Tag: NBC Sports

If Dolphins-Chiefs is on Peacock, could USC-Notre Dame get the same treatment?

Peacock is getting one of the best NFL wild card games. Maybe high-end USC games aren’t safe from Peacock after all.

The NFL playoff schedule was released on Sunday night. One by one, the network assignments and game windows were revealed. One game was announced for Sunday afternoon on Fox Sports. Another game was announced for Saturday afternoon on NBC Sports. The Sunday Night Football game was announced for NBC. The Monday Night Football playoff game was then revealed. One by one, we learned which games were going to be on certain networks. We wondered which game was going to become the Peacock game, the first NFL playoff game shown exclusively on NBC Universal’s streaming service without a traditional over-the-air television outlet.

A lot of people (myself included) went into Sunday thinking that the worst wild card game would be the Peacock game. Surely the NFL wouldn’t put a top-tier game in the streaming-only silo.

How naive I was.

Of course the NFL was actually going to do precisely that and make more consumers inclined to pay up for NBC’s streaming service. After all, NBC paid the NFL a lot of money for the Peacock game. The league wanted to return a favor.

So it is true: The Peacock game won’t be Browns-Texans, Steelers-Bills, or Eagles-Bucs (three games which Americans wouldn’t be hugely upset about missing). The Peacock game — this Saturday night in prime time — will be the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs against the Miami Dolphins. It’s one of the more attractive games featuring one of the NFL’s most popular and interesting teams. This is a game everyone will want to see, but it will be on Peacock.

If Peacock can take away a big-time NFL playoff game, surely a huge USC Big Ten game or a USC-Notre Dame game in South Bend (in 2025 or 2027) might get the Peacock-only treatment. It’s certainly something USC fans have to wonder about heading into a new conference under a new network arrangement.

Visit our friends at Fighting Irish Wire, Buffaloes Wire, and Ducks Wire.

Commercial-free golf returns: Last hour of final-round coverage at The Sentry to be uninterrupted

Commercial-free golf is coming.

The Sentry kicks off the PGA Tour’s 2023 slate this week in Hawaii, and Sunday’s final round will feature a commercial-free final hour.

For the second straight year, the last hour of coverage on Golf Channel and Peacock will be commercial-free, thanks to Callaway.

“We always look for creative ways to work with partners to enhance our golf broadcasts for the viewers at home,” Tommy Roy, NBC Sports’ lead golf producer, said in a release. “We’re thrilled to have Callaway back this year to present uninterrupted coverage on Sunday during the critical moments down the stretch at The Sentry.”

Golf Channel will have coverage of all four days of The Sentry, though two hours of play will be shown on NBC from 4-6 p.m. ET on Saturday and Sunday. There will also be coverage on streaming services ESPN+ and Peacock.

The Sentry: Best photos from Kapalua

The typical handoff from cable to network TV is reversed this week. Usually, Golf Channel starts coverage before NBC or CBS pick up over-the-air duties. This weekend, NBC will kick things off before the final two hours being moved to Golf Channel.

Here’s a look at TV information for The Sentry in Hawaii. All times ET.

Thursday, Jan. 4

Golf Channel/Peacock: 6-10 p.m.

Sirius XM: 4-10 p.m.

ESPN+: 12:30 p.m.-10 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 5

Golf Channel/Peacock: 6-10 p.m.

Sirius XM: 4-10 p.m.

ESPN+: 12:30 p.m.-10 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 6

NBC: 4-6 p.m.

Golf Channel/Peacock: 6-8 p.m.

Sirius XM: 3-8 p.m.

ESPN+: 1 p.m.-8 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 7

NBC: 4-6 p.m.

Golf Channel/Peacock: 6 p.m.-8 p.m.

Sirius XM: 3-8 p.m.

ESPN+: 1 p.m.-8 p.m.

Brandel Chamblee sparks No Laying Up social media beef with wild commercial comparison

Social media caught fire as the two sides debated podcast and television commercials.

Brandel Chamblee is in Hawaii for the PGA Tour’s first event of the 2024 season and the outspoken Golf Channel analyst is already in peak form.

The former PGA Tour player turned broadcaster took offense with a post from No Laying Up talking about television commercials – the self-described “fan-analysts” have long been critical of the commercial loads that make golf broadcasts difficult to watch – and decided to join the conversation.

Chamblee tried to compare an ad during a podcast to the commercial load during a broadcast. The ad in question was less than two minutes for a two-hour podcast. In contrast, an hour of golf coverage features 18 minutes of commercials. Needless to say, the replies weren’t in support of Chamblee.

Never one to shy away from a debate, Chamblee then fired back at those who called him out and further made their point for them: it’s not an equal comparison.

As fans, we know commercials must be part of the broadcast to cover the cost of airing an event. We also know how much those commercials take away from the broadcast. Networks continue to overpay for the rights to broadcast live sports, and it’s the fans who get the raw end of the deal. That’s the true problem at hand. I pay for Peacock, NBC’s streaming service, and still get hit with ads. As No Laying Up pointed out, there is major championship coverage – not bonus content, actual coverage – that is only available behind the paywall.

One of the key issues with pro golf on television compared to other sports is that when the broadcast goes to commercial, play continues. The same can’t be said for football, baseball and basketball. Both NBC and CBS have struggled with this, especially in recent years. In 2023 alone, from major championships to the Ryder Cup and Solheim Cup, key shots were missed and players were completely absent from coverage. The broadcasts often run their Playing Through and Eye on the Course segments, which feature a double box of commercials and golf, down the stretch of tournaments.

Jim Nantz, the voice of golf on CBS, joined the No Laying Up podcast in June of 2020 and had a healthy discussion with host Chris Solomon about the state of golf broadcasts, including the overloaded volume commercials.

“When you do feel like you have to make quicker work of it, you can’t ever really linger on anything too long because you have commitment,” said Nantz. “You go to commercial, and let’s say you’re away for two and a half minutes. How many important golf shots do you think were struck in those two and a half minutes? It’s just a random guess … but let’s say on a Saturday or Sunday, there are at least six to 10 shots that happened while you’re away. Now you come back from commercial and you have a player live, ready to hit another shot. You still have to make up for what happened while you were away. So the rhythm and timing of it, it’s like a Rubik’s Cube trying to figure out how to slot in live when we go back.”

They still haven’t solved the cube.

Chamblee is a smart man who does plenty of research to back his opinions. This take, however, wasn’t his best.

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NFL Week 16 TV coverage maps

The Eagles will host the Giants on FOX, while the 49ers will host the Ravens on ABC- Here’s your TV coverage map for the Week 16 slate of games

The NFL Week 16 schedule will have games with postseason implications played on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday that impact the AFC-NFC playoffs race.

Seven nationally televised games headline the weekend schedule, with Baltimore and San Francisco finishing the holiday out on ABC.

NATIONAL BROADCASTS

  • Thursday Night: New Orleans @ LA Rams (Amazon)
  • Saturday 4:30 PM ET: Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh (NBC; Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge)
  • Saturday 8 PM ET: Buffalo @ LA Chargers (Peacock; Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth)
  • Christmas Eve (Sunday) 8 PM ET: New England @ Denver (NFLN; Rich Eisen, Kurt Warner)
  • Christmas (Monday) 1 PM ET: Las Vegas @ Kansas City (CBS; Jim Nantz, Tony Romo)
  • Christmas (Monday) 4:30 PM ET: NY Giants @ Philadelphia (FOX; Joe Davis, Daryl Johnston)
  • Christmas (Monday) Night: Baltimore @ San Francisco (ABC)
  • NO-LAR will be simulcast on WDSU (NBC/6) New Orleans and KTTV (FOX/11) LA.
    BUF-LAC will be simulcast on WGRZ (NBC/2) Buffalo and KNBC (NBC/4) LA.
    NE-DEN will be simulcast on WCVB (ABC/5) Boston and KMGH (ABC/7) Denver.

Kansas City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and San Francisco will headline the Christmas Day games, with the Ravens and 49ers battling for the title of NFL’s top team.

Here are your TV watch maps for Week 16 via 506 Sports.

NFL Week 16 TV broadcast maps

The Eagles will host the Giants on FOX, while the 49ers will host the Ravens on ABC- Here’s your TV coverage map for the Week 16 slate of games

The NFL Week 16 schedule will have games with postseason implications played on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday that impact the AFC-NFC playoffs race.

Seven nationally televised games headline the weekend schedule, with Baltimore and San Francisco finishing the holiday out on ABC.

NATIONAL BROADCASTS

  • Thursday Night: New Orleans @ LA Rams (Amazon)
  • Saturday 4:30 PM ET: Cincinnati @ Pittsburgh (NBC; Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge)
  • Saturday 8 PM ET: Buffalo @ LA Chargers (Peacock; Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth)
  • Christmas Eve (Sunday) 8 PM ET: New England @ Denver (NFLN; Rich Eisen, Kurt Warner)
  • Christmas (Monday) 1 PM ET: Las Vegas @ Kansas City (CBS; Jim Nantz, Tony Romo)
  • Christmas (Monday) 4:30 PM ET: NY Giants @ Philadelphia (FOX; Joe Davis, Daryl Johnston)
  • Christmas (Monday) Night: Baltimore @ San Francisco (ABC)
  • NO-LAR will be simulcast on WDSU (NBC/6) New Orleans and KTTV (FOX/11) LA.
    BUF-LAC will be simulcast on WGRZ (NBC/2) Buffalo and KNBC (NBC/4) LA.
    NE-DEN will be simulcast on WCVB (ABC/5) Boston and KMGH (ABC/7) Denver.

Kansas City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and San Francisco will headline the Christmas Day games, with the Ravens and 49ers battling for the title of NFL’s top team.

Here are your TV watch maps for Week 16 via 506 Sports.

Kevin Kisner to serve as NBC Sports analyst for two early events in 2024 PGA Tour season

Kisner is a four-time winner on Tour and one of a few potential replacements for Paul Azinger.

Kevin Kisner is putting down the club and picking up the mic.

The four-time winner on the PGA Tour will serve as an analyst for NBC Sports at the Tour’s first event of the 2024 season, The Sentry, at the Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort in Maui, Jan. 4-7. Kisner will also cover the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale, Feb. 8-11.

“I’m excited to have this opportunity with NBC Sports to watch the game of golf from the other side and comment on what I’m seeing on the course,” said Kisner, one of the game’s more colorful characters.

“I have always found Kevin to be very forthright, honest, and fearless when sharing his thoughts and opinions about the game, whether it’s in a conversation on the driving range or during his pre- and post-round press conferences,” said Tommy Roy, lead producer for NBC Sports’ golf coverage. “We think his style will translate well to the viewers at home and we’re excited to have him join the NBC Sports broadcast team at The Sentry and the WM Phoenix Open.”

Kisner won for the first time on Tour at the 2015 RSM Classic before claiming his second win two years later at the 2017 Dean & DeLuca Invitational (now the Charles Schwab Challenge). The biggest victory of his career came in 2019 at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play before his last win at the 2021 Wyndham Championship.

The network is experimenting with new talent after both Roger Maltbie and Gary Koch were shown the door in 2022 and Paul Azinger wasn’t renewed following this last season. Paul McGinley was the lead analyst during the recent Hero World Challenge and a Sports Business Journal report hinted at interest in Geoff Ogilvy for the open seat.

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Report says NBC is targeting Geoff Ogilvy for analyst role to replace Paul Azinger

Ogilvy, who has started a golf course architecture firm, won the 2006 U.S. Open.

Paul McGinley had a trial run on NBC during the Hero World Challenge, the Tiger Woods-run event in Bahamas.

Coincidentally, just as Tiger prepares to tee it up again at this week’s PNC Championship, there’s more news regarding the vacant analyst role on the network’s golf coverage.

NBC Sports is eyeing Geoff Ogilvy to replace Paul Azinger with an announcement coming within the next week, according to a Sports Business Journal report.

Ogilvy turned pro in 1998 and went on to win eight PGA Tour events plus four on the now-DP World Tour. His high-water mark was claiming the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot. A three-time member of the International Team in the Presidents Cup, he has also been a vice captain during the last three biennial competitions against the U.S. There’s still talk he’ll one day captain the Internationals.

Ogilvy is also busy with his budding golf course architecture firm, OCM, which is tasked with getting Medinah ready for the 2026 Presidents Cup outside of Chicago.

In an October Q&A with Golfweek‘s Adam Schupak, Ogilvy was asked: “How are you not doing TV because I think you’d be great at it?”

His answer: “I don’t really want to. Would you like to talk to Brandel?,” he quipped. “I like Brandel off camera. He came on our podcast (Fire Pit Collective) and he was great. He sounded like a human. He tries too hard to sound smart. His stats and research is over the top. You can’t tell him anything. But I guess that’s what is required from the analyst on a show like that. So, in that case, he probably does a good job. It’s just not really my speed.

When asked a follow-up about perhaps getting involved in a Manning-cast style golf show, Ogilvy said: “That would be fun. I’d do that during the majors. To me, I think that’s the future for golf on TV. Golf needs to do more of that.”

NBC declined comment to Golfweek on Friday.

NFL TV broadcast map for Week 15 slate of games

With the Eagles playing on Monday Night Football, we’re looking at the TV Broadcast Map for the remainder of Week 15 in the NFL

Struggling teams can use a confidence booster, and less of a dominant NFC West team will be the foe for “Monday Night Football,” with the Seattle Seahawks (6-7) hosting the Philadelphia Eagles (10-3).

Nick Sirianni’s team is looking to fix issues on both sides of the football after two straight double-digit losses to NFC leaders while looking to avoid their first three-game losing streak since 2021.

Seattle is coming off their fourth-straight loss of the season after losing to the San Francisco 49ers without quarterback Geno Smith.

The Seahawks now need a win to get back in contention.

  • Thursday Night: LA Chargers @ Las Vegas (Amazon)
  • Saturday 1 PM ET: Minnesota @ Cincinnati (NFLN; Chris Rose, Jason McCourty)
  • Saturday 4:30 PM ET: Pittsburgh @ Indianapolis (NFLN; Rich Eisen, Kurt Warner)
  • Saturday 8:15 PM ET: Denver @ Detroit (NFLN; Kevin Harlan, Trent Green)
  • Sunday Night: Baltimore @ Jacksonville (NBC)
  • Monday Night: Philadelphia @ Seattle (ESPN/ABC)

With the matchup slated for a national television broadcast on ESPN, we’re looking at where the remaining Week 15 matchups will be televised via 506 Sports.

Collinsworth/Garrett named worst college football announcing team

Woof.

The relationship between Notre Dame and NBC recently was renewed through the end of the decade. However, the network probably needs to make some serious decisions regarding its announcing team for Irish broadcasts. It should be for no other reason than to appease the viewers.

Awful Announcing recently selected 20 college football broadcast teams and asked its readers to vote on them. Jac Collinsworth and Jason Garrett, the team that has announced Irish games for NBC over the past two years, was one of the teams up for voting.

The results were less than flattering as Collinsworth and Garrett were ranked dead last with the team ranked directly above them not even coming close.

Here’s the website’s interpretation of the team’s ranking:

“The only broadcast team we’ve seen get a score this low is the infamous Joe Tessitore/Booger McFarland/Jason Witten Monday Night Football crew back in 2018. That in and of itself is damning. But overall, there weren’t even many positive vibes for this team. Their percentage of A and B grades was less than half of the team ranked directly ahead of them, and their percentage of F grades was nearly four times higher than the second-highest percentage. This is the second season that Collinsworth and Garrett have called Notre Dame games together, and there will need to be a major step up in year three (if it even gets to that point).”

It’s no secret fans were constantly complaining about Collinsworth and Garrett both seasons they have been on the call, and now, we know exactly how low everyone’s opinion about them is. This is a level of bad that you almost have to try to attain.

Clearly, NBC missed the mark when it brought these two together to call games it had been broadcasting for over 30 years. The only thing to do is shake things up for 2024 because there’s no way it can stick with the status quo without coming off as ignorant, tone-deaf or both.

The network owes it to college football viewers to provide them with a better experience, especially since this relationship with Notre Dame will continue for the foreseeable future.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes, and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Paul McGinley to replace Paul Azinger as lead analyst at NBC Sports — at least for one week

McGinley, 56, won four times on the DP World Tour and served as winning Ryder Cup captain for Europe in 2014.

NBC Sports is replacing one Paul with another in the booth – at least for one week.

Former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley will be in the chair formerly occupied by Paul Azinger as the lead analyst for NBC during the Hero World Challenge, which begins on Thursday in Nassau, Bahamas. A spokesperson for the network confirmed the news to Golfweek after the Irish Independent was first to report.

Azinger had one event remaining on his contract that was up at the end of the year, but negotiations to renew stalled when Azinger countered and NBC reportedly pulled its offer and parted ways with the 12-time PGA Tour winner.

McGinley, a 56-year-old Irishman who won four times on the DP World Tour and served as winning Ryder Cup captain for Europe in 2014, is no stranger to American golf fans and to the Golf Channel/NBC team. He’s a longtime TV commentator for Sky Sports in Europe and has contributed to Golf Channel’s “Live From” show from the majors for the past two years.

McGinley will work in the booth with NBC lead anchor Dan Hicks and also team with analyst Curt Byrum in a three-man booth in what has the feel of a tryout.

The Independent noted, “McGinley’s [TV] future will likely depend on how he does in the Bahamas and future events over the next few months.”

“They obviously need a fill-in this week and as I’ve done some work with them this year and am part of the Comcast Group I’m filling in,” McGinley told Golf Digest. “That’s all. No more than that.”

Azinger had been NBC Sports’ lead analyst since 2019 following the retirement of Johnny Miller.

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