Hoda Kotb tearfully announced on Thursday morning that, after 26 years on the air with Today on NBC, she’s going to retire.
As she wrote in a letter posted on their website: “I’ve been weighing this decision for quite a while — Am I truly ready? But, my sixtieth birthday celebration on the Plaza felt like a shift. Like a massive, joyful YES, you are! I saw it all so clearly: my broadcast career has been beyond meaningful, a new decade of my life lies ahead, and now my daughters and my mom need and deserve a bigger slice of my time pie. I will miss you all desperately, but I’m ready and excited.”
NBC, Golf Channel and Peacock will tee up more than 100 hours of competition coverage.
Did you know Jim “Bones” Mackay has been involved in every Presidents Cup since it started in 1994? As either a caddie or broadcaster, Bones has seen every just about everything at the biennial match-play competition.
The 15th Presidents Cup is a four-day affair with competition beginning Thursday, Sept. 26, but the TV and streaming coverage of the biennial duel between the U.S. and the International squad starts Monday at Royal Montreal with Golf Channel’s Golf Central Live From the Presidents Cup.
It’s the beginning of 50 hours of studio coverage of the event on Golf Channel. In all, NBC, Golf Channel and Peacock will serve up more than 100 hours of competition coverage over seven days. There will also be streaming coverage on NBCSports.com as well as the NBC Sports app.
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The 2024 Solheim Cup is back, just a year after the most recent competition. Normally a biennial event, the Solheim Cup went back-to-back years in order to return to an even-year schedule.
The U.S. leads the overall standings 10-7-1, with the first tie coming in 2023, but Europe retained the Cup having won it in 2021, as well.
The 2023 captains, Catriona Matthew for Europe and Stacy Lewis for the U.S., return to their roles in 2024 with the shorter-than-normal turnaround.
Course: Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Gainesville, Virginia
Par: 72
Yardage: 6,903
Series
The United States holds a 10-7-1 advantage. The two sides tied in 2023 which allowed Europe to retain the Cup. The U.S. has not won the Cup since 2017.
The rematch on NBC and Peacock set records on Thursday night, peaking at almost 29 million viewers, the network announced on Friday before the Eagles and Packers showdown.
A rematch of last season’s AFC Championship Game headlined by star quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson, Ravens-Chiefs averaged an NFL Kickoff Game-record Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 28.9 million viewers on NBC and Peacock, based on live plus same day custom fast nationals from Nielsen and digital data from Adobe Analytics. Ravens-Chiefs topped viewership for last year’s NFL Kickoff Game opener by 5% (27.5 million for Lions-Chiefs).
NBC Sports’ coverage peaked at 33 million viewers in the second quarter (between 9:30-9:45 p.m. ET).
The Average Minute Audience (AMA) for last night’s live stream via Peacock, NBC Sports Digital platforms, and NFL Digital platforms, was 4.6 million viewers – the 2nd most simulstreamed NBC NFL game ever, topping three NBC Super Bowls (trailing only Super Bowl LVI in 2022) – and up 65% from last year’s NFL Kickoff Game (2.8 million).
Kansas City and Baltimore were the top markets, but the other AFC North cities — Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Cleveland — played a major role in the record-breaking viewership.
Former college football great retires from NFL, joins NBC Sports’ Big Ten coverage
The newly expanded Big Ten Conference will bring fans expanded game coverage in 2024.
NBC, CBS and Fox now split the conference’s television rights — which has created a full-day schedule every Saturday. It now includes a Fox Big Noon pregame show in the morning, into Fox Big Noon Kickoff, then to CBS’ Game of the Week in the afternoon and finally to NBC Saturday Night to close. Heightened interest and viewership means more investment into each broadcast. That has led NBC to make a new hire for its coverage team.
That is former Texas Longhorn great and 13-year NFL veteran Colt McCoy.
McCoy announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday after a 13-year career. He was originally a third-round draft pick by the Cleveland Browns in the 2010 NFL draft. The college football great spent 2010-12 in Cleveland, 2013 with the San Francisco 49ers, 2014-19 with Washington, 2020 with the New York Giants and 2021-22 with the Arizona Cardinals.
The 2008 Heisman Trophy runner-up and 2009 finalist did not match his exceptional collegiate production. He was mostly a backup during his career, though did finish with 36 total starts of 56 games played. His final NFL numbers include 62.6% completion, 7,975 yards, 34 touchdowns, 32 interceptions, a passer rating of 79.9, 582 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns.
NEWS: Former Texas QB Colt McCoy is joining NBC Sports' coverage of Big Ten Football.
McCoy starred from 2006-09 at Texas. His stature in the college game makes him a strong candidate for NBC’s coverage of the Big Ten. Texas went 45-8 during his tenure as starter, including a national title loss to Alabama in 2009. The program was ranked within the top 10 of the AP Poll for the majority of his tenure as starter, which, paired with Texas’ brand, elevated him to the top of the game.
His stats as a college starter include 70.3% completion, 13,253 yards, 112 touchdowns and 45 interceptions.
Wisconsin’s 2024 schedule does not yet have an NBC game. That is sure to change as the season progresses.
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The Manchester United legend will be a weekly contributor to the network’s broadcasts
NBC Sports has announced that Gary Neville will be a special contributor during its 2024-25 Premier League coverage.
The acclaimed analyst will join the network’s studio coverage on a weekly basis each Sunday throughout the season. He will also appear live from NBC’s Connecticut studio multiple times during the campaign.
Neville will take on the NBC role in addition to his work for Sky Sports in the UK.
The 49-year-old spent his entire 20-year playing career with Manchester United, and is England’s most-capped right back with 85 appearances.
Neville will make his NBC debut on Friday as his former side kicks off the Premier League season against Fulham. He will also appear on Sunday’s coverage, with Brentford hosting Crystal Palace on USA Network before Chelsea faces Manchester City on NBC.
NBC Sports is set to begin its 12th season as the home of the Premier League in the United States. Matches will be shown in English across NBC, Peacock and USA Network this season, with Telemundo and Universo broadcasting matches in Spanish.
Charles Barkely had harsh words for the NBA after a decision from the league.
Charles Barkley was not happy with the latest about the NBA’s broadcasting rights, issuing a statement about the decision on Friday morning.
The NBA recently announced that the media rights will belong to Disney, NBCUniversal, and Amazon Prime Video beginning in 2025. Warner Bros. Discovery (the parent company of Turner Sports) made an effort to match the offer, but it was denied.
This is a massive statement from Barkley, who pointed the blame toward the league instead of his employer.
He previously said the following, blaming his bosses for botching these conversations as recently as just a couple of months ago:
“I think the first thing is, they came out and said we didn’t need the NBA,” said Barkley. “So I think that probably pissed [commissioner] Adam [Silver] off. I don’t know that, but when we merged, that’s the first thing our boss said. ‘We don’t need the NBA.’ Well, he don’t need it, but the rest of the people, me, Kenny, Ernie, Shaq and the rest of the people who work there, we need it.”
Now, it sure sounds like Barkley is arguing that the NBA and Adam Silver were not bargaining in good faith and never had any intentions of retaining rights with Turner Sports. The company said that it has taken legal action in response and a lawsuit was filed against the league.
NBC has assembled a very solid team for this year’s 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony.
The 2024 Paris Olympics are about to kick off with the Opening Ceremony in Paris, as the celebration flows down the Seine to coronate this year’s Games. The 2024 Olympic Opening Ceremony is set for Friday, July 26 at 1:30 p.m. ET and will be re-aired at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
Official Olympics broadcaster NBC will be leading the coverage stateside once again, with a very solid broadcast team lined up to bring forth commentary from Paris for the Opening Ceremony.
According to the network, broadcaster Mike Tirico will host the broadcast of the Opening Ceremony alongside musician and talk show host Kelly Clarkson and former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning.
NBC Sports reporter Maria Taylor will join Team USA on its float down the Seine River, while the network adds Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb from the TODAY show will be stationed on a bridge along the river.
The Opening Ceremony broadcast will air on NBC and Peacock at 1:30 p.m. ET on Friday, July 26.
Snoop Dogg said he plans to smoke the competition for NBC.
Welcome to FTW Explains, a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. This is FTW Explains: The Olympics.
Snoop Dogg is mostly known as a musician but he is also a man who wears many hats, which also includes an involvement with the Olympics.
The legendary Long Beach rapper, who has been nominated for 17 Grammy Awards and has won a Primetime Emmy Award during his illustrious career, is the ultimate multi-hyphenate.
Now spanning more than three decades in the public eye, he is as popular and recognizable today as ever. After selling more than 35 million albums around the world, fans will get another chance to watch him enjoy continued success as more than just a musician.
Snoop had a show for the Tokyo Olympics
Snoop Dogg is a massive sports fan, showing a particular affinity for teams based in Southern California.
Some of his favorite teams include the Lakers, Dodgers, USC Trojans and Pittsburgh Steelers. He also roots for several hockey teams and he even joined an investment group to buy the Ottawa Senators, although it was not successful.
He is a football coach, as featured in the Netflix documentary Coach Snoop, and operates the Snoop Youth Football League in Los Angeles.
NBCUniversal announced that he will provide regular updates for the network during the 2024 Paris Olympics. That includes on-air time with NBC’s Mike Tirico during prime time coverage.
“I grew up watching the Olympics and am thrilled to see the incredible athletes bring their A-game to Paris. It’s a celebration of skill, dedication, and the pursuit of greatness,” said Snoop Dogg. “We’re going to have some amazing competitions and, of course, I will be bringing that Snoop style to the mix. It’s going to be the most epic Olympics ever, so stay tuned, and keep it locked. Let’s elevate, celebrate, and make these games unforgettable, smoke the competition, and may the best shine like gold. Peace and Olympic LOVE, ya dig?”
Snoop recently ran the 200-meter sprint at 2024 US Olympic Track & Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon.
He will also get an opportunity to carry the Olympic torch in Paris ahead of the opening ceremony as well.
The Irish get some promoting in with the Worldwide Leader in Sports.
With college football’s returning closer with each passing day, the hype machine has to be turned on right now. Case in point, Notre Dame has decided now is the time to make the rounds with ESPN. The Irish representatives have a full schedule packed:
Two moments from this unofficial marketing by the Irish were highlighted by the program’s social media account. Both of them took place during “SportsCenter”.
First, [autotag]Marcus Freeman[/autotag] went through the two-minute drill with Notre Dame alumnus [autotag]Hannah Storm[/autotag], the wife of [autotag]Dan Hicks[/autotag], who will return to call Irish games on NBC this season:
New Irish quarterback [autotag]Riley Leonard[/autotag] also was featured. Among other things, he was asked how he anticipates coming onto the field for the first time at Notre Dame Stadium:
Simply put, the Irish don’t plan to leave New York without making a major impact on the programs they will appear on. There are many ways to get fans excited, and this is among the most effective. We’ll see exactly how effective soon enough.
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