantis Basketball Tournament and College Football’s first ever International FBS Bowl Game, The Bahamas Bowl.

In addition to annual events such as the Battle 4 Atlantis and The Bahamas Bowl, Complete Sports Management runs some of the most prestigious Collegiate Basketball and Football Foreign Tours all over the world. While the company’s specialty is considered to be the Islands of the Bahamas, CSM can be seen in different countries on every continent annually.

About Peacock

In addition to the ‘Peacock Classic,’ Peacock’s expansive programming features live sports coverage including Sunday Night Football, Premier League, MLB Sunday Leadoff, NASCAR, INDYCAR, Notre Dame Football, golf, Olympic sports, horse racing, and much more. Peacock also offers daily sports programming on the NBC Sports channel which streams Peacock Original Brother from Another and staples like The Dan Patrick Show and Pro Football Talk Live. Click here to learn more and to sign up.

 

About Sanford Sports

Sanford Sports is the modern athletics arm of Sanford Health, the premier rural health system in the United States. Rooted in science and health care, Sanford Sports offers a combination of programs, services, events, facilities and partnerships intended to make active lifestyles accessible and rewarding for people of all ages and abilities.

Based on the 500-acre Sanford Sports Complex in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Sanford Sports has been changing the way athletes play for 25 years. With operations in four states, more than one million athletes use Sanford Sports facilities each year. Visit sanfordsports.com for more information.

 

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NO. 9 NOTRE DAME FACES CALIFORNIA IN INAUGURAL WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL CITI SHAMROCK CLASSIC THIS SATURDAY, NOV. 12, AT 4 P.M. ET ON NBC & PEACOCK

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Citi Shamrock Classic from Enterprise Center in St. Louis Marks the First-Ever Live Broadcast of a Women’s College Basketball Game on NBC and Peacock & the First College Basketball Game of Any Kind on the Network in Nearly 25 Years

All-Women Announce Team Features Zora Stephenson (Play-by-Play), LaChina Robinson (Analyst), and Isis Young (Sideline Reporter)

ND on NBC Podcast, Hosted by Former Notre Dame Wide Receiver Corey Robinson, Features Interview with Fighting Irish Head Coach Niele Ivey

STAMFORD, Conn. – Nov. 10, 2022 – The No. 9 Notre Dame Fighting Irish women’s college basketball team faces Cal in the inaugural Citi Shamrock Classic from Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Mo., this Saturday, Nov. 12, at 4 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. The game marks the first-ever live presentation of a women’s college basketball game on NBC and Peacock.

The Fighting Irish opened the season with an 88-48 victory over Northern Illinois on Monday, led by preseason All-ACC First-Team selection Olivia Miles (17 points, 10 rebounds). Last year, Notre Dame finished with a 24-9 regular season record and reached the Sweet 16. Cal topped Cal State Northridge, 86-56, to open its season on Monday.

Saturday’s game marks the first college basketball game of any kind on NBC since Feb. 28, 1998, when the Providence men’s basketball team defeated Notre Dame, 77-62. The game was called on NBC by Don Criqui and Bill Walton. Rick Cordella¸ who was recently named President, Programming for NBC Sports and Peacock Sports, was a member of the Friars team as a Junior forward.  

NBC Sports’ presentation of Saturday’s game will feature an all-women announce team as Zora Stephenson handles play-by-play alongside LaChina Robinson (analyst) and Isis Young (sideline reporter). Stephenson (Elon), Robinson (Wake Forest), and Young (Syracuse) all played Division I college basketball.

This week’s ND on NBC Podcast, hosted by former Notre Dame wide receiver Corey Robinson, features an interview with Notre Dame women’s basketball head coach Niele Ivey. Ivey, a St. Louis native and former Notre Dame and WNBA player, was named head coach of the Fighting Irish in 2020. Her son, Jaden Ivey, is a point guard on the Detroit Pistons. The episode can be listened to here and wherever you listen to podcasts.

On Her Turf, NBC Sports’ women empowerment brand, will host a watch party at O’Rourke’s Public House in South Bend that will include a meet and greet with former Notre Dame women’s basketball head coach Muffet McGraw, who led the Fighting Irish to two national titles (2001 and 2018).

Notre Dame Global Partnerships, a joint venture between Legends and JMI Sports, facilitated the partnership between Citi and Notre Dame.

–NBC SPORTS–

ESPN Transcript: Media Availability with College Basketball Analyst Jay Bilas Previewing the 2022-23 Season

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ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas met with media to preview the 2022-23 college basketball season. The 2022-23 season tips off Monday, Nov. 7, with the opening week of the season highlighted by the 2022 Peraton Armed Forces Classic on Friday, Nov. 11. The Veterans Day event features a primetime matchup between Michigan State and No. 2 Gonzaga on the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln in the San Diego Harbor. Dan Shulman and Jay Bilas will call the game from the flight deck.

The post ESPN Transcript: Media Availability with College Basketball Analyst Jay Bilas Previewing the 2022-23 Season appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..

ACC Network Live from Charlotte for ACC Basketball Tipoff, October 11-12

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ACC Network (ACCN), the 24/7 national platform dedicated to ACC sports, will have a presence at ACC Basketball Tipoff – the conference’s annual preseason basketball media days – Tuesday, Oct. 11 and Wednesday, Oct. 12. These two events precede the launch of more than 180 men’s and women’s basketball games on ACCN this season.

The post ACC Network Live from Charlotte for ACC Basketball Tipoff, October 11-12 appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..

ACC Network Unveils 2022-23 Regular-Season Women’s Basketball Schedule

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ACC Network (ACCN), the 24/7 national platform dedicated to ACC sports, unveiled its entire 2022-23 women’s basketball regular-season television slate Wednesday. ACCN will air 70 regular-season games, including more than 50 conference matchups, 10 Thursday night doubleheaders and eight Sunday tripleheaders for the upcoming season

The post ACC Network Unveils 2022-23 Regular-Season Women’s Basketball Schedule appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..

ESPN Events Unveils Teams for Five Men’s College Basketball Tournaments During 2022-23 College Basketball Season

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ESPN Events has announced the tournament fields for five of its 11 owned and operated events during the 2022-23 college basketball season – the Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic, Myrtle Beach Invitational, ESPN Events Invitational, Paycom Wooden Legacy and Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic.

The post ESPN Events Unveils Teams for Five Men’s College Basketball Tournaments During 2022-23 College Basketball Season appeared first on ESPN Press Room U.S..