The National Association of Broadcasters has launched a podcast dedicated to delivering timely broadcast industry news.

New episodes of “AirTime” will be released every Wednesday morning, highlighting the legislative and regulatory developments that impact local television and radio stations. The first episode is available now, addressing Washington’s interest in keeping live sports on broadcast TV.

“Local broadcasters are on the front lines of informing communities, whether it is breaking news, severe weather or the issues shaping our democracy,” NAB Chief of Staff and Executive Vice President of Public Affairs Michelle Lehman said. “AirTime is about connecting those real-world impacts to the policy decisions being made in Washington and ensuring our industry, policymakers and the public understand what is at stake. When local stations are strong, so are the communities we serve.”

“AirTime” will deliver insights into the policy decisions shaping the future of local broadcasting, and how those decisions affect communities’ access to trusted news and emergency information. Against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving media landscape, the podcast underscores the essential role broadcasters play in serving their communities and the need for policies that support this critical mission.

The debut episode features insights from Jon Miller, president of Acquisitions and Partnerships at NBC Sports, in a conversation with Puck’s John Ourand at NAB Show. Miller explains why broadcast television remains indispensable to the future of live sports, citing its unmatched ability to deliver massive audiences for marquee events. The episode also explores the policy debate over sports rights, the importance of keeping games available free over the air and NAB’s Game On campaign.

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBC Sports is reporting that it averaged 4.9 million viewers through its first 13 games of the NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock, which it said was up 58% vs. comparable coverage last year from April 19 to 28 and the most-watched for comparable windows since 1996.

The comparison is to games airing on other outlets because this is the first time in 24 years that NBC Sports is presenting the NBA Playoffs.

NBC Sports’ second week of NBA Playoffs coverage, April 25-28, averaged 4.9 million viewers for seven games across NBC and Peacock, the most-watched for comparable windows since 2001.

Following are viewership* highlights for NBC Sports’ NBA Playoffs coverage from Saturday, April 25, through Tuesday, April 28 (all viewership is Total Audience Delivery across NBC and Peacock unless noted):

• Thunder-Suns Game 3 (Saturday, April 25, 3:30-6:08 pm ET) averaged 3.3 million viewers, up 64% vs. the comparable game last year and making it the most-watched game in the comparable window since 2014. It peaked at 4.5 million viewers.
• Knicks-Hawks Game 4 (Saturday, April 25, 6:08-9:00 pm ET) peaked at 5.8 million viewers and averaged 5.3 million, up 58% vs. the comparable game last year and making it the most-watched game in the comparable window since 2001.
• Celtics-76ers Game 4 (Sunday, April 26, 7:00-9:38 pm ET) peaked at 7.0 million viewers and averaged 6.3 million for the game, making it the most-watched game of the 2026 NBA Playoffs to date and the most-watched First Round Game 4 in primetime ever.
• Lakers-Rockets Game 4 (Sunday, April 26, 9:38pm-12:20am ET) peaked at 7.2 million viewers -- the highest peak of the 2026 NBA Playoffs to date – and averaged 6.2 million for the game, up 128% vs. the comparable game last year and making it the second-most-watched game of the playoffs to date.
• The two-game average of 6.2 million viewers for Sunday, April 26 ranks as the most-watched second Sunday of the NBA Playoffs since 2002.
• Pistons-Magic Game 4 (Monday, April 27, 8:00-10:59 pm ET) peaked at 6.8 million viewers and averaged 5.4 million, up 155% vs. the comparable game last season and making it the most-watched Round 1 Game 4 on a weekday ever.
• Timberwolves-Nuggets Game 5 (Monday, April 27, 10:59pm-1:21am ET) peaked at 5.2 million viewers and averaged 3.9 million.
• Hawks-Knicks Game 5 (Tuesday, April 28, 8:07-10:52 pm ET) peaked at 4.3 million viewers and averaged 3.8 million viewers. It was the most-watched sporting event of the night.

NBC Sports also streamed two games on Peacock and NBCSN from April 25-28.

Source: Nielsen Big Data + Panel, and digital data from Adobe Analytic

Although the current U.S. sports TV market is more fluid than ever — with sports rights getting more expensive and more leagues moving onto streaming platforms — the state of broadcast sports has never been stronger.

That was the sentiment of Jon Miller, president, acquisitions and partnerships for NBC Sports, during the “NBC Sports Playbook: Rights, Partnerships and What’s Next” panel, held on the Main Stage. Moderator John Ourand, sports correspondent for Puck, led the conversation that covered everything from NBC’s commitment to expanding its broadcast sports lineup to recruiting Snoop Dogg to “make the Olympics cool again.”

It’s easy to understand Miller’s enthusiasm. Getting his start at local NBC affiliate WRC-TV Washington, D.C., nearly 50 years ago, Miller rose through the ranks at NBC to his current role managing the network’s relationships with sports of all stripes.

Miller said he’s seen this movie before.

“I don’t think [broadcast] really went anywhere — a lot of people wrote our obituaries, which happens quite often,” he said. “But I think broadcast is, quite honestly, stronger and more important than ever. And I think our partners realize that.”

"I think it's definitely having a moment," he added.

While certainly not dismissive of streaming’s encroachment on live televised sports — all of NBC’s programming, including sports, appear on NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming service — Miller said broadcasters’ reach and ability to adapt to new technologies gives the industry continued relevance.

“I think the streamers have a different set of priorities and strategic objectives than we do,” he said. “They have very deep pockets, but they can’t offer a lot of what broadcast can offer, and they can’t offer the marketing and the promotion. Certainly, they can’t offer the production expertise that NBC, CBS, Fox and Disney [ABC/ESPN] can offer to partners.

“The investment NBCUniversal has made over the last several decades — not only in broadcast rights, but in production infrastructure and data analytics and being able to provide 1080 HDR or 4K to our broadcast affiliates — I think all of those things are key factors,” he said. “And it’s the largest reach that you can get out there.”

Miller said NBC’s expansion into streaming has given the network more leverage when negotiating sports rights.

“Peacock is a great complementary service to NBC,” Miller said. Noting Peacock’s penetration (via the streaming service and NBCSN homes which present most live Peacock events) into about 65 million homes — “numbers equivalent to ESPN, Fox or Turner [TNT Sports],” Miller added that the service was “never meant to displace anything on broadcast.”

“But it’s enabled us to make investments in properties that we wouldn’t have been able to make otherwise,” Miller added. “We would not have been able to acquire NBA [rights] if we didn’t have Peacock as a platform; we would not be able to acquire the exclusive [U.S.] rights to the Premier League.”

As the longtime U.S. broadcaster of the Olympics, Miller said the network has aspired to make the event more relevant to younger viewers.

“Snoop Dogg has been spectacular, and he’s really become an Olympic fan and he knows the games, he goes to the events, the athletes react to him and they embrace him,” he said.

Miller said NBC is dedicated to building on broadcasters’ legacy in delivering the most exciting and entertaining action to fans.

“We think it’s really important that broadcast television be recognized for how it delivers audiences, for how the quality of production is important to partners,” he said. “And we like the hand we’ve been dealt.”

STAMFORD, Conn., and FRISCO, Texas—The PGA of America, NBC Sports and USA Sports have extended their media rights agreement through 2033, in a deal that includes the Ryder Cup, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Senior PGA Championship, and the PGA Professional Championship.

The extension of the current agreement, which runs through 2031, includes the 2033 Ryder Cup at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, Calif., with live event and studio coverage continuing to air across NBC Sports (NBC and Peacock) and USA Sports (USA Network and Golf Channel) platforms.

NBC/Peacock will also continue coverage of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship through 2033. Golf Channel will continue to provide coverage of the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship as well as exclusive presentations of the Senior PGA Championship and the PGA Professional Championship.

“Extending our partnership with NBC Sports and USA Sports through 2033 reflects the strength of our collaboration and our shared vision for the future of the game,” said Terry Clark, PGA of America CEO. “Together, we will deliver comprehensive coverage of the Ryder Cup, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Senior PGA Championship and PGA Professional Championship, presenting each at the highest level while elevating our major championships and marquee events as defining stages for the game, our partners and the communities we serve. We will continue showcasing the exceptional talent of PGA of America Golf Professionals and celebrating the very best in championship golf.”

“We are excited to continue our partnership with the PGA of America and USA Sports, and look forward to presenting one of the most intense international rivalries in sports at the historic Olympic Club, in the Ryder Cup’s first competition in the Bay Area,” NBC Sports executive vice president, Programing and Rights Management Justin Byczek.

“USA Sports has a rich history with the PGA of America and the Ryder Cup, dating back to USA Network’s exclusive live coverage of the 1989 Ryder Cup at The Belfry,” added Matt Hong, president of USA Sports. “We’re proud to extend our partnership with the PGA of America and NBC Sports, continuing USA Network’s legacy with the Ryder Cup and showcasing the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, the Senior PGA Championship, and the PGA Professional Championship on Golf Channel to viewers across the United States.”

In addition to live event and championship programming, Golf Channel’s studio coverage, including Live From and Golf Central, will continue to surround the Ryder Cup, KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Senior PGA Championship and PGA Professional Championship with live analysis and news coverage.

WASHINGTON—The 2026 NAB Show will expand its Sports Summit to four days, convening leaders from across leagues, teams, broadcast networks, streaming platforms and technology companies to examine the rapidly evolving business of sports media.

“The economics of sports media are being rewritten in real time,” said Karen Chupka, executive vice president and managing director, NAB Global Connections and Events. “With Jon Miller and leaders from across leagues, teams, venues and investment groups, we’re bringing together the executives who are actively shaping the future of rights, partnerships and fan engagement.”

The 2026 NAB Show takes place April 18-22 (exhibits April 19-22) at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Presented in the Sports Theater on the West Hall show floor, the four-day Summit will explore how production, distribution, investment and policy are reshaping live sports experiences and driving new revenue opportunities. The Summit is open for the first time to all attendees with a Show Floor Pass.

Headlining the Sports Summit, Jon Miller, president of Acquisitions and Partnerships at NBC Sports, will have a fireside conversation on the Main Stage with John Ourand from Puck's "The Varsity" on "NBC Sports Playbook: Rights, Partnerships and What's Next," examining the strategy behind NBC's major rights acquisitions and distribution partnerships at a pivotal moment for the industry. The session comes on the heels of NBC Sports's "Legendary February," which packed the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, Super Bowl LX and the NBA All-Star Game into the shortest month of the year.

"The media world continues to evolve, but broadcast television remains stronger and more important than ever before," Miller said. "Our long-term sports deals always have broadcast as a key component for our partners."

The Sports Summit will dive into other sports business drivers like:

• "The State of Sports Media: Rights, Reach & Revenue" — a global snapshot of where leagues stand on media rights, platform distribution and revenue models amid fragmented viewership.
• "Privacy Equity, Sovereign Wealth and the Future of Sports Ownership" —examining how new capital is entering leagues and teams and what that means for governance and long-term growth.
• "Athletes as Enterprises: Power, Platforms and Ownership" — exploring athlete-driven brands, production companies and equity stakes.
• “Sports Betting and the New Fan Economy” — analyzing how wagering, data rights and evolving regulation are reshaping fan engagement and media partnerships.
• “Women’s Sports at an Inflection Point” — a discussion of how rights strategy, brand investment and distribution models are converting momentum into long-term enterprise value.
• “Globalization of Sports: Building Fans Beyond Borders” — an exploration of strategies for expanding leagues and fandom across international markets through localized content and global partnerships.
• “The Fan Experience Reimagined” and “Stadiums of the Future: Tech-Driven Venue Experiences” — sessions examining how personalization, immersive production and venue innovation are converging to create connected, technology-driven fan experiences across physical and digital environments.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Laura "LJ" Johnson, executive producer and senior director of game presentation and live events for the San Francisco 49ers
• Allen T. Lamb, co-founder and CEO of EuroStep Ventures and controlling owner of Levallois Metropolitans Basketball Club
• Rebecca Kacaba, co-founder and CEO of DealMaker, an AI-driven capital raising platform that has facilitated more than $2.5 billion in investment volume, reflecting the Summit’s mix of team, ownership and investment perspectives
• Ameeth Sankaran, CEO of Religion of Sports, which was co-founded by filmmaker Gotham Chopra, NFL legend Tom Brady and Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan
• Jeff Roth, partner at Bruin Capital
• Shelby Williams, head of Integrated Sports Marketing at AWS

The organizers also reported that sports-focused exhibitors include: Canon, DJI, Dolby, EVS, Google, Imagine Communications, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Ross, Shure, Sony and Verizon.

Major sports leagues with registered attendees include: MLB, NBA, NASCAR, NFL, NHL, PGA Tour, U.S. Soccer Federation and UFC.

Major teams with registered attendees include: Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, Kansas City Chiefs, Liverpool F.C., Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns and San Francisco 49ers.

Attendees in the West Hall Lobby can partake in an interactive demonstration. AWS and Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) will present an AI-enabled digital basketball shooting experience that will analyze participants’ shots in real time and generate personalized performance insights. This hands-on experience is one example of how AI and cloud technologies are influencing both athlete performance and fan interaction.

Attendees, exhibitors and accredited press can learn more and register at nabshow.com/las-vegas.

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBC Sports is reporting that the U.S. Women’s Hockey’s overtime victory on Feb. 19 over Canada was the most watched women’s hockey game on record, averaging 5.3 million viewers on USA Network and Peacock with the audience peaking at 7.7 million viewers in overtime.

Viewing totals for the full Winter Olympics are expected early this week.

NBCUniversal also reported that Alysa Liu’s gold-medal winning performance in the figure skating free skate, and the U.S. Women’s Hockey Team’s 2-1 overtime victory over Canada in the gold-medal game, produced the most-watched Winter Olympics weekday coverage since Feb. 17, 2014, averaging 26.7 million viewers for the live afternoon window (Milan Prime: 2-5 p.m. ET) and Primetime in Milan (8-11 p.m. ET/PT) across NBC, Peacock, NBCU Digital Platforms and Versant’s USA Network, according to preliminary Nielsen data and digital data from Adobe Analytics

Thursday Feb. 19 also marked the 14th consecutive day that NBCU’s Milan Cortina Winter Olympic audience has topped 20 million viewers, according to official Nielsen Big Data + Panel viewership and preliminary data from Nielsen, and digital data from Adobe Analytics.

Through Thursday, the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics is averaging 24.1 million viewers on NBC, Peacock, NBCUniversal Digital Platforms and Versant’s CNBC and USA Network – marking the most-watched Winter Games presentation at this point since the 2014 Sochi Olympics, according to official Nielsen Big Data + Panel viewership and preliminary data from Nielsen, and digital data from Adobe Analytics. Viewership is up 93% from the 2022 Beijing Olympics at this point (12.5 million).

STAMFORD, CONN.—NBC Sports has provided new details on how it is using NEP Group to provide a full range of media services, dynamic facilities, broadcast technology and engineering support in both Milan, Italy, and at NBC Sports headquarters in the U.S. for its production of the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Feb. 6-22, and March 6-15, respectively.

NEP has worked with NBC Sports for more than 35 years, assisting NBC Sports’ production efforts at previous Olympics—dating back to the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea—and other major international sports events across North America, Europe and Asia.

NBC Sports is utilizing NEP’s global media services in both Milan, Italy, and at NBC Sports headquarters in Stamford, Conn.

In Milan, NEP Europe is supporting coverage of the Opening Ceremony, figure skating and short track competition at the Milano Ice Skating Arena, and broadcast operations at the Duomo TV Tower, the city’s central broadcast and production hub.

Coverage of the Opening Ceremony is utilizing NEP’s IP outside broadcast facilities, including a large onsite production gallery. At the Milano Ice Skating Arena, NEP’s TFC technology-powered flypack system supports an onsite master control room, along with audio, production, and replay galleries.

Each of these venues are equipped with fully 1080p HDR production workflows, ensuring consistent picture quality from capture through delivery. These systems are directly integrated into NBCUniversal’s core broadcast infrastructure, enabling seamless communication between venues and facilities in Milan and NBC Sports’ production and engineering teams in the U.S.

In Stamford, Conn., NBC Sports is utilizing two 1080p HDR NEP remote facilities supporting coverage of freestyle skiing -- including aerials and moguls -- as well as events taking place at the Snow Park in Livigno, Italy.

NEP’s industry-leading engineering and technical staff are supporting NBC operations at each touchpoint, with more than 350 NEP team members working across sites in northern Italy.

“NBC Sports and NBC Olympics’ partnership with NEP is a critical part of the broadcast strategy in Italy and augmenting the facilities in Stamford, offering a wide variety of broadcast solutions from mobile units, fly packs, remote operation support, as well as technical personnel,” said Darryl Jefferson, senior vice president of engineering & technology for NBC Sports & Olympics. “The versatility of tech offerings is what is a remarkable part of the ongoing partnership.”

“This year, NEP is celebrating 40 years of innovation, reliability and excellence supporting our customers in delivering the world’s biggest events, and we’re incredibly proud to say that our partnership with NBC Sports has been built and strengthened over nearly four decades of collaboration,” said Mike Werteen, president of NEP Americas and global chief commercial officer of NEP Group.

NBCUniversal is presenting its 20th Olympic Games, 13th consecutive overall, and owns the U.S. media rights on all platforms to all Olympic Games through 2036, which are scheduled for Milan Cortina (2026), Los Angeles (2028), French Alps (2030), Brisbane (2032), Salt Lake City-Utah (2034), and the Olympic Games 2036 (host yet to be determined).

TV Tech's full coverage of the technologies being used to cover the Olympics can be found here.

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBC Sports has released new viewing data showing that the first NBA All-Star Game presented by NBC Sports since 2002 had the largest audiences for the game since 2011 and that viewing levels for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics continue to remain strong, averaging 24.5 million viewers through Sunday, Feb. 15.

The new “USA vs. The World” format for the NBA All-Star audience averaged 8.8 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, and Telemundo, according to preliminary Nielsen data and digital data from Adobe Analytics.

Highlighted by Anthony Edwards’ MVP performance for the victorious USA Stars, and Victor Wembanyama’s 33 points, eight rebounds and two blocks for the World team, the 2026 NBA All-Star Game topped last year’s viewership by 87% (4.7 million viewers). Viewership peaked at 9.8 million viewers from 7-7:15 p.m. ET for the closing minutes of the USA Stripes’ 48-45 victory over World.

NBA All-Star coverage followed a full day of Milan Cortina Winter Olympic competition, and led into Primetime in Milan.

Sunday’s Milan Cortina Olympics coverage averaged 26.6 million viewers for the live afternoon window (Milan Prime: 2-5 p.m. ET) and Primetime in Milan (8-11 p.m. ET/PT) across NBC, Peacock, NBCUniversal Digital Platforms and Versant’s CNBC and USA Network, according to preliminary Nielsen data and digital data from Adobe Analytics.

Through Sunday Feb. 15, nine of the 10 days of Milan Cortina Winter Olympic coverage have topped 20 million viewers, according to official Nielsen Big Data + Panel viewership and preliminary data from Nielsen, and digital data from Adobe Analytics.

Through Sunday, the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics is averaging 24.5 million viewers on NBC, Peacock, NBCUniversal Digital Platforms and Versant’s CNBC and USA Network – marking the most-watched Winter Games presentation at this point since the 2014 Sochi Olympics, according to official Nielsen Big Data + Panel viewership and preliminary data from Nielsen, and digital data from Adobe Analytics.

Led by Peacock, a record 10.3 billion minutes of Milan Cortina Olympics content have been streamed, topping by nearly 50% all prior Winter Games combined (6.9 billion minutes).

ST GALLEN, Switzerland & NEW YORK—Sportradar AG has announced a multi-year agreement with NBC Sports Regional Sports Networks (RSNs) to enhance the NBA viewing experience through real-time, cutting-edge broadcast solutions that enhance live game coverage.

NBC Sports Regional Networks reported that they will use Sportradar’s NBA Advanced Data and GameFrame across live NBA game broadcasts during the 2025-26 and 2026-27 NBA seasons. The solutions will be used on hundreds of NBA telecasts across NBC Sports’s regional networks, delivering more dynamic coverage to fans in multiple NBA markets nationwide.

“This agreement builds upon our long-standing relationship with NBC and reflects how we continue to expand the ways we support their live sports coverage,” said Brian Josephs, vice president, The Americas, Sportradar. “As NBC continues to evolve how it serves fans across platforms, Sportradar is helping deliver the data-driven tools that bring greater clarity and context to live games, creating more engaging NBA viewing experiences for fans.”

A key component of the deal is GameFrame, which uses AI to transform live NBA player-tracking data into on-air graphics, animated replays, shot charts, and customized digital assets. GameFrame supports in-game analysis and storytelling by helping on-air talent explain plays, positioning, and outcomes as the action unfolds.

“Enhancing the viewing experience is essential to our NBA coverage across regional sports networks,” said Jon Slobotkin, senior vice president, content and live programming, NBC Sports Regional Networks. “Sportradar’s GameFrame offers a new way to add data-driven insights directly into live coverage, bringing visually stunning stories that resonate with today’s fans.”

STAMFORD, Conn.—As NBCUniversal prepares to air the Opening Ceremony of Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, the company has released additional details showing the immense scale of its coverage, which will provide more than 3,200 total hours across broadcast, cable, and streaming, including 2,500+ streaming hours, a record 700+ hours on linear television, all 116 medal events live on Peacock, and commentary from more than 80 commentators.

TV Tech’s full coverage of the tech plans and production technologies being used for the Winter Olympics can be found here, here and here.

The February Digital Edition of TV Tech also contains extensive coverage of the Olympics and previews of their production plans.

NBCU provides these stats to show the scale of its coverage:

• 115,000: Square feet in NBC Sports’ integration facility and warehouse in Connecticut, where nearly all of its production and engineering infrastructure begins its journey to northern Italy.
• 3,983: Distance in miles between NBC Sports’ International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn., and Milan, Italy.
• 3,200+: Total programming hours across NBCU’s linear and digital platforms.
• 2,900: Approximate total number of athletes expected to compete at Milan Cortina 2026, a Winter Olympics record.
• 2,500+: Hours of streaming coverage across Peacock and NBC Sports’ Digital platforms.
• 1972: Year that marked NBC’s first-ever coverage of an Olympic Winter Games in Sapporo, Japan.
• 1,600: Approximate number of NBCU Olympics employees based at NBC Sports’ International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn.
• 1,000: Approximate number of NBCU Olympics employees on-site in northern Italy.
• 700+: Hours of coverage being telecast across linear platforms.
• 232: Number of Team USA athletes expected to compete at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
• 230+: Number of hours on the NBC broadcast network, a Winter Olympics record.
• 116: Number of medal events at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, all of which will be streamed live on Peacock.
• 92: Number of countries and territories taking part in the Parade of Athletes at the Opening Ceremony.
• 84: Number of commentators on NBCU’s talent roster.
• 62: Total number of medals won at the Beijing Winter Olympics by the United States and Norway, who will face off in mixed doubles curling on Wednesday, Feb. 4, at 4:05 a.m. ET on Peacock, marking Team USA’s first event of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
• 50: Number of Full Remote Edit Rooms in use.
• 44: Number of Olympic medals won by NBCU’s Olympic commentators.
• 41: Number of total events that the NBC Olympics Research team went to in preparation for the Games.
• 35: Number of Multi-Purpose Flexible Use Rooms used for everything from replay operations, remote graphics, telestration, and more.
• 17: Number of purpose-built broadcast booths at NBC Sports’ International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn., where a select commentators will call live competition from.
• 17: Consecutive nights of primetime coverage on the NBC broadcast network.
• 16: Number of Olympics that NBCU’s lead alpine skiing play-by-play commentator Dan Hicks will have worked.
• 14: Number of international trips that the NBC Olympics Research team went to in preparation for the Games, including four countries and five Canadian provinces.
• 13: Number of Production Control Rooms at NBC Sports’ International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn.
• 8: Number of Winter Olympics broadcast by NBC, including Milan Cortina.
• 6: Number of hours northern Italy is ahead of the U.S. Eastern time zone.
• 5: Number of Muppets of Sesame Street (Elmo, Cookie Monster, Grover, Bert, and Oscar the Grouch) who will travel to Milan and be incorporated into NBCU’s comprehensive social and broadcast coverage surrounding the Games.
• 4K: NBC and Peacock will be “4K All Day” for Super Bowl LX and the Winter Olympics on Sunday, Feb. 8.
• 3: Number of Olympic Winter Games that Italy has hosted, joining the United States (four) and France (three) as the only countries to host the Winter Games three or more times.
• 2: Number of cities officially co-hosting these Winter Olympics, marking the first time this has happened.
• 1: The one and only Snoop Dogg will contribute to NBCU’s coverage of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, providing his unique take on what’s happening in northern Italy.

NBC and Peacock will present live coverage of the Opening Ceremony on Friday, Feb. 6, beginning at 2 p.m. ET. Primetime coverage will begin at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

The NBC broadcast network and streaming service Peacock will be the company’s primary platforms for its coverage of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, scheduled for Feb. 5-22.

For more information on how to watch the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics across NBCUniversal, click here.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.—NBC Sports has laid out the enormous scale of its coverage of Super Bowl LX (Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots) on Sunday, February 8, with a host of stats showing that it will be deploying a NBC Sports’ team of more than 700 people along with 145 cameras, 130 microphones, 75 miles of cable, 22 mobile units, and a massive collection of additional tools and resources.

In all, NBCUniversal will present 90+ hours of Super Bowl-related coverage this week across multiple platforms including NBC, Telemundo, Peacock and Universo.

The game is part of what NBCUniversal is calling its “Legendary February” with its coverage of the Winter Olympics, the Super Bowl and the NBA All Star Weekend.

On Feb. 8, it will offer both Super Bowl LX and the Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games converge across NBCUniversal platforms featuring pre-game show, the game, the awarding of the Lombardi Trophy in Santa Clara and multiple gold medal events in Milan and Livigno.

Following is NBC Sports’ coverage of Super Bowl LX “by the numbers”:

• 1st Super Bowl play-by-play assignment for Mike Tirico
• 2 SkyCams used by NBC Sports to cover the game (including “High Sky”)
• 2nd Seahawks-Patriots Super Bowl matchup presented by NBC Sports (Super Bowl XLIX)
• 3 Super Bowl games as a referee for NBC Sports rules analyst Terry McAulay
• 6th Super Bowl as game analyst for Cris Collinsworth (fifth featuring the New England Patriots)
• 9 Locations of NBC Sports’ hosts, analysts, and commentators around the Bay Area and Levi’s Stadium on Super Bowl Sunday
• 11 Combined Super Bowl victories among NBC Sports Super Bowl LX Pregame Show teammates Tony Dungy (XIII as a player with the Steelers, XLI as head coach of the Colts), Rodney Harrison (XXXVIII and XXXIX with the Patriots), Jason Garrett (XXVII, XXVIII, and XXX as a player with the Cowboys), Devin McCourty (XLIX, LI, and LIII with the Patriots), and guest analyst and former Los Angels Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald (LVI)
• 16.5 Hours of combined Super Bowl LX and Winter Olympics coverage on NBC and Peacock on Sunday, Feb. 8
• 21 Hosts, analysts, and commentators around the Bay Area and Levi’s Stadium for Super Bowl Sunday
• 22 Mobile units on-site at Levi’s Stadium
• 23 Years between assignments as Super Bowl sideline reporter for Melissa Stark
• 75 Miles of camera and microphone cable
• 130 Microphones
• 145 Cameras used for Super Bowl (81, including fixed cameras on pylons, etc.) and pre-game (64) coverage
• 700 + NBC Sports employees on site in the Bay Area
• 396,000 feet of camera and microphone cable
• $10+ million Record cost of a 30-second advertisement during Super Bowl LX

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBC Sports has selected SMT (SportsMEDIA Technology) to provide results and timing interfaces, data integration tools, and broadcast graphics support for its production of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, Feb. 6-22.

For the games, NBC Sports will utilize SMT to deliver real-time results and timing interfaces, scoring and graphics elements, and comprehensive production data support for its production of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

SMT will provide TVI (broadcast television interface) support services for figure skating and alpine skiing, speed skating, short track, bobsled, luge, skeleton, snowboard, and freestyle skiing (produced from Stamford). SMT will also supply its SportsCG timing and scoring system and CIS (Commentator Information Screen) for figure skating coverage.

Additional SMT services include data feed support for Peacock digital coverage and a media asset management tool that integrates with NBC Sports’ production environment. SMT will also deploy heart-rate monitor kits, for select family members, to illustrate the adrenaline spikes experienced as families watch their loved ones compete. These services will help NBC Sports route the excitement in Italy back to viewers watching coverage of the Games in the United States.

“Each Olympic Games expands the data landscape for storytelling. SMT’s flexibility with new technologies and diverse data sources enables us to integrate results and context for live and postproduction,” said Dan Robertson, vice president, Olympics Information Technology, NBC Sports. “That agility elevates NBC Sports’ data presentation—delivering richer graphics, smarter insights, and dynamic storytelling across linear and digital platforms.”

SMT has worked with NBC Sports since 2000, assisting production efforts at previous Olympics and other major international sports events across Europe and Asia.

“SMT is proud to bring our proven expertise, rigorous preparation, and trusted results technology to NBC Sports’ coverage of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, continuing a legacy of support that began in Sydney in 2000,” said Gerard J. Hall, founder and CEO, SMT.

Click here for more on NBCUniversal’s Milan Cortina 2026 programming.

TV Tech’s overall coverage of NBC Sports' overall tech plans for the 2026 Winter Games can be found here, here and here.

STAMFORD, CONN—NBC Sports has selected Audio-Technica to once again provide professional microphones, broadcast headsets, headphones and related accessories for its production of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

NBC Sports will utilize Audio-Technica equipment to deliver much of its audio capture requirements across all sporting venues for its production of the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, helping NBC Sports route the excitement in Italy back to viewers watching coverage of the Games in the United States.

“NBC Sports is proud to mark 25 years of partnership with Audio-Technica, whose advanced audio technology solutions have played a vital role in supporting NBC Olympics’ production efforts around the world. Throughout this longstanding partnership, Audio-Technica has continued to deliver premium products and pioneering innovations in microphone technology, serving as the foundation of an audio signal chain dedicated to superior sound quality and reliability. Audio-Technica consistently delivers outstanding performance, Games after Games, whether in the host city as well as at our Stamford broadcast facility,” said Karl Malone, senior director, audio engineering at NBC Sports.

“We are delighted to be able to once again provide an extensive package of microphones, headsets and headphones that meets the demanding of technical requirements of NBC Sports”, states Rodrigo Thomaz, project manager – broadcast partnerships at Audio-Technica with technical responsibility for the collaboration; “and that they continue to have the confidence in our brand to deliver both on audio quality and logistical excellence.”

Click here for more on NBCUniversal’s Milan Cortina 2026 programming.

TV Tech’s overall coverage of NBC Sports' overall tech plans for the 2026 Winter Games can be found here, here and here.

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBC Sports has announced that Planar is providing LED video walls for its production of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

NBC Sports will utilize Planar to deliver leading-edge fine pixel pitch LED video wall technology for its production of the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. Planar DirectLight Pro Series LED video walls in a 1.2 millimeter pixel pitch will cover architectural archways and windows within Studio A and Studio B in Milan helping NBC Sports route the excitement in Italy back to viewers watching coverage of the Games in the United States.

“The Winter Olympics are one of the most visually stunning events in the world, and Planar’s LED video walls help us capture that beauty in full detail,” said Atila Ozkaplan, vice president of production operations, Olympics. “From our Milan studios, we’re able to immerse viewers in the energy of the Games, elevating our storytelling through the vibrant imagery created by our talented graphics artists.”

Planar has worked with NBC Sports since 2016, assisting production efforts at previous Olympics and other major international sports events in North America, South America, Europe and Asia.

“We’re proud to return as an LED video wall provider for the world’s most prestigious sporting event, powering NBC Sports’ broadcast coverage of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics with leading-edge LED video walls that deliver stunning visuals,” said Tom Petershack, general manager of media and special projects at Planar. “Our displays are built to elevate the broadcast environment, enabling storytelling that connects with audiences in meaningful ways. We’re honored to once again support NBC Sports with technology that broadcasters trust—helping ensure that viewers at home feel the same energy, excitement and immersion that comes alive inside the studios in Italy.”

Click here for more on NBCUniversal’s Milan Cortina 2026 programming.

TV Tech’s overall coverage of NBC Sports' overall tech plans for the 2026 Winter Games can be found here, here and here.

STAMFORD, Conn. & DENVER, Colo.—NBC Sports has announced that it is using Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) to provide multiscreen video management and delivery for its production of the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

NBC Sports will utilize Comcast Sports360 from Comcast Technology Solutions, which includes CTS’ Cloud Video Platform, to manage on-demand content and metadata, and publish video across devices, sites, and apps for its production of the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

CTS is helping NBC Sports route the excitement in Italy back to viewers watching coverage of the Games in the United States, through engaging fan experiences, including Olympic video highlights and comprehensive event coverage.

“The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics will be one of the most expansive productions in our history, with viewers expecting seamless access to every event and key moment across the screens of their choice,” said Darryl Jefferson, senior vice president of engineering and technology, NBC Sports and Olympics. “Comcast Sports360 from Comcast Technology Solutions enables us to deliver the speed, quality, and reliability that Olympic coverage demands, supporting seamless, multi-format delivery across a wide range of platforms.”

Comcast Technology Solutions has worked with NBC Sports for more than a decade, assisting its production efforts at previous Olympics and other major international sports events.

“We are proud to provide NBC Sports with the back-end video management capabilities needed to support their massive viewing audience, supported by Comcast Sports360 to enhance fan engagement with precision and efficiency at scale,” said Bart Spriester, senior vice president and general manager of streaming, broadcast, and advertising for Comcast Technology Solutions.

For additional information about Comcast Technology Solutions, visit: www.comcasttechnologysolutions.com.

Click here for more on NBCUniversal’s Milan Cortina 2026 programming.

TV Tech’s overall coverage of NBC Sports' overall tech plans for the 2026 Winter Games can be found here, here and here.

DALLAS—NBCUniversal has announced that service members and veterans worldwide will once again enjoy free access to NBCUniversal’s full coverage of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, courtesy of the Army & Air Force Exchange Service and NBCU.

As part of the initiative, military members will be able to stream all the action from Italy using their personal devices and computers through ShopMyExchange.com. The Winter Olympics take place Feb. 6 through Feb. 22.

“Few events unify the world like the Olympic Games,” said Exchange director/CEO Tom Shull. “It is a privilege for the Exchange to offer this Quality-of-Life multiplier so the Games can be viewed wherever service members and their families are called to serve.”

This longstanding venture will feature more than 2,500 hours of the Winter Olympics across NBCUniversal’s streaming platforms. Throughout the Games, fans can watch more than 2,900 athletes from 92 countries and territories compete across 116 medal events. Live streams of select practice and warm-up sessions and extensive video content including event recaps, highlights, viral moments, interviews and more are included.

“We believe moments like the Olympic Games have a unique power to connect people across the world,” said Gary Zenkel, president, NBC Olympics. “We’re proud to work with the Exchange to help ensure service members and military families can experience the Winter Games—wherever they are serving our country.”

Viewers can access NBCUniversal’s coverage from their computers or personal devices by visiting NBCOlympics.com (desktop or mobile device) and the NBC Sports App (U.S. only) and choosing the Exchange as their service provider. To verify eligibility, an active ShopMyExchange.com account will be required. Content rights restrictions will also apply to OCONUS locations where on-base residents must subscribe to internet service through an authorized provider.

Additional information is available on the Exchange’s Olympic Hub page.

For more information on how to watch NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, click here.

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBC Sports has selected Canon U.S.A. to provide broadcast lenses for its production of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympics, Feb. 6-22, and March 6-15, respectively.

(Editor’s note: NBC Olympics coverage begins Feb. 4 with early round coverage of curling. Opening Ceremony coverage begins Feb. 6 at 2 p.m. Eastern Time. Coverage details are available online.)

The Opening Ceremony from San Siro Stadium in Milan will be presented live and in primetime on NBC and Peacock on Feb. 6. NBCUniversal is presenting its 20^th Olympic Games, 13^th consecutive overall, and owns the U.S. media rights on all platforms to all Olympic Games through 2036, which are scheduled for Milan Cortina (2026), Los Angeles (2028), French Alps (2030), Brisbane (2032), Utah (2034), and the Olympic Games 2036 (host yet to be determined).

Besides the UHD lenses, Canon is also sending support staff to Italy making four service and support members available onsite of the Games.

“NBC Sports is proud to continue our longstanding partnership with Canon for the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympics Winter Games. Canon’s broadcast lenses and onsite support are integral to our commitment to delivering world-class coverage and immersive experiences for viewers. Their dedication to innovation and reliability helps us bring the excitement of the Games to life for millions of fans,” said Christopher Connolly, the broadcaster’s vice president of Sports & Olympics Engineering.

Canon has worked with NBC Sports for 35 years, assisting NBC Sports’ production efforts at previous Olympics and other major international sports events in North and South America, Europe and Asia.

“We are immensely honored that NBC Sports has once again selected our finest broadcast digital imaging solutions and chosen us as their dedicated broadcast lens provider for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympics,” said Sammy Kobayashi, president and CEO, Canon U.S.A.

More information is available on the company’s website.

Click here for more on NBCUniversal’s Milan Cortina 2026 programming.

TV Tech’s overall coverage of NBC Sports' overall tech plans for the 2026 Winter Games can be found here, here and here.

STAMFORD, CONN.—NBC Sports has selected Chyron to provide technology for data-rich graphics for its production of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympics, Feb. 6-22, and March 6-15, respectively.

NBC Sports will utilize Chyron PRIME CG to produce live broadcast graphics to display names, athlete information, scores, statistics, leaderboards, headshots and more for its production of the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. The full spectrum of top-tier design and data integration features in these Chyron technologies will be utilized, along with highly customizable playout Control Panels, enabling operators to display graphics and information quickly, accurately and on-brand throughout the Games in northern Italy, helping NBC Sports route the excitement back to viewers watching coverage of the Games in the United States.

“As we gear up for our coverage of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, we are continuing our long-standing partnership with Chyron, built on a foundation of reliability and innovation. The advanced capabilities of the Chyron Prime platform, from real-time graphics to creative studio elements, empower our design teams to enhance live coverage and analysis. Its integrated data feeds enable fast, meaningful storytelling that gives viewers at home a deeper understanding of just how extraordinary these performances are,” said Stacey Georgiou, vice president, production engineering at NBC Sports.

Chyron has worked with NBC Sports for over 20 years, assisting NBC Sports’ production efforts at previous Olympics and other major international sports events throughout the world.

“NBC Sports is not just a customer for us, but a strategic partnership that drives innovation,” states Chyron CEO Mike Truex, “and we are always excited to see those innovations driving content that delights the whole world at major events like the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.”

Click here for more on NBCUniversal’s Milan Cortina 2026 programming.

TV Tech’s overall coverage of NBC Sports' overall tech plans for the 2026 Winter Games can be found here, here and here.

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBC Sports has announced it has selected Ross Video’s Rocket Surgery RSVP to provide virtual and augmented reality for broadcast services for its production of the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics and Paralympics, Feb. 6-22, and March 6-15, respectively.

TV Tech’s coverage of NBC Sports' overall tech plans for the 2026 Winter Games can be found here, here and here.

NBC Sports will utilize Ross Video’s Rocket Surgery RSVP to deliver virtual and augmented reality in its production of the 2026 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. Rocket Surgery will showcase the combined creative strength of Ross Video, with on-site teams in Milan, Cortina, and Stamford, and deep collaboration with spidercam, helping NBC Sports bring the excitement of the Games in Italy back to viewers in the United States.

“The team at Rocket Surgery has always been there for us on our biggest productions around the world. Regardless of the ask or the timeline, this team delivers with enthusiasm and creativity and technical ability. NBC Olympics has always counted on Ross and the Rocket Surgery team to help us achieve our goals regardless of the venue or the country. We greatly look forward to partnering with them again on the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics,” said Michael Sheehan, coordinating director, NBC Olympics.

Ross Video’s RSVP has worked with NBC Sports for 10 years, assisting NBC Sports’ production efforts at previous Olympics and other major international sports events in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

“We’re thrilled to partner with NBC Sports for the Winter Games and to showcase the combined strength of Rocket Surgery and Spidercam. With teams in Italy and Stamford, we’re ready to deliver next-level AR experiences to audiences everywhere,” said Jim Doyle, vice president of creative services, Ross Video - Rocket Surgery.

STAMFORD, Conn.—Sunday’s Los Angeles Rams-Chicago Bears thriller delivered NBC Sports’ most-watched NFL Divisional Playoff audience on record, with an average of 45.4 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, NBC Sports Digital platforms and NFL Digital platforms, based on official Nielsen Big Data + Panel and digital data from Adobe Analytics.

Viewing peaked at 52.6 million in the game’s final minutes between 9:45 and 10 pm ET as the Rams defeated the Bears 20-17 in overtime.

Rams-Bears (45.4 million viewers) is NBC Sports’ most watched NFL Divisional Playoff on record, since Nielsen’s launched the People Meter in 1988 – covering a total of 34 games. NBC’s previous most-watched Divisional Playoff (41.1 million viewers) came in Jan. 1994 as Joe Montana threw three second-half TD passes to lead the Kansas City Chiefs to a 28-20 victory over fellow Hall of Fame QB Warren Moon and the Houston Oilers.

Led by Peacock, NBC Sports Digital delivered its largest NFL simulstream audience ever (excluding Super Bowls) with an Average Minute Audience of 5.3 million viewers across Peacock, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, and NFL Digital properties.

Chicago led all markets with a massive 34.7/66 local rating while the game averaged 16.3/55 in Los Angeles – up 15% from the 14.2/57 for the Rams-Eagles NFC Divisional Playoff last season on NBC.

CYPRESS, Calif.—Nippon TV and FOR-A America have announced that NBC Sports is deploying viztrick AiDi, an on-device AI solution developed by Nippon TV. NBC Sports will use the real-time AI solution during coverage of several live events, starting in 2026.

It is the first deployment of the solution.

AiDi delivers real-time player tracking, face tagging, object recognition, 2.5D telestration, auto-score graphics, and motion data analytics—without internet connectivity. Automatic 9:16 cropping with auto-tracking using highly intuitive operation enables incremental streaming business for mobile phones. FOR-A is responsible for the sales and delivery of viztrick AiDi.

“We were looking for the right tool for streaming live sports that would automatically crop athletes to a 9:16 aspect ratio with auto tracking,” explained Tim Canary, senior vice president of engineering, NBC Sports. “AiDi is that tool. AiDi uniquely provides real-time processing with minimal delay, which is key for live sports content.

“AiDi was designed and developed by broadcasters, so it solves the specific challenges we face every day,” he added. “It easily switches between AI mode and manual mode. This is particularly useful when the scene switches from a tight to a wide shot. If AI can’t grab the right athlete instantly during a camera switch, you can easily re-track them manually with AiDi. You never lose the athlete you’re tracking, which is a very important detail for our live coverage. Nippon TV and FOR-A collaborated with us, understood our needs, and quickly implemented them with AiDi.”

The deployment of viztrick AiDi creates the opportunity to provide additional revenue with minimal cost of ownership and helps NBC Sports develop a new business model by offering viewers dynamic 9x16 content for cell phones, reports FOR-A America President and COO Satoshi Kanemura.

“Broadcasters reap the rewards of additional viewers from unique streaming content that’s not only just as exciting as the broadcast version but also enhances the viewing experiences,” Kanemura said. “AI technology assists in increasing creativity with minimal investment and manpower.”

Unlike cloud-based alternatives, the system’s on-device, real-time processing ensures consistent performance with low latency, regardless of internet connectivity. This makes it ideal for outside broadcast environments and remote production scenarios. “viztrick AiDi represents a fundamental shift in how AI can enhance sports broadcasting,” added Kanemura. “By operating entirely on-device without internet dependency, it provides broadcast-grade reliability while delivering intelligent automation that empowers creative teams to focus on storytelling and less time on routine tasks.”

Nippon TV and FOR-A customized certain features of AiDi based on feedback from a wide range of customers, including NBC Sports. “AiDi was designed by broadcasters who know the specific challenges involved in live sports,” explained Canary. “When we provided input into the design, Nippon TV and FOR-A were open and collaborative. It was a partnership resulting in a sports-production-centric workflow with an intuitive GUI that’s extremely easy and practical to use.”

The system’s player tracking capabilities allow operators to draw directly on screen while automatically following moving players or objects. The system’s facial recognition technology enables the display of player profiles without interrupting live game coverage. Even more impressive, viztrick AiDi can recognize scoreboard data automatically. This makes it a faster and more accurate way to input scores when compared to manual operation.

Notable features of the viztrick AiDi include:

• 2.5D telestration that anchors to the field
• Player tracking and motion data
• Face tagging and profile generation
• Auto score graphics
• Auto cropping and tracking

Takayuki Shinoda, lead developer of viztrick Aidi, Global Strategy Headquarters, Nippon TV said “We are honored that our technology has been selected by NBC Sports, a global leader in sports broadcasting. It is deeply gratifying that Nippon TV’s creative power, honed at the forefront of broadcasting, has gained recognition beyond borders—this is extremely encouraging for us. This selection is not the ultimate goal, but the first step in our journey toward the global market. We will continue to pursue ‘AI that is truly useful on location,’ delivering new value to video production sites worldwide.”

“Broadcasting is evolving fast, and FOR-A’s theme of ‘Connecting the Present, Building the Future’ means giving our partners the confidence to embrace that evolution,” concluded Kanemura. “viztrick AiDi is proof that we’re leading the way.”

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBCUniversal is bringing back OLI, its AI-powered Olympics discoverability tool with enhanced features designed to help fans navigate thousands of hours of its coverage of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics (Feb. 6-22).

First introduced during the 2024 Paris Olympics, OLI is now powered by Google Cloud’s Gemini LLM. The guide is designed to combine the conversational power of generative AI with NBCU’s proprietary, real-time U.S. programming information to help fans discover when, where and how they can watch their favorite events. Coverage on NBC and Peacock, the primary platforms for the Games, begins with the opening ceremony on Feb. 6.

OLI will be available across 19 NBCU-owned digital properties, including NBCOlympics.com, NBCSports.com, NBC.com, Today.com, NBCNews.com, regional sports networks, and 11 local stations, with the upgraded experience launching on January 20.

The upgraded version will deliver a more natural and collaborative experience that gives fans deeper context and makes it easier than ever to connect with Olympic moments that matter most to them, NBCU said. The upgraded OLI tool was developed in partnership with design and technology company Huge.

A demo of how OLI will guide fans and simplify the viewer experience so viewers never miss a second of the action is available below:

“Our goal with OLI on NBCUniversal’s digital platforms is to help fans find up-to-the-minute answers to their Olympics questions, and to help them quickly get to the thousands of hours of coverage we have across NBC and Peacock,” said Jenny Storms, chief marketing officer, Entertainment and Sports, NBCUniversal. “With OLI’s new capabilities, we’re transforming it beyond a discovery tool into a true viewing guide. From real-time medal counts and athlete profiles to personalized highlights and calendar reminders, OLI ensures fans can easily connect with the Olympic moments that matter most.”

With personalized recommendations and tailored viewing options based on time of day, time zone and live schedule, OLI will have several new features including live medal count updates by country; athlete profiles with bios and event details; video highlights based on user preferences; calendar invites that can be added directly from OLI; and suggested follow-up queries to discover new sports, athletes and Olympic content. OLI also includes links to help users get right to watching on NBC or Peacock.

As NBC Sports presents “Legendary February,” a month of sports programming including the Milan-Cortina Games, the Super Bowl and the NBA All-Star Game, OLI will share programming details with fans about Super Bowl Sunday and NBA All-Star Weekend in addition to Olympics coverage.

NBCUniversal owns the U.S. media rights to the Olympic Games through 2036, which are scheduled for Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy (2026); Los Angeles (2028); the French Alps (2030); Brisbane, Australia (2032); Utah (2034); and the as-yet-unawarded 2036 Summer Games.

In a notable example of how pay TV operators are integrating streaming services into their lineup and using those services to retain or attract subscribers, DirecTV is launching new channels called “Peacock Games” that feature different sports and games from NBCUniversal’s streaming service.

The first channel was launched Dec. 9 and is available to subscribers who get Peacock through DirecTV.

Coming on the heels of the recent addition of seven new ESPN+ live sports channels for its satellite customers, DirecTV said it is introducing as many as five extra “Peacock Games” channels for any sports fans who receive their Peacock service through DirecTV.

Available to both satellite and streaming homes, the first “Peacock Games” channels debuted on Dec. 9, featuring major college basketball action, with others set to launch in the future to support upcoming events.

The new channels will be found immediately after channel 619 in the guide and feature major Big Ten and Big East college basketball, top English Premier League action, and other significant live action, DirecTV said.

DirecTV also reported that the channels are being launched as NBC Sports is gearing up to produce an impressive lineup of events for Peacock and NBC, including the Milan Winter Olympics (Feb. 6-22), the Super Bowl (Feb. 8), and the 75th anniversary NBA All-Star Game (Feb. 15), among other events.

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBC Sports and Peacock have announced that they are working for the second consecutive year with the National Football League, EA Sports and Genius Sports to present a EA Sports Madden NFL Cast of the Baltimore Ravens versus the Cincinnati Bengals Thanksgiving matchup.

Blending video game elements and live action, the stream will be an immersive, data-powered live football experience that injects Madden NFL’s unique brand elements as animated overlays, the producers said.

Featuring live EA Sports Madden NFL 26 graphics, route trees, play cards and player ratings, the Madden NFL Cast will show football strategy, information and other features for viewers, drawing on the NFL’s Next Gen Stats and GeniusIQ, Genius Sports’ next generation data and AI platform.

GeniusIQ combines real-time data insights with fully branded animations, delivering an immersive viewing experience, the company said.

Last year’s inaugural Madden NFL Cast complemented the Houston Texans-Kansas City Chiefs afternoon matchup on Sat., Dec. 21.

For this year’s Madden NFL Cast, the main coverage angle will predominantly come from the hi-sky camera located behind the quarterback, the view most familiar to Madden gamers, rather than from television’s traditional sideline camera location.

“We are excited to once again work with the NFL, EA SPORTS, and Genius Sports to offer fans the ability to watch Madden NFL come to life, exclusively on Peacock. It’s appropriate that this year’s Madden NFL Cast presentation takes place on Thanksgiving, an NFL holiday tradition that meant so much to John and now carries his name,” said NBC Sports’ executive producer of NFL Fred Gaudelli, who was the lead producer for John Madden’s final seven seasons in the broadcast booth (2002-05 at ABC, 2006-08 at NBC). “We look forward to showcasing the Madden NFL Cast in primetime as well as introducing some new features that viewers and gamers will enjoy.”

“We are thrilled to partner again with NBC Sports, EA Sports and Genius Sports to present the Madden NFL Cast on Peacock following last year’s successful debut,” said Grace Senko, NFL vice president, media strategy and business development. “We are always looking for exciting and innovative ways to present our game and reach new fans. John Madden was the ultimate teacher, and this production will honor his vast contributions to the game on a holiday he helped make synonymous with football.”

The live stream, available exclusively on Peacock, will feature a dedicated commentary team.

“We’re at a unique moment where the lines between traditional sports consumption and interactive entertainment continue to blur," said Evan Dexter, vice president of franchise strategy and marketing at EA Sports. “The EA Sports Madden NFL Cast represents our vision of growing the love of football by creating the most immersive, data-powered viewership experience possible using the unique elements of Madden that have been teaching generations of football gamers how to play, read, and understand the game. That was John Madden’s vision and this partnership with NBC Sports, the NFL, and Genius Sports champions that mission and proves alternative broadcasts aren’t just a trend, they’re the future. We’re proud to be leading innovation in this space on football’s biggest stage."

The Madden NFL Cast will be produced by Steve Greenberg and directed by Tim Nelson. Regular NBC Sports’ coverage of Bengals at Ravens will be presented on Thursday, Nov. 27 at 8 p.m. ET across NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, and Universo.

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBC Sports is mounting mics in unconventional places to bring the sounds of NASCAR into the living rooms of sports fans.

Whether affixed to the front of a bump on a rear quarter panel or even directly inside a driver’s helmet, DPA Microphones’ powerful 4062 Omnidirectional Miniature Lavaliers have proven to be a “game-changer,” not simply a novelty, when it comes to telling the story of a race, said Matt Hogencamp, director of remote technical operations for motorsports at NBC Sports.

“In NASCAR, grams matter, and race cars generate brutal wind speeds, punishing vibration, extreme temperature shifts and showers of track debris,” he said. “We needed mics that were small enough to hide, light enough to avoid affecting aerodynamics and strong enough to survive extreme conditions lap after lap, while still delivering top-tier audio. The 4062 checked every box and gave us a real leg up in the sound department. Now, fans can hear the gritty scrape of a car skidding along the wall without crashing or the vacuum of ‘dirty air’ when one car tucks in behind another, the sound vanishing into eerie silence.”

While new camera angles and visuals are regularly incorporated into productions, audio is just as important, Hogencamp said.

“When we put a mic under the hood, our viewers can hear the engine in a way that changes how they experience the race,” he said. “It’s like they are in the car themselves. Even more revealing, viewers can now catch a driver’s unfiltered thoughts mid-race—the adrenaline-laced monologue they usually have on their own, as they hurtle toward a 200-mile-per-hour turn. These mics nearly disappear into the car but still capture everything we want.”

The microphones perform consistently regardless of where they are placed, which reduces postproduction fixes and allows engineers to focus on the dozens of other live feeds streaming into the truck, Hogencamp said.

“Durability is another win,” he said. “During multiday events, where crews have little time for repairs, the DPA mics kept running, meaning we had fewer midrace swaps and less risk of losing key audio moments. Quick mounting and low maintenance also made life easier in the high-pressure environment of race day, where every second of setup time is precious.”

For NBC Sports, the future of NASCAR broadcasting lies in this blend of technical ingenuity and creative risk-taking. With DPA on board, Hogencamp expresses confidence the audio side of the sport will only get more immersive.

“We’re always looking for new ways to put viewers closer to the action,” he said. “With DPA, we’re not just showing them the race—we’re letting them feel it.”

More information is available on the company’s website.

Charlie Jablonski, a broadcast tech pioneer who helped shape the modern era of Olympics television coverage, died Oct. 25 at his home in Lake George N.Y., the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced on Monday. Jablonski, who was a 12-time recipient of the Sports Emmy Awards and an executive with NATAS, was 69. NATAS did not announce the cause of death.

Jablonski was with NBC Sports for 16 years and was managing director of Olympics Engineering starting at the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul. He eventually became Vice President of Engineering and Technology for the network and received 20 Sports Emmy nominations overall, including an Engineering Emmy for innovation for his work on the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. At the time of his death, he was an advisor and consultant on the Olympics for NBC.

Jablonski was most recently Vice Chair of the NATAS National Awards Committee and Chair Emeritus of the Technology & Engineering Awards Committee, of which he was chair from 1988-2011. He was also a past president of SMPTE from which he received the Presidential Proclamation Award in 2015.

“Anyone who worked alongside Charlie for as little as a single meeting was instantly familiar with his superior technical intellect, quick wit and skeptical humor,” NATAS President & CEO Adam Sharp said in a statement. “A legend in sports television, broadcast engineering and the leadership of our Academy, he dedicated countless hours to the integrity of the Emmy competitions, the advancement of our industry and the mentorship of those he championed.”

Daryl Jefferson, who heads up NBC’s Olympics broadcast tech team issued the following statement to Sports Video Group:

“Charlie’s uncanny technical acumen was not only relied upon by NBC but he was often called upon by the Organizing Committees and the Olympic Host Broadcaster in both the power design phase and execution,” says Jefferson. “Charlie loved the Olympics, he loved the technical complexity and challenge and he loved the unique camaraderie we feel in the Olympic trenches and he did it always with his wry sense of humor. Walking the hallways of the Milan, IBC will be a bit different without the constant presence of Charlie, but his wisdom and influence will no doubt continue to keep the engines running and the troops smiling.”

In a statement posted on Linkedin, Sally-Ann D'Amato, SMPTE's Executive Director called Jablonski "larger than life."

"I've known him the entire 24 years I've been at SMPTE as the one through line of my career has been working with the Board. He was the Past President when I started and really the only one who remained a permanent fixture. Even during some times when various leaders would insist that only current Board members could attend the meetings, somehow those invites just snuck on through to his calendar (oops!).

"Because Charlie knew SMPTE and really cared," D'Aamato continued. "He knew about the worst of times and the best of times. He knew the history and that we had survived in the past and would do so again. He saw history repeat itself and was always there, listening quietly and then interjecting the voice of reason, experience, and smart-ass wit when necessary.

"I think often of one other Past President who, during a rough time at SMPTE told me that he didn't know what to do," she added. "'I knew I had to do something. But I didn't know what. So I did the only thing I could do. I called Charlie.' Because that's what you do. He was a mentor to so many SMPTE leaders, both Staff and Board. And I'm deeply saddened that we won't get to have those ultra candid talks about what is going on and what we can do. You all don't need me to tell you what a hole his loss leaves in the industry."

Jablonski is survived by his wife Ellen. There are no current details about a memorial service.

NEW YORK—After announcing a short-term deal earlier this week that kept NBC stations on YouTube TV, last night the two sides announced a new long-term distribution agreement that includes the revival of NBC Sports Network.

NBC Sports Network was a pay-TV television channel that originally started as the Outdoor Live Network in 1995 and was rebranded in 2012 after Comcast acquired NBC. It shut down at the end of 2021 after NBC announced that it would be moving much of its sports programming to the USA Network and its (then fledgling) Peacock streaming service.

NBCUniversal had hinted that it was considering launching a new sports network last July, according to a report in the Wall St. Journal.

The new network will be available on YouTube TV as part of NBCUniversal’s agreement with Google and will feature a “broad range” of NBCUniversal’s sports programming. NBCSN will complement the prominent sports properties presented year-round on the NBC broadcast network, NBCUniversal said. The agreement did not indicate which sports would be covered or where else the sports network would be carried.

“Our new agreement with Google is a clear win for both our business and our viewers – underscoring the enduring value of our must-see shows, films, sports, and live events while expanding our reach to even more audiences,” said Matt Schnaars, President of Platform Distribution & Partnerships at NBCUniversal. “We’ve secured long-term access to our full portfolio of broadcast and cable networks on YouTube TV, and we’re advancing our Peacock strategy with an upcoming launch on YouTube Primetime Channels and ongoing presence on Google TV. This agreement positions us for continued growth and reflects our commitment to delivering exceptional entertainment to fans across platforms.”

“This deal builds on our long-standing partnership with NBCU while addressing the evolving media landscape and recognizing the importance of making content available where and how viewers want to watch it,” said Justin Connolly, Vice President, Global Head of Media & Sports at YouTube. “We are pleased to have reached this agreement and look forward to continuing our partnership to serve billions of viewers around the world.”

Neither NBCUniversal or Google revealed how long the agreement was for. Other elements of this agreement include:

• A multi-year, long-term commitment for carriage of NBCUniversal’s full portfolio of networks on YouTube TV, including NBC, Telemundo, Bravo, CNBC, Golf Channel, E!, Oxygen True Crime, MSNBC, USA, Syfy and Universo;
• Peacock will be available in the coming months as a subscription through YouTube Primetime Channels;
• A long-term agreement for short-form clips, highlights and shows from NBCUniversal’s premium programming on YouTube;
• Films and TV shows from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment will continue to be available to buy or rent on Google TV, YouTube TV and YouTube, as well as iconic library films from NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution being available to stream via SVOD on YouTube Premium and AVOD through YouTube Free Primetime Content; and
• A multi-year extension of Peacock’s availability across Google's Android platforms, including Google Play and Google TV.

PHILADELPHIA—NBC Sports will present tonight’s NFL Kickoff Game between the ’25 Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys on Peacock in Dolby Atmos immersive audio.

The broadcaster also plans to stream weekly regular-season “Sunday Night Football” games in Dolby Atmos, a first for any NFL streamer.

“Peacock is the leader in live streaming because we’ve been focused since day one on providing our customers with an innovative, high-quality viewing experience that pushes the industry forward,” said Patrick Miceli, chief technology officer for Global Streaming & NBCUniversal Media Group.

“Peacock being the first streamer to support Dolby Atmos for NFL games adds to a list of sports streaming accomplishments that we’re very proud of, including our award-winning Olympics hub, record-setting NFL exclusives, all that we have coming for the NBA, and much more.”

The news follows Gray Media’s Super Bowl broadcast from eight of its NextGen TV Fox affiliates in February, which offered enhanced coverage of the championship game. The stations launched some combination of Dolby Vision high dynamic range (HDR), HDR 10+ and Dolby Atmos prior to the game, including WVUE in New Orleans, the game’s host city.

More information is available on the Dolby website.

NEW YORK—NBCUniversal at its upfront presentation laid outplans for new product features coming to Peacock for its NBA coverage, promising “an unprecedented level of integration between the platform and NBC Sports’ production,” the company rsaid.

NBCU, Amazon and The Walt Disney Co. split the NBA rights in a deal an 11-year deal valued at $2.45 billion per year. The new deal, which left longtime rightsholder Warner Bros. Discovery out in the cold, begins with the 2025-26 season.

“Peacock will be the most fun and engaging place to stream NBA games for longtime basketball fans and new ones, too,” NBC Sports President Rick Cordella said during the upfront at Radio City Music Hall. “We’re bringing the same level of innovation, inspiration and commitment that we’ve brought to so many other huge sports moments and leagues to deliver an intuitive, interactive and reliable streaming experience that the full range of NBA fans will enjoy.”

The company said that the new viewing features build on its streaming coverage of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, which reached nearly 100 million active users.

NBCU described the new features for next NBA season as follows:

• Instant Game Access. Peacock will make it easier than ever to stream NBA games, with the convenient Live in Browse feature allowing fans to jump straight into the action as soon as they open the Peacock app. Real-time insights and stats on the home page will give fans instant context about the matchup to quickly catch up before they start watching the game.
• Catch-Up. Fans tuning in late can use the Catch Up with Key Plays feature during a live game from any device. For mobile users who are watching on the go, the dedicated Can’t Miss Highlights playlist will have the latest game highlights and notable pre- and post- moments from across the league — and with one quick tap, fans can get to the live game on Peacock.
• Peacock ScoreCard. It is a first-of-its-kind, real-time streaming experience that is like "bingo meets fantasy sports” and will be available on TV and mobile. Fans will have the option to scroll to choose a game card based on a team or theme, and then earn points depending on what happens during the game. Personalized Peacock ScoreCard alerts will let fans know how they are doing throughout the matchup and how they stack up against other players. Top-ranked fans might even see their username on-air as part of a season leaderboard.
• Peacock Performance View. This is a new viewing mode that fans can choose to easily toggle on or off, unlocking real-time stats that break down the game, from which player is on a shooting streak to where they are most likely to score from next. The on-screen data overlay helps fans understand what might happen, before it does.
• Courtside Live. For Monday’s Peacock Exclusive Games, fans can get a coveted courtside seat to witness the energy and atmosphere from the arena through the Courtside Live feature starting during the second half of the season. Celebrating the culture of the NBA, this specially curated viewing experience will spotlight the moments fans care about and allow them to take control of how they watch — from the player arrivals and their latest fits to pregame shoot arounds, player spotlights and even courtside reactions from celebrity row. All these insider angles immerse fans even more deeply into the game, whether they are on-the-go and watching on mobile or via a special Multiview on the TV at home.

BURBANK, Calif.—The CW, NBC Sports and Grand Slam Track, a new global track competition, have announced a media rights deal that makes The CW the exclusive U.S. broadcast home of Grand Slam Track and names Peacock as the exclusive streaming home for the track competitions.

The professional track competition Grand Slam Track was launched in 2024 by four-time Olympic Champion Michael Johnson. A highlights special featuring the best moments from the inaugural Grand Slam Track season will also air on NBC on May 10.

“We’re delighted to finally be able to announce this incredibly exciting broadcast and streaming partnership to all our fans in the United States,” said Grand Slam Track Commissioner Michael Johnson. “I’d like to personally thank both our great friends and partners at The CW and NBC Sports for putting together this agreement, which will help us continue to revolutionize the sport of track. We were determined to make sure that Grand Slam Track would be seen by millions of fans across the country, and we’re delighted to be delivering on that promise. We can’t wait to get started with our Slams in April; you won’t want to miss this.”

Grand Slam Track features a roster of 48 Racers, comprising of the top track athletes from around the world, competing against 48 challengers in four Slams in Kingston, Jamaica; Miami; Philadelphia; and Los Angeles. The racers will be competing for the largest prize money ever offered in professional track.

Grand Slam Track has already announced that the 48 Racers signed to compete in all four Slams include world-record holder Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, triple Olympic Gold medalist Gabby Thomas, Olympic 400m Champion Quincy Hall, plus international superstars like Josh Kerr and Marileidy Paulino, with another 48 Challengers still to be announced for each Slam.

Each event is composed of three days of competition from Friday-Sunday. Peacock will stream all action live, and will provide exclusive coverage of the first day of competition of every event, including Grand Slam Track’s debut, when the innovative league kicks off its inaugural season on Friday, April 4 (6:00-9:00pm ET) from Kingston, Jamaica.

The CW will exclusively broadcast all Saturday and Sunday events live in the U.S., starting on Saturday, April 5 (6-9 p.m. ET) and Sunday, April 6 (3-6 p.m. ET), with those competitions also streaming live on Peacock.

Grand Slam Track adds to The CW’s ever-growing library of sports properties, including ACC football and basketball, Pac-12 football, “WWE NXT” and NASCAR Xfinity Series racing.

“We are thrilled to welcome Olympic Champion Michael Johnson and the inaugural season of Grand Slam Track to the CW Sports family,” said Brad Schwartz, president, The CW Network. “Michael and his team have assembled an impressive roster of the top athletes from around the world for intense head-to-head competitions. We look forward to introducing Grand Slam Track™ to our broadcast audience and believe it is an exciting addition to our growing roster of sports on The CW.”

Grand Slam Track joins a robust array of track & field programming on the platforms of NBC Sports, the exclusive home of the Olympics and primary destination for track & field fans in the United States. Through long-standing partnerships with World Athletics and USA Track & Field, NBC Sports showcases the sport’s biggest global and domestic events, such as the World Athletics Championships, USATF Indoor and Outdoor Championships, Prefontaine Classic, and many more.

“Michael Johnson is a legend in the sport, and we’re excited to partner with him and the Grand Slam Track™ team to deliver his vision to devoted track fans and new audiences on Peacock,” said Joe Gesue, senior vice president, NBC Olympics & Paralympics Programming. “Following the incredible success of the Paris Olympics, which featured one of the all-time memorable track meets, we’re looking forward to this new opportunity to showcase these phenomenal athletes and engage viewers with their dynamic performances and stories.”

Grand Slam Track reported that 48 Racers will compete against 48 Challengers in one of the following event groups: short sprints (100m/200m), short hurdles (100H or 110H/100m), long sprints (200m/400m), long hurdles (400H/400m), short distance (800m/1500m), or long distance (3000m/5000m). All competitors’ final placement score will be determined by their combined finishing order between the two races. The winner of each Slam event group will take home $100,000 in prize money, and the 8th place competitor will earn $10,000.

The focus of Grand Slam Track™ is on head-to-head competition, not winning times. All Racers will compete twice over the three-day event, and all Slam events will meet World Athletics regulations, with achieved marks being eligible for rankings and standards.

Range Sports, led by David Sternberg, was instrumental in advising Commissioner Johnson and Steve Gera, President of Grand Slam Track™, in landing the three-way partnership.

Below is the 2025 broadcast schedule for Grand Slam Track on The CW & Peacock:

• Grand Slam Track – Kingston, Jamaica. Friday, April 4 (6-9 p.m. ET, 3-6 p.m. PT) – Exclusively on Peacock; Saturday, April 5 (6-9 p.m. ET, 3-6 p.m. PT) – Broadcast on The CW, Streaming on Peacock; Sunday, April 6 (3-6 p.m. ET, Noon-3 p.m. PT) – Broadcast on The CW, Streaming on Peacock.
• Grand Slam Track – Miami. Friday, May 2 (5-8 p.m. ET, 2-5 p.m. PT) – Exclusively on Peacock; Saturday, May 3 (5-8 p.m. ET, 2-5 p.m. PT) – Broadcast on The CW, Streaming on Peacock; Sunday, May 4 (3-6 p.m. ET, Noon-3 p.m. PT) – Broadcast on The CW, Streaming on Peacock.
• Grand Slam Track – Philadelphia. Friday, May 30 (4-7 p.m. ET, 1-4 p.m. PT) – Exclusively on Peacock; Saturday, May 31 (4-7 p.m. ET, 1-4 p.m. PT) – Broadcast on The CW, Streaming on Peacock; Sunday, June 1 (3-6 p.m. ET, 12-3 p.m. PT) – Broadcast on The CW, Streaming on Peacock.
• Grand Slam Track – Los Angeles. Friday, June 27 (7-10 p.m. ET, 4-7 p.m. PT) – Exclusively on Peacock; Saturday, June 28 (7-10 p.m. ET, 4-7 p.m. PT) – Broadcast on The CW, Streaming on Peacock; Sunday, June 29 (3-6 p.m. ET, Noon-3 p.m. PT) – Broadcast on The CW, Streaming on Peacock.

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBC Sports said 2024 was its best year in terms of ratings since 2016. Its success was fueled by the Paris Summer Olympics as well as its NFL coverage, both on Peacock and broadcast.

Collectively, these events, among others, gave NBC Sports its most-watched year since 2016, with more than 400 billion minutes (or more than 7 billion hours) consumed across NBCUniversal platforms.

NBC Sports delivered 32 shows in 2024 which topped 20 million viewers in Total Audience Delivery (TAD) across multiple platforms. Over the more than 7,000 hours of coverage it provided for its marquee event, the Summer Games in Paris, NBCU registered a TAD of 30.4 million viewers across the combined live Paris Prime (2-5 p.m. ET) and U.S. primetime (8-11 p.m. ET/PT) periods—up 80% from the Tokyo Summer Olympics (16.9 million), according to official data from Nielsen and Adobe Analytics.

The NBC broadcast network extended its streak to 152 consecutive Summer Olympics nights as primetime’s No. 1 show. Led by Peacock, 23.5 billion minutes of Paris Olympics coverage were streamed—up 40% from all prior Summer and Winter Olympics combined (16.8 billion minutes across NBCUniversal digital platforms).

NBC also used its NFL coverage to boost its broadcast ratings and also to juice its Peacock streaming subscriber base. Although it drew negative reactions at the time, Peacock’s exclusive AFC wild-card game on Jan. 14 became the most-streamed live event in U.S. history at the time, with 32.1 million total viewers tuning in to watch the Kansas City Chiefs defeat the Miami Dolphins, according to Nielsen. That record was surpassed later in the year by the 74 million who livestreamed the Nov. 15 Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight on Netflix.

The network’s “Sunday Night Football” finished the 2023-2024 TV season as primetime’s No. 1 TV show in all key metrics for the 13th consecutive year.

Other sports standouts included the 16.7 million viewers who tuned into the Kentucky Derby on May 4, the largest audience for the Triple Crown horse race since 1989. In soccer, NBC Sports’ presentation of the English Premier League’s first match week of the 2024-25 season was the most-watched opening weekend on record in the United States, NBC Sports said. It averaged 820,000 viewers across six matches live on NBC/Peacock, USA Network, and NBC Sports Digital platforms from Friday, Aug. 16-Sunday, Aug. 18.

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBC Sports and Peacock said they will present a first-of-its-kind “EA Sports Madden NFL Cast“ of the Houston Texans-Kansas City Chiefs game on Saturday, Dec. 21, at 1 p.m. (ET).

The Madden NFL Cast production will be done in conjunction with the NFL, EA Sports and Genius Sports, blending live game action with animated elements from the “Madden NFL” video-game series to offer an immersive, data-powered live football experience, NBC Sports said. The Madden NFL video game series is named for the longtime NFL TV analyst and Hall of Fame Oakland Raiders coach John Madden, who helped develop its original version.

The alternative Madden NFL Cast will air alongside the traditional telecast of the Texans-Chiefs game on NBC and Peacock and the Spanish-language telecast on Universo.

Featuring live EA Sports Madden NFL 25 graphics, route trees, play cards and player ratings, NBC Sports said the Madden NFL Cast will transform football strategy, information and IQ for viewers, enabled by the NFL’s Next Gen Stats and GeniusIQ, Genius Sports’ next-generation data and AI platform. GeniusIQ combines real-time data insights with fully branded animations, delivering an immersive viewing experience.

“We are excited to work with the NFL, EA Sports, and Genius Sports to offer fans the ability to watch Madden NFL come to life like never before exclusively on Peacock, which has established itself as a home for premium live sports and innovative viewing experiences,“ said Fred Gaudelli, NBC Sports executive producer of NFL, who produced Madden’s final seven seasons in the broadcast booth on ABC’s Monday Night Football (2002-05) and NBC’s Sunday Night Football (2006-08). “This first-ever Madden NFL Cast marks a new milestone as Peacock’s first sports alt-cast.

“Not only are the Texans and Chiefs in first place in their respective divisions, but they have star players at multiple positions whose avatars will help us analyze the game’s biggest plays through the Madden NFL 25 lens,” Gaudelli added. “It has long been a point of pride for John and the Madden family that their video game has helped generations of fans and gamers learn and enjoy football, and we are thrilled to continue that tradition.”

The Peacock-exclusive live stream will feature a dedicated commentary team, with NBC Sports’ Paul Burmeister handling play-by-play; former NFL quarterback, YouTuber and Madden NFL expert Kurt Benkert utilizing graphic overlays to discuss and predict play options; and six-time Cincinnati Bengals Pro Bowl wide receiver Chad Ochocinco—who frequently discussed his own Madden rating in production meetings with Madden himself—serving as a real-time player “ratings adjuster.”

Also joining the production will be pro Madden NFL player Henry Leverette, who won the Ultimate Madden Bowl championship ring in February, and is the first player in Madden NFL Championship Series history to reach $1 million in career earnings.

Eleven players on the Texans and Chiefs rosters have a Madden rating above 90, highlighted by Kansas City stars Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, who were two of only six players to begin this NFL season in the “Madden 99 Club” with 99 overall ratings. Houston tackle Laremy Tunsil (95 rating) and running back Joe Mixon (93) are the top Texans in Madden ratings.

“We are constantly looking for exciting and innovative ways to present our game, and we are incredibly excited about the opportunity to bring together the Madden game, our Next Gen Stats platform and NBC Sports’ incredible production to create an entirely new way to experience an NFL game on Peacock,” said Hans Schroeder, NFL executive vice president, media distribution. “The Madden game franchise has had an indelible impact on generations of football fans and gamers alike, and we look forward to honoring that legacy with this unique broadcast of a crucial matchup with postseason implications.”

“At EA Sports, we’re always exploring innovative ways to bring fans closer to the game they love, and the Madden NFL Cast is a groundbreaking step in that direction,” added Andrea Hopelain, general manager and senior vice president of publishing, EA Sports. “By merging the excitement of live NFL action with the immersive possibilities of augmented reality, we’re redefining how fans experience football. Partnering with NBC Sports, Peacock, the NFL, and Genius Sports on this initiative allows us to deliver a dynamic broadcast that showcases the power of Madden NFL in a whole new way outside the game.”

“We’re delighted to be working alongside the NFL, NBC Sports, Peacock and EA Sports to help deliver the first-of-its-kind Madden branded alternate broadcast,” said Steve Bornstein, pesident, North America at Genius Sports. “Leveraging GeniusIQ’s groundbreaking technology and the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, the Madden NFL Cast is a fully immersive viewing experience designed to engage a whole new generation of fans.”

The Madden NFL Cast will be produced by Steve Greenberg and directed by Geoff Butler.

STAMFORD, Conn.—Despite a lopsided halftime score that saw the Green Bay Packers up by 21 points, NBC Sports said its coverage of the Pack’s 30-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins pulled in 26.6 million total viewers across NBC, Peacock, Telemundo, Universo, NBC Sports Digital and NFL Digital platforms.

The game, which had a peak audience of 31.3 million in the second quarter, marked the third consecutive NBC NFL Thanksgiving night game to top 26 million viewers, based on Total Audience Delivery (TAD) derived from live-plus-same-day custom fast nationals from Nielsen and digital data from Adobe Analytics.

The game registered a national NBC TV household rating of 8.9/31.

Top metered markets for Dolphins-Packers (based on 44 markets available) were:

• Milwaukee: 32.5/70
• Minneapolis: 15.4/46
• West Palm Beach, Florida: 13.6/36
• Kansas City: 12.9/40
• Norfolk, Virginia: 11.3/36
• Pittsburgh: 10.6/29
• Sacramento, California: 10.6/41
• Cincinnati: 10.6/31
• Denver: 10.4/37
• Las Vegas: 10.0/37

NEW YORK—NBC Sports and IMAX have announced that they will be offering the first-ever live college football game at select IMAX locations nationwide with the 2024 edition of the annual Penn State “White Out” game on Nov. 9 between the No. 6 ranked Penn State Nittany Lions and the Washington Huskies.

The Big Ten showdown will also stream exclusively on NBCUniversal's Peacock at 8 p.m. (ET).

The screenings are part of IMAX’s plans to expand and diversify its content portfolio beyond Hollywood films and it continues a partnership between NBC Sports and IMAX for live events and experiences. Earlier this year, NBC Sports and IMAX teamed up to stream the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony to over 100 IMAX locations nationwide — the first time this global event was ever broadcast live in IMAX.

For more details, including ticket availability and participating locations, visit www.IMAX.com/whiteout.

STAMFORD, Conn.—The San Francisco 49ers’ 30-24 victory over the Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 27 ranked as NBC’s most-watched Week 8 “Sunday Night Football” game on record, averaging 23.9 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, NBC Sports Digital platforms and NFL Digital platforms, according to data from Nielsen and Adobe Analytics.

NBC Sports’ audience peaked at 26.4 million viewers in the second quarter (9:15-9:30 p.m. ET).

Viewership of Cowboys-49ers outpaced last year’s Week 8 game by 43% (16.7 million for Chicago Bears-Los Angeles Chargers).

NBC Sports also reported that “Sunday Night Football” is averaging 22.4 million viewers across all platforms—the series’ best average audience through Week 8 since 2015.

NEW YORK—Yahoo Sports and NBC Sports have announced a $1 million fantasy football sweepstakes that Yahoo is hoping will increase usage of the redesigned Yahoo Fantasy app and NBCU is hoping will boost audiences for its NFL coverage on the broadcast network and its streaming platform Peacock. 

“We’re thrilled to celebrate our redesigned Yahoo Fantasy app by giving fans the chance to win big this season,” said Ryan Spoon, president of Yahoo Sports. “This partnership with NBC Sports will make playing Yahoo Fantasy even more exciting and add extra anticipation to one of the best weekends of the year.”

“Fantasy football news, insights and analysis have long been a core element of NBC Sports’ digital offering,” said Damon Phillips, senior vice president, NBC Sports Digital and Emerging Business. “Partnering with Yahoo Sports for the $1 million sweepstakes shines an additional spotlight on NBCUniversal’s unprecedented Week 1 NFL schedule and we’re excited to add another element of gamification for fans on kickoff weekend.”

Registration for the sweepstakes ends at 3am ET on Thursday, Sept. 5. A winner will be announced this fall.

By playing in a private Yahoo Fantasy Football league, users can enter for a chance to win $1 million. Users can earn additional entries if players on their fantasy team score a touchdown in a Week 1 NFL game broadcast on NBC and/or Peacock. The NBC and Peacock opening weekend slate features three primetime games:

• Thursday, Sept. 5, 8:20pm ET: Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs (NBC and Peacock), NFL Kickoff Game
• Friday, Sept. 6, 8:15pm ET: Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles (Peacock), Peacock Exclusive NFL Game from São Paulo, Brazil
• Sunday, Sept. 8, 8:20pm ET: Los Angeles Rams at Detroit Lions (NBC and Peacock), Season Debut of Primetime’s #1 Show: Sunday Night Football

As part of the announcement, NBC and Yahoo laid out some of the rules for the competition. 

If eligible Yahoo Fantasy users have both a quarterback and wide receiver on their fantasy teams who connect for a touchdown in a Week 1 game broadcast on NBC and/or Peacock, those users will receive two bonus entries. Bonus entries can be earned across multiple Yahoo Fantasy leagues and teams, but there is a limit of one bonus entry per player per touchdown. This means if users have an eligible player on two Yahoo Fantasy teams, they will only get one bonus entry for each touchdown he scores. There is a limit of eight total entries per person – one automatic entry for signing up for the sweepstakes and up to seven bonus entries dependent on NFL player touchdowns, they reported. 

The sweepstakes is one of several new experiences in the redesigned Yahoo Fantasy app, which features a bold new look and easy-to-use interface to help fantasy players have more fun and set a winning lineup, faster, Yahoo said. 

Registration for the sweepstakes ends at 3am ET on Thursday, Sept. 5. A winner will be announced this fall.

To sign up for a private Yahoo Fantasy Football league and enter the sweepstakes, visit here. For more information, visit the official rules here.

STAMFORD, Conn. and DENVER, Colo.—NBC Sports has announced that it will be using Comcast Technology Solutions (CTS) to provide multiscreen video management and delivery for its production of the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics, July 24-August 11, and, August 28-September 8, respectively.

During the games, NBCUniversal will utilize Comcast Technology Solutions implementation of VideoAI for automated metadata tagging. It will also use CTS’s syndication platform (CVP) to publish Video On Demand assets and metadata management across certain devices, sites, and apps for its distribution of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, helping NBCUniversal route the excitement in Paris back to viewers watching coverage of the Games in the United States.

“By working alongside Comcast Technology Solutions to assist in publishing VOD assets and metadata management across select platforms, we have been able to consistently raise the bar in our coverage,” said Monica Williams, senior vice president, digital products & operations, NBCUniversal Content Distribution. “The 2024 Paris Olympics is an incredible, tentpole event for our distribution partners, and working with partners like Comcast allows us to deliver our audiences the best content experience.”

Comcast Technology Solutions, which also recently launched a Sports Hub facility designed to meet the stringent and dynamic needs of sports programming, has worked with NBC Sports for twelve years, assisting NBC Sports’ production efforts across Summer and Winter Olympics and other major international sports events in Europe, South America, and Asia.

"The Olympics represent the pinnacle of sports video production and distribution, and Comcast Technology Solutions is honored to be entrusted to play such a central role supporting the video management and delivery of this unparalleled multiscreen sports experience at such scale,” said Bart Spriester, senior vice president and general manager of streaming, broadcast, & advertising for Comcast Technology Solutions.

NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will feature multi-platform offerings across NBC, Peacock, USA Network, E!, CNBC, GOLF Channel, Spanish-language networks Telemundo and Universo, and NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app. 

Every day, NBC will provide Olympic fans with at least nine hours of daytime coverage of the Summer Games’ most exciting events, including live finals coverage. Peacock will be the streaming home of the 2024 Paris Olympics, providing fans with the most-comprehensive Olympic destination in U.S. media history, including live streaming coverage of every sport and event and all 329 medal events.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), NBCUniversal and FAST studios have launched Team USA TV, a free ad-supported (FAST) TV channel showcasing the incredible stories of Team USA athletes and their journey to represent Team USA at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Viewers can now access Team USA TV through Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, VIZIO WatchFree+, LG Channels and Xumo Play. The service will also soon be launching on Peacock.

“In addition to supporting NBCUniversal’s wonderful Olympic and Paralympic broadcasts from Paris, Team USA TV will serve as a year-round home for Team USA athletes to share their stories, and for fans to follow the journeys of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic team athletes.” said Katie Bynum Aznavorian, chief strategy & growth officer, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. “This partnership with NBC and Fast Studios extends coverage of Team USA in between the Games, fueling fans’ interest to get access to the diverse personalities and gritty performances that make up Team USA as they work every day to drive their personal performance forward and represent the United States in competition.”

Team USA TV offers fans a chance to hear directly from athletes and witness the courage and determination that fuels them, the USOPC reported. Featuring 24/7 programming that provides behind-the-scenes access, the latest Team USA news and hours of the best archival footage, Team USA TV allows fans to be a part of the athletes’ ongoing journey to represent Team USA at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, Milan-Cortina, Los Angeles and beyond.

“Team USA TV represents a welcome expansion of coverage for American Olympic and Paralympic athletes, providing a year-round companion to NBC’s coverage of national and international events, the Olympic & Paralympic Trials and the Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said Joe Gesue, senior vice president of Olympic programming and executive editor, NBC Sports. “Showcasing athlete stories and bringing viewers closer to their journeys is the bedrock foundation of NBC’s approach, and the opportunity to partner even more closely with the USOPC will amplify our collective ability to do so.”

“We are thrilled to bring TEAM USA TV to life and to support the great athletes of Team USA, while giving fans access to their favorite athlete’s stories and experiences from the journey to the Olympic and Paralympic games, added Stuart McLean, CEO FAST Studios. “Adding Team USA to the FAST Studios roster, and producing TEAM USA NOW, a flagship studio-based show, will allow fans everywhere to experience the athlete’s ongoing journey to represent Team USA.”

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBC Sports has announced that it is using Sony Electronics to provide innovative broadcast technology solutions and on-site support for its production of the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics, July 24-August 11, and, August 28-September 8, respectively.

NBC Sports will utilize Sony Electronics to deliver imaging, monitoring, and technical support for its production of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

As part of the coverage nearly 100 Sony cameras will be deployed in Paris, helping NBC Sports route the excitement back to viewers watching coverage of the Games in the United States, including popular studio, full-frame, Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ), Point-of-View (POV), and cinematic offerings, lenses and accessories, and more than 400 4K HDR monitors for live grading, studio and location monitoring, and field use. 

“For the Paris Olympics, NBC Sports has been planning extensive behind-the-scenes and intimate storytelling through technology,” said Darryl Jefferson, senior vice president, engineering & technology, NBC Sports & Olympics. “This includes specific use of cinematic style cameras and robotic and PTZ cameras in new applications throughout our production. Further, NBC’s wholesale pivot to a mezzanine HDR at every Olympic venue has been largely built on the continued partnership with Sony on high-quality monitoring, color grading tools, and the adoption of the ‘NBCU LUT’ as a standard feature in Sony’s broadcast products.”  

The two companies also noted that Sony Electronics has worked with NBC Sports for more than 20 years, assisting NBC Sports’ production efforts at previous Olympics and other major international sports events in North America, Europe, South America, and Asia.

“Sony Electronics’ solutions continue to power the most memorable moments in sports, so we’re honored to expand our longstanding technology partnership with NBC Sports to further elevate NBCU’s presentation of one of the most viewed, influential, and entertaining global events through the use of cutting-edge technologies and workflows that enhance broadcast operations and amplify fan engagement,” said Neal Manowitz, President and COO, Sony Electronics.

NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will feature multi-platform offerings across NBC, Peacock, USA Network, E!, CNBC, GOLF Channel, Spanish-language networks Telemundo and Universo, and NBCOlympics.com and the NBC Sports app. Every day, NBC will provide Olympic fans with at least nine hours of daytime coverage of the Summer Games’ most exciting events, including live finals coverage. Peacock will be the streaming home of the 2024 Paris Olympics, providing fans with the most-comprehensive Olympic destination in U.S. media history, including live streaming coverage of every sport and event and all 329 medal events.

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBC Sports Next and Pixellot are expanding their partnership to bring livestreaming to youth and amateur sports venues around North America, combining the streaming and highlight editing capabilities of the former with the AI-automated game-coverage cameras of the latter.

"We're delighted to strengthen our partnership with SportsEngine, bringing revolutionary AI-automated video technology to a broader audience,” said David Shapiro, president North America, at Pixellot. “This collaboration underscores our commitment to enhancing sports streaming experience at all levels, making professional-quality live broadcasts accessible to amateur and youth sports venues free of charge." 

The solution relies on NBC Sports Next’s newly launched SportsEngine Play, a subscription streaming service for capturing and viewing live and on-demand video of youth and amateur sports, and Pixellot’s AI-automated cameras. The combination will be offered at no cost to venues, the companies said.

The partnership enables easy, integrated setup of the technology. Together, SportsEngine Play and Pixellot AI-automated cameras produce a professional, high-quality production, they said.

SportsEngine Play can be used to livestream and deliver on-demand content as well as to create highlight reels. The NBC Sports Next platform also is building a comprehensive collection of player development and training content, including exclusive instructional videos from more than a dozen world-class athletes, as well as offering live streams of amateur sporting events, such as the 2024 All-American Bowl. 

Pixellot is already being used at more than 10,000 U.S. high schools to provide AI-automated sports cameras and analytics.

"Expanding our partnership with Pixellot is a pivotal step in our mission to elevate the streaming of youth and amateur sports,” said Brett MacKinnon, senior vice president and general manager, Youth & Recreational Sports, at NBC Sports Next.

“By integrating Pixellot's state-of-the-art camera technology with our SportsEngine Play streaming platform, we're setting new standards in sports broadcasting, making it easier and more affordable for venues to not only share their sporting events with a wider audience but also benefit from a new revenue stream." 

More information is available on the NBC Sports Next and Pixellot websites.

MELVILLE, N.Y.—NBC Sports has successfully launched a new, state-of-the-art graphics system for NBC Sports at its Stamford, Connecticut headquarters using Chyron's PRIME Platform. 

The upgrade was specially tailored to the high demands of top-tier live sports broadcasts, the companies said. 

Prior to the launch, NBC Sports, like many sports broadcasters, had been using Chyron's legacy graphics offering, Lyric, known for its rapid recall and playout capabilities. 

"With a switch to PRIME, we were able to refine and modernize our workflow without compromising the design, playback speed, and functionality that our designers and operators were accustomed to with Lyric," states David Melfi, director of graphics integration, NBC Sports and Olympics. "As NBC Sports began outlining key requirements with the Chyron product team, the collaboration led to much more robust feature sets. Working to understand the requirements from every angle, the Chyron product team rose to the challenge and also brought new ideas to the table."

NBC Sports’ key requirements for a new graphics system included operator access focused solely on playout with limited design-editing capabilities, speed and efficiency for preparation and playout, and new possibilities for stunning graphics to support storytelling, the companies said. 

NBC Sports also wanted to keep the entire workflow of NBC Sports graphics playout operators within the graphics playout interface, with no access to the PRIME designer interface, thus protecting brand integrity and simplifying operator training. This mean that playout operators had to have access to certain design features, such as font size, object positioning, displaying specific columns or rows, and the management of data display, all within the playout interface.

These requirements were addressed primarily with Custom Control Panels, customizable by graphics design managers who can choose which objects in a scene may be modified and which parameters, such as size or position, of those objects may be altered, Chyron said. 

Controls for these specific modifications appear in the playout interface. With PRIME's new Native Java Script feature, the possibilities for easy customization of what may be altered and how are almost endless. Operators can even specify whether data-display fields accept external data via automation, auto-populate via query to data sources, or are to be populated manually, the companies explained. 

As with most live sports production, the speed of playout operation was another key requirement, the companies said. 

NBC Sports wanted to keep all of the tried-and-true keyboard shortcuts that their operators had become accustomed to with Chyron Lyric. Many of these were already available in PRIME, with the rest added for this implementation along with new keyboard functionalities. 

As part of the upgrade, NBC Sports also wanted to explore other potential new efficiencies.

One such new efficiency is the Message Range feature. Rather than having to render multiple iterations of a single template, each populated, for example, with the name, jersey number, headshot, and stats of a different player, the new Message Range feature allows the operator to use a single template with placeholders for each field that must be populated. When the graphic is recalled, the operator needs only to type a single datum, for example, jersey number, for all of the fields to correctly populate from a data table. This new, more elegant process is faster, conserves more system resources, and allows for dynamic data population, such as if stats change during the broadcast, Chyron said. 

"This was an example of 'problem solutioning,' really illustrating the collaborative work between NBC and Chyron," said Nikole McStanley, Chyron product portfolio director. 

David Mayer, Chyron PRIME solution architect, added that "It was a lightbulb moment when we first showed this feature, to see that even existing efficiencies could be made vastly better."

Another feature developed specifically for NBC Sports is Multiple Message Folder Support, especially useful for events that involve multiple sports. Graphics decision-makers can implement scalable design and logic once for easy expansion to many different sports with the addition of sport-specific assets.

As part of the upgrade, NBC Sports also wanted the graphics to be distinctive so they could offer sports fans a unique and visually exciting experience. 

"Sports requires a unique level of visual excitement, not necessarily better or worse than news graphics, just different and perhaps more challenging," explained Tripp Dixon, NBC Sports vice president and creative director. 

To achieve those goals, the Chyron team delivered some additional high-powered creative tools, Chyron reported.  

To create unique visual excitement as graphics play on or off, PRIME now can couple the use of clips as masks with the auto-follow feature, along with native logic-building capabilities, enabling NBC Sports to create some unique transition animations for their graphics. 

Another well-received feature, Warp Clips, allows the import of .png sequences from a third-party application, such as After Effects or Cinema 4D, that may then be applied as an effect to a PRIME scene. NBC Sports has utilized this feature in Chyron Lyric in the past to create Emmy award-winning animated graphics effects, and its creative team is already working on new uses for this feature, now available in Chyron PRIME.

"Now that we really see what our team can do with Chyron PRIME, we are looking forward to using this graphics system for the biggest events in sports in 2024 and beyond," explained Dixon at NBC Sports. "The partnership with the Chyron team in developing a solution that meets our needs and exceeds our expectations has resulted in a product that is now integral to achieving the look and workflow that we want."

LONDON—NBC Sports Regional Networks and the British Basketball League have inked a media rights deal that will bring basketball action of the league’s 2023-24 season to the San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago and Philadelphia markets.

“This deal between NBC Sports Regional Networks and the British Basketball League signifies a major step forward for our league,” said league CEO Aaron Radion. “Bringing the excitement of British basketball to fans across these regions gives us an opportunity to welcome new fans into our League and showcase our world-class talent –a number of whom hail from American colleges—to new audiences.”

Two weekly games, each Thursday and Friday during the season, will appear on NBC Sports Bay Area, NBC Sports California, NBC Sports Chicago and NBC Sports Philadelphia. Coverage of league play kicks off today with a game between the Leicester Riers and Surrey Scorchers,

Men’s and Women’s tentpole events, including the 2024 Basketball League Trophy Finals, Jan. 27-28; the 2024 British Basketball League All-Star Game, March 17; and the 2024 British Basketball League Playoff Finals, May 19; are covered under the deal. The regional sports networks also will present other programming, such as the new “UNBEATABLE” magazine show. 

“As the CEO of the League and a former NBC Universal employee, I am incredibly proud of this partnership because I know the opportunities this gives our organization, and British basketball, to reach new fans,” added Radion.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.—In a bid to tap into the large market for youth sports, NBC Sports Next  is launching SportsEngine Play, which it is billing as a first-of-its-kind subscription streaming service for capturing and viewing live and on-demand video of youth and amateur sporting events. 

The new service SportsEngine Play, which has both free and subscription tiers, is designed to enable organizations, leagues, coaches and parents to view games and access a host of other resources that will help them be more involved in youth sports. 

The new streaming service builds on NBC Sports expertise in sports and the August 2021 launch of NBC Sports Next, which focuses on driving sports tech innovation and creating new immersive experiences in such areas as youth, recreational sports, golf, sports betting, gaming and emerging media. 

In September of 2022 NBC Sports Next acquired Rapid Replay, an provider of video streaming solutions that provides the technology and platform for the new streaming service.

The new SportsEngine Play streaming offers users live and on-demand streaming of youth and amateur sporting events and on a variety of devices and provides users with a variety of video editing tools, so teams can capture magical game moments and athletes can create their own highlight reels. 

In addition to providing a platform for accessing and interacting with youth sports content, NBC Sports Next executives also say that SportsEngine Play is planning to build the industry’s most comprehensive collection of player development and training content.

This includes exclusive instructional videos from more than a dozen world-class athletes, including Michael Phelps, Larry Fitzgerald, Shaun White, Maria Sharapova, Kerri Walsh Jennings, Justin Jefferson, and more. In addition, the service will continue to build its selection of elite amateur sports competitions, such as the NXTPRO Sports’ PRO16 Basketball Circuit, with more content being added to the platform every day.

The launch of SportsEngine Play comes at a time when audiences for sports have remained strong. With the new streaming service NBC Sports Next hopes to tap into the large but relatively underserved youth sports market by catering to the rapidly growing number of athletes and their families, as well as the people working and volunteering in youth sports. 

The National Council for Youth Sports claims more than 60 million participants are registered in organized youth sports programs in the U.S., and a recent study from the Aspen Institute reveals a post-pandemic rebound in participation of more than 20 percent from 2021 to 2022, NBC Sports Next reported in announcing the service. 

“We’re thrilled to introduce SportsEngine Play to the more than 30,000 youth sports organizations and the millions of players and families we serve through our NBC Sports Next technology platforms and applications,” said Brett MacKinnon, senior vice president and general manager, Youth and Recreational Sports, NBC Sports Next. “Given our sports and media DNA, we’re uniquely positioned to deliver this product to the sports community – a preeminent streaming platform for all youth and amateur sports, with personalized video content, the best instructional and player development videos, and much more to come as we continue to grow.” 

Part of NBC Sports Next’s roadmap includes plans to launch a SportsEngine Play connected TV streaming app in 2024, providing athletes and their families with an additional way to view content at home.

Currently the service will not have ads but executives say those could be added in the future. 

For a limited time, SportsEngine Play is offering its subscription plans – Free, Premier and All Access – with introductory discount pricing: 

• Free plan enables users to capture and view live-streamed content.
• Premier plan includes live streaming and on-demand viewing of game replays, plus access to editing tools to create highlight videos. $9.99 monthly/$79.99 annual (20% discount)
• All Access plan includes all live and on-demand streaming, editing tools, plus access to hundreds of hours of expertly produced sports content, including player development videos, instructional content from world-class athletes and organizations, access to premier amateur sports competitions, and more. $9.99 monthly/$79.99 annual (60% discount)

The service builds on the video streaming technologies NBC Sports Next acquired and the separate SportsEngine service it provides leagues, schools, teams and other outlets for managing teams, leagues and sports clubs. 

Those technologies simplify the process of offering video streams of youth and amateur sports events with an end-to-end suite of video tools for live streaming, post-production, and highlight distribution. 

Video streaming through SportsEngine Play can originate from a variety of camera sources, ranging from a personal phone with video capabilities to autonomous cameras professionally installed at sporting venues, NBC Sports Next reported. 

To date, more than 90 cameras have been installed at more than 85 sporting venues – numbers that will continue to grow as more organizations join the platform. Hundreds of hours of live and on-demand streaming content (are being or have been) captured on SportsEngine Play already, representing such popular sports as football, basketball, baseball, hockey, volleyball, soccer, and lacrosse, as well as such sports as cheer, dance, figure skating, gymnastics, and martial arts. SportsEngine Play customers range from National Governing Bodies of sport to major club programs to individual teams.

NBC Sports Next is also building SportsEngine Play platforms for its partner organizations. For its recently established relationship with Frisco Independent School District, one of the largest districts in Texas, NBC Sports Next launched a Frisco Sports Live web portal powered by SportsEngine Play, which will stream approximately 4,000 sporting events for the district’s 12 high schools and 18 middle schools during the school year.

“Frisco ISD is excited that the achievements of its students will be showcased on NBC Sports Next’s SportsEngine Play,” Frisco ISD Athletic Director Jerry Littlejohn said. “The quality of the video is outstanding and it adds to the experience of participants, families and fans throughout the district and beyond.”

Parents and others can also record and upload games and content into the system. 

In addition to live and on-demand event streaming, SportsEngine Play’s All Access subscription offers a growing library of video content that provides young athletes and their families with everything they need to know about their sports of choice, from rules and equipment to training and skills to mental health, fitness and more. This content features exclusive instructional videos from world-class athletes like Michael Phelps, Larry Fitzgerald, Shaun White, Paul Rabil, Kerri Walsh Jennings, Megan Rapinoe, and others, who offer video collections featuring tips and techniques highlighting their training regimens, as well insight on leadership and mental health. 

“It’s a powerful thing to create opportunities to learn, grow and inspire within a deserving community, such as youth sports,” Walsh Jennings said. “I’m proud of the work my fellow champions and I have created with The Pros and so happy our content has found such a great home. My goal is to forever inspire and empower as many people as I can, and this partnership will allow for great and positive impact.”

Other premier video content on SportsEngine Play will be offered from National Governing Bodies of sport like USA Hockey, major clubs like Diamond Allegiance baseball, and leading industry voices like the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s TrueSport program. SportsEngine Play is constantly adding new content to the platform, even acquiring streaming rights to elite amateur sports competition that will entertain and inspire young athletes.

For more information and to check out an informational, how-to video, go to SportsEnginePlay.com.  

NEW YORK—NBCUniversal has promoted Rick Cordella to the role of president, NBC Sports, where he will report into Mark Lazarus, chairman, NBCUniversal Media Group.

In this role, Cordella will lead all aspects of NBC Sports’ collection of brands and platforms, which includes NBC Sports, NBC Olympics, Golf Channel, NBC Sports Digital and two transactional sports businesses, GolfNow and SportsEngine. 

In addition, Cordella will work with NBC Local on the company’s Regional Sports Network strategy and will continue to oversee Sports on Peacock, home to the most live sports of any streamer.

“Rick has been at the epicenter of NBC Sports for years with a proven track record of growth and innovation across platforms, particularly our flagship NBC network as well as Peacock, where he helped architect our leadership role in sports and streaming,” Lazarus said. “Rick will oversee the evolution of our business as we continue to offer the best experiences and content to our viewers, as well as be the best partner to leagues and rights holders.”

Cordella has been at NBCU since 2006, serving in a variety of leadership roles. In 2022, Cordella was named president, programming, NBC Sports and Peacock Sports, where he led NBCU’s sports programming strategy across broadcast, cable and streaming and oversaw sports betting, sports fantasy and related efforts.

Previously, Cordella, who was a member of the Peacock founding team, served as Peacock’s chief commercial officer following a stint as chief revenue officer. In these capacities, he oversaw programming, including entertainment, news, film and sports, channels and live events, ultimately contributing to record-breaking achievements in 2022, including the most-streamed Olympics and Super Bowl in history. He also held responsibilities spanning platform launch, content strategy, product, monetization efforts, editorial, standards and practices, and sports rights acquisition.

Prior to Peacock, he served as executive vice president and general manager, digital media, NBC Sports, overseeing all aspects of NBC Sports Digital: direct-to-consumer services, including NBC Sports Gold, NBCSports.com, NBCOlympics.com, Rotoworld.com and ProFootballTalk.   Cordella was also a board member of FanDuel, representing NBC Sports’ investment in the daily fantasy and sports betting company.

A six-time Sports Emmy Award winner, Cordella previously served as general manager, Fantasy Sports, where he managed NBC Sports’ fantasy sports properties, including Rotoworld.com, Allstarstats.com and Sandbox.com. He joined NBC Sports in 2006 with NBCUniversal’s acquisition of AllStar Stats, Inc., the parent company of Rotoworld.com.

Cordella graduated from Providence College and was a member of the Providence Friar men’s basketball team that reached the NCAA Elite Eight in 1997. He holds an MBA from Boston College.

STAMFORD, Conn.—NBC Sports unveiled a rendering of its on-campus studio set for B1G College Countdown presented by Genesis, which will debut in nine days at Penn State as NBC and Peacock kick off their Big Ten Football schedules on Saturday, Sept. 2. 

The set is part of NBC Sports new package of Big Ten Games on Saturday night.  In 2022, the Big Ten announced a seven-year, $7 billion media deal with CBS, NBC and Fox allowing the three networks to broadcast their games starting in 2023 and running through the 2029-30 season.

B1G College Countdown will lead into each B1G Saturday game on NBC and Peacock. In addition, College Countdown presented by Genesis will lead into the two Notre Dame primetime games on NBC and Peacock.

NBC Sports said that the set will be located at a strategic location close to the stadium and that the open-air set will allow students, alumni and fans from both schools to view and interact with the B1G College Countdown team as they preview the upcoming game and provide news and commentary on the day in college football. 

The location will also allow NBC flexibility to showcase unique parts of each school’s college football traditions in and around the stadium. The NBC Sports studio team will utilize the set throughout the day of college football coverage leading up to B1G Saturday Night on NBC and Peacock.

In addition, NBC Sports has created a companion B1G Yards presented by Genesis fan experience, which will be on-location at each Saturday night game. NBC Sports and the universities will collaborate on a school-specific B1G Yards at each campus, highlighted by spirit team appearances, giveaways, spray-paint tattoos, a face-paint station, and a DJ deck called The Peacock Perch.

“We are thrilled to partner with Genesis on this unique opportunity to combine Big Ten and Notre Dame Football's dedicated fanbases with new, immersive experiences backed by the power of the NBCUniversal portfolio,” said Peter Lazarus, executive vice president, advertising & partnerships, NBC Sports. “Together, we are tapping into the power of sports to create long-lasting connection and impact with brands and fans alike.”

NBC Sports kicks off coverage of the 2023 college football season this Saturday, Aug. 26, as Notre Dame travels to Dublin, Ireland, to play the Navy Midshipmen at Aviva Stadium at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. Coverage begins with College Countdown presented by Genesis at 2 p.m. ET on Peacock.

On Saturday, Sept. 2, NBC Sports debuts its Big Ten Football package with two of college football’s top programs – Penn State and Michigan – opening their 2023 seasons with home games.

At Noon ET, exclusively on Peacock, the Big Ten champion and Associated Press preseason No. 2 Michigan Wolverines open “The Big House” against East Carolina.

At 7:30 p.m. ET, on NBC and Peacock, the AP preseason No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions, Rose Bowl winners this past winter, host West Virginia at Beaver Stadium in the schools’ 50th meeting, but first since 1992. The Nittany Lions and Mountaineers played 31 times between 1960-92.

NBC Sports’ FBS college football games announced to date are:

Date Time (ET)            Matchup                                    Platform

Sat., Aug. 26 2:30 p.m. Navy vs. No. 13 Notre Dame (in Ireland) NBC, Peacock

Sat., Sept. 2 Noon East Carolina at No. 2 Michigan Peacock

Sat., Sept. 2 3:30 p.m. Tennessee State at No. 13 Notre Dame NBC, Peacock

Sat., Sept. 2 7:30 p.m. West Virginia at No. 7 Penn State NBC, Peacock

Sat., Sept. 9 Noon Delaware at No. 7 Penn State Peacock

Sat., Sept. 9 7:30 p.m. Charlotte at Maryland NBC, Peacock

Sat., Sept. 16 2:30 p.m. Central Michigan at No. 13 Notre Dame Peacock

Sat., Sept. 16 5 p.m. No. 10 Washington at Michigan State Peacock

Sat., Sept. 16 7:30 p.m. Syracuse at Purdue NBC, Peacock

Sat., Sept. 23 7:30 p.m. No. 3 Ohio State at Notre Dame NBC, Peacock

Sat., Oct. 14 7:30 p.m. No. 6 USC at No. 13 Notre Dame NBC, Peacock

Sat., Oct. 28 3:30 p.m. Pittsburgh at No. 13 Notre Dame NBC, Peacock

Sat., Nov. 11 7:30 p.m. Michigan State at No. 3 Ohio State NBC, Peacock

Sat., Nov. 18 3:30 p.m. Wake Forest at No. 13 Notre Dame NBC, Peacock

Fri., Nov. 24 7:30 p.m. No. 7 Penn State at Michigan State (Ford Field) NBC, Peacock

NBC Sports’ Big Ten Football package features B1G Saturday Night on NBC and Peacock – marking the first time ever that Big Ten Football will have a dedicated weekly primetime game on a national broadcast network – and nine exclusive games on Peacock.

Peacock will simulstream all of NBC Sports’ college football games and studio shows airing on the NBC broadcast network this season, including B1G Saturday Night and Notre Dame Football home games, the company added. 

Gravity Media has announced a new deal with NBC Sports to provide mobile units for its coverage of Big Ten football and basketball.  

Gravity Media’s newest mobile unit, Aspen, will be deployed on the assignment along with its flagship mobile unit, Columbus. Another new S-Class unit with the same specifications as Aspen also being built and will join the fleet to support NBC Sports’ coverage from 2024.  

The assignment begins with the start of this year’s College Football season with a game at The Big House, Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor. 

Last year, NBC Universal and the Big Ten Conference announced a major seven-year agreement for NBC and Peacock to become the exclusive home of Big Ten Saturday Night football, beginning in 2023. 

Peacock will also serve as the exclusive home for eight additional Big Ten football games each season as well as dozens of college basketball games. 

Over the course of the agreement, Gravity Media, and NBC Sports engineers will work together with NBC Sports’ producers and directors will employ new technologies and workflows for the coverage. Those include traditional full-production on site as well as remote-connected techniques at NBC Sports’ state-of-the-art facility in Stamford, Conn.  

The production techniques were designed and perfected by NBC Sports’ and Gravity Media’s Broadcast Engineers in test case college events last season.  

“We are excited NBC Sports is expanding its technical facilities partnership with Gravity Media as part of a multi-year agreement, in which they will provide mobile units for our upcoming Big Ten coverage,” explained Ken Goss, NBC Sports’ executive vice president of studio and remote production. 

“Gravity Media’s HD mobile units offer the very latest in technology and we are excited to begin a substantive partnership with NBC Sports,” added Sean Seamer, Gravity Media’s president in the USA. “We provided facilities for the Peacock Classic basketball game between Baylor and Gonzaga last December, but this Big Ten agreement opens a new, deeper chapter in our relationship. Gravity Media has been capturing college sports action across the U.S. for more than 10 years, supporting thousands of high-profile sporting events including bowl games. We are looking forward to building on this experience with NBC Sports.” 

STAMFORD, Conn.—Following the down-to-the-wire Lions-Packers matchup in the last “Sunday Night Football” game of the 2022-23 season, NBC Sports is reporting record ratings and streaming audiences for the games. 

NBC Sports said it concluded its 17th season of "Sunday Night Football" (SNF) topping all primetime television series in the fall and that SNF is once again pacing to finish as primetime’s #1 TV show in all key metrics for the 12th consecutive year. 

With a record 13 one-score games, SNF averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 19.9 million viewers for the 2022 season – the show’s best viewership since 2019 and up 3% from last season (19.3 million), according to official national live plus same day data released by Nielsen, and digital data from Adobe Analytics. Over the course of the season, viewers watched nearly 72 billion minutes of SNF, NBC Sports said. 

“With our most watched Kickoff Weekend in six years, the blockbuster Mahomes-Brady matchup, our largest two-game Thanksgiving Weekend audience in seven years and Sunday’s thrilling finale at iconic Lambeau Field, the 2022 Sunday Night Football season was a success from beginning to end,” said Pete Bevacqua, chairman, NBC Sports. “In a transition year on the air and in the truck, we thank our unparalleled production, technical and announce teams. Coupled with the continued growth of Peacock, we delivered a best-in-class presentation and continued our record-setting 12-year run ranking #1 in primetime.”

Sunday night’s Lions-Packers season finale averaged a total audience delivery of 23.6 million viewers, marking the most-watched SNF finale in six years and the largest Sunday night audience since Week 1, NBC said. 

In addition, it was the ninth NBC SNF game this season with 20+ million viewers – the most since 2019 and up from five last year.

Led by Peacock, NBC Sports Digital delivered a full-season average minute audience above 1 million viewers (1.17 million) for the first time across Peacock, NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, and NFL Digital properties – up 38% from the prior record (843,000) set last year.

The streaming audience has grown such that NBC Sports Digital’s AMA of 1.17 million viewers for SNF tops the primetime average (8:30-11:30 p.m. ET) of all but three cable networks over the 20 nights of the SNF regular season package, NBC reported. 

BALTIMORE—As the 2022 NFL season gets underway, Michael Davies knows what’s at stake. The senior vice president of field operations for Fox Sports is contemplating new technical options on the road to the network’s 10th presentation of Super Bowl LVII to accentuate its broadcast on Sunday, Feb. 12, from State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

What will they be? He doesn’t know yet, which means the crew “will try different things during the season that we will eventually use during the Super Bowl broadcast. 

Replay’s the thing
One area Davies plans to focus on en route, however, is the clarity and quality of replays.

“Audiences are expecting more and more super slow motion, for that clear, smooth replay. We plan to expand that option by about 10% across the board,” he said, “so we may include a couple more replays for the A game on a given Sunday, for about 10 total; and maybe one more for the B game. And we’ll try to ensure that every camera we use during a game is super slo-mo, except for A, B and C.”

That means during a Super Bowl broadcast, which has in recent years included about 120 cameras, even the pylon cams (which all of the networks will employ) can be used for super slo-mo shots. That requires using software from the cloud.

“How that works is pretty straightforward,” Davies shared. “You record the clip, send it up to the cloud and then it’s returned for air. Pylons, POVs, etc., can’t be super slo-mo, so we add that option with software, though we’re getting closer to being able to do so natively. The bandwidth required has been the challenge.”

Fox Sports primarily relies on Sony cameras and produces most games “in 1080p and sends the content out in 720p, aside from some key games during the season,” he said, such as the Thanksgiving and Christmas broadcasts, which will air in 1080p HDR.

And for edgier shots, Davies said that Fox Sports and the other networks are continuing to work with the league on refining its drone program. As it’s happened, broadcasting for another league is providing insights.

“We’re still figuring out how to handle drones in the NFL, though we’re doing it extensively with our USFL broadcasts, which basically serve as a ‘Petri dish’ for the NFL,” he said. “So drones will be part of our coverage one way or another. We use one per game.”

For audio, Fox is using six parabolic mics around the field, but the league also requires the networks to work with NFL Films.

“The NFL has allowed microphones to be put on centers and guards, for example,” said Davies, “and as part of the process, NFL Films provides the player audio for effects at the line. So, they typically mic the players and get us the audio, and we feather this in with audio we get from traditional systems, like our parabolic microphones and shotgun mics, from Skycams among many others placed around the field.”

Production techniques will be fine-tuned as the season progresses, Davies added.

(Also read: ‘Fox NFL Sunday’ to Debut Groundbreaking New XR/AR Studio)

Pyl-ing on
CBS Sports is planning on refining picture quality and take advantage of advances in data tracking, according to Jason Cohen, vice president of remote technical operations, who pointed to the network’s moves last season to accentuate the shallow depth of field “with a cinematic quality” via the Sony F5500 and Steadicam.

He also discussed last year’s collaboration with the NFL and Second Spectrum to use next-generation data to track player movement via a chip that was embedded in a given player’s shoulder pad. That led to CBS featuring “RomoVision” and winning an Emmy Award for technical achievement.

“That data can be leveraged in many ways,” he said, “and RomoVision gives us the X’s and O’s on how players ran routes and why a play worked­—or didn’t.”

The next big thing on Cohen’s radar is its enhanced pylon system. “Traditionally there have been cameras out of each of three [of the four] pylons set in each end zone. This season, CBS has partnered with C360 that uses one 4K camera from each of four pylons that has an embedded 191-degree sensor,” Cohen said, “which allows us to follow action seamlessly into the end zone, instead of having to keep switching cameras.”

Rebuilt to last
ESPN’s EN1, the main truck in its five-truck compound has received a complete overhaul and upgrade to SMPTE 2110 according to Jimmy Platt, director of Monday Night Football. The update includes 27 new Sony 5500s, which will give the “Monday Night Football” broadcast “a more cinematic feel,” said Platt; plus four Sony 4800s and two F5500s; and new Canon lenses, featuring 122xs and 24xs.

Almost all of ESPN’s 52 cameras, including 19 manned, will offer high frame rates “with an average of 6x for replay,” he said, adding that graphics “will remain the same, with a slightly more robust approach via augmented reality.” 

Platt said EN1’s new design “will be like walking into the same house, yet like walking into a new one,” adding that the broadcast will be sent back to ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Conn., “in 1080p HDR, as we’ve done for several years, with viewers seeing it in 1080p.”

NBC is also adding more slo-mo, pylons and graphics as part of an evolving approach with “Sunday Night Football.”

 “This year, we’ll have an additional super slow-motion reverse camera angle that will cover game action [from] a new perspective,” said Rob Hyland, coordinating producer. “We have also added pylon cameras in each end zone, as well as RF line to gain cameras on the near and far sidelines.” 

Adding separate or offering new looks during this season’s NFL broadcasts will be the recurring theme among the major carriers on the way to Feb 12.

“Overall, we’re just marching to Super Bowl LVII, knowing that new options will manifest themselves during the season,” Davies said. “There’s still much in discussion.” 

NEW YORK—As more sports viewing shifts to streaming, NBCUniversal continues to reevaluate its strategies for distributing its sports coverage and has confirmed that it plans to shut down the Olympic Channel in September. 

“In order to best reach our target audiences, we are reevaluating our programming distribution strategy regarding the content that currently airs on Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA with our partners at the IOC and USOPC,” an NBC Sports spokesperson confirmed to TV Tech. “We will be announcing our exciting new plans for Olympic content in the fall.”

The move comes after the company announced plans last year to shut down NBCSN and it launched a direct-to-consumer streaming service from its NESN regional sports network in June of 2022. 

NBCU has long term U.S. rights to the Olympics through 2032 games and launched the Olympic Channel with the U.S. Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee as minority partners. 

News of the shutdown was first reported in Sports Business Journal. 

BIRMINGHAM, Ala.—At about midway through the inaugural United States Football League (USFL) season, the well-known television production technique dubbed REMI, or Remote Integration Model, is once again proving itself to be invaluable—but this time with a twist.

Rather than simply offering an alternative to traditional on-site TV production, the same REMI implementation serves centralized production control in Los Angeles for FOX Sports and Stamford, Conn., for NBC Sports as well as the league itself in Los Angeles, powering USFL replay, which is done under contract by Fox.

“To do that really involved an absolute plethora of transmission gear and real deep network insight into both [network television] workflows and concepts,” says Brad Cheney, vice president of field operations and engineering at Fox Sports.

More than 120 feeds leave Birmingham via 19 gigabits of bandwidth, a combination of private and public circuits as well as satellite backup. About half land simultaneously in Stamford and Los Angeles and the other half are discrete to each location. Even though separate game productions are done in Stamford and Los Angeles, remotely doing replay on the West Coast means both locations are always on.

“Even when NBC is doing a show, you couldn’t just flip the switch and send all transmission to NBC and call it a day,” says Cheney. “Those cameras come back in real time to Los Angeles for the replay center…. All of that depth of access that we built for the show is interacting with NBC Stamford full time. From that level, the integration is absolutely peer-to-peer constantly.”

The ‘New’ USFL And TV Production
The “new” USFL kicked off its first season in April with eight teams playing a 10-game schedule. The word “new” is being applied to this incarnation of the league because the idea of a second professional football league has been around for decades. The USFL traces its historical roots to 1965 when David Dixon, a businessman in New Orleans, conceived the idea for a pro league that played during the summer in NFL and college football off-seasons. That league actually formed and played three seasons, 1983-1985, before folding.

The new league, which reportedly is owned by Fox Sports through a business entity called The Spring League, is being led by Brian Woods, its co-founder and president, and Daryl Johnston, USFL executive vice president of football operations and a former Dallas Cowboys fullback who played on three Super Bowl championship teams.

All regular season games are being played in Birmingham. Three postseason games will be played as well, concluding July 3 with the USFL Bowl, which will be played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, adjacent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The teams are divided into two divisions, which include the Michigan Panthers, New Jersey Generals, Philadelphia Stars and Pittsburgh Maulers in the north and Birmingham Stallions, Houston Gamblers, New Orleans Breakers and Tampa Bay Bandits in the south. 

Centralizing regular season play in one city—as opposed to playing in four different cities each week—means there was no need to roll traditional OB trucks across the country from venue to venue. REMI was a good fit, says Cheney.

The first week of the season was an exception with traditional mobile facilities on site at the 47,000-seat Protective Stadium where the University of Alabama, Birmingham, Blazers play. Legion Field, the former home of the UAB Blazers, is also being used.

There were remotely produced elements added for the first two games of the inaugural weekend, however. NBC Sports added quarterback stats, scorebug, production and commentator telestrators, from Stamford. The third game that weekend between the Philadelphia Stars and New Orleans Breakers was produced entirely in Stamford.

Fox Sports began to prepare for USFL production preparations in December 2021. Two weeks later, the sports broadcaster’s CEO Eric Shanks and Brad Zager, its president of production and operations/executive producer, came to Cheney and his team with a new development.

“They said, ‘Hey, by the way, we’ve got a second television partner, NBC, and we’re going to do it all together,’” recalls Cheney.

Enter NBC Sports
Fresh off its overlapping production of the Winter Olympics from Beijing and Super Bowl LVI from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, NBC Sports took on production of USFL games in partnership with Fox Sports.

For its productions, NBC Sports is using more than 68 video paths from Birmingham to Stamford, says Craig Bernstein, the sports broadcaster’s vice president, remote technical operations and engineering.

Relying on a combination of compression codecs, including JPEG2000, HEVC and H.264, NBC Sports has reduced latency between the stadium and Stamford to “nearly a non-factor,” he says.

From a production point of view, the broadcasters are using nearly 60 cameras to cover the biggest games—comparable to the number used for NFC and AFC championship games—and no fewer than 30 for others, says Cheney.

In the case of Fox Sports, 70 microphones are capturing audio on the field. NBC Sports has added three additional stereo microphones—high left end zone, high right end zone and far 50-yard Mezzanine level—to create and capture enhanced sound. The broadcaster is creating a 5.1.4 mix in Stamford, which is being mixed down to 5.1 for air, says Bernstein.

Games are being shot in 1080p HDR. NBC is distributing 1080i HD to viewers, Fox is distributing its shows in 4K to affiliates and cable partners. Most Fox affiliates are down converting to 720p for broadcast, but some are also on-air in ATSC 3.0, which supports 4K. “I believe some of them are also doing so (broadcasting the games in 4K) and some are leveraging their cable partners,” says Cheney. 

New Perspectives
Specialty cameras play a big role in production of the games. Helmets are equipped with cameras as are referee hats. There are also wireless line-to-gain pylon cams, drone cameras, says Bernstein. The Ump cameras are particularly valuable, adds Cheney.

“One thing people forget … [with] the helmet cam is when you're running with a football, your helmet is moving side to side, because you’re looking ahead to see what's going on, see where that hole is, as you're moving,” says Cheney. “While we get some really amazing things on it, it can also give you motion sickness at the same time.”

In contrast, the Umpires stand still and are focused. “You really see the play at head level coming at you,” he adds.

Among the most noticeable shots are those from a dual SKYCAM setup—with one positioned high and the other low, similar to what NBC Sports uses in its “Sunday Night Football” productions. While using two SKYCAMs isn’t new in football production, the impact of positioning one from the defensive point of view and the other from the offense’s perspective “is massive,” says Cheney.

With the defensive side SKYCAM, producers can zoom in and ISO on players running towards the camera—“something we’ve never been able to do before,” says Cheney.

“Now all of a sudden, we have a moving end zone camera,” he says. “We’ve put a 24x lens on it, and it’s in people’s noses. And because of the other coverage cameras there, even the low sky camera on the offensive side of the play runs lower, doing more and pushing things a bit.”

While the producers and technical staff come from different networks, both NBC Sports and Fox Sports have worked well together, learning from one another and synthesizing new perspectives into the production of each of their shows. Even with production of the opening game—a simulcast by both Fox and NBC—both sides worked closely together.

“That night we were launching that simulcast, Brad Zager and (NBC Sports executive producer and president, production) Sam Flood were sitting next to each other the whole time, discussing what to do—how to make the show,” says Cheney.

Bernstein echoes Cheney’s comments. “Working with our partners at Fox has been both a unique and rewarding experience, including working together to engineer dual solutions using a common set of equipment and personnel. I’m looking forward to continuing the partnership as the league continues to gain traction,” he says.