For everyone who has complained about how NBC televised the Olympic Games, from TV critics like me to the viewers, there is some good news for next year’s Summer Games in London.
In announcing that “Today” show executive producer Jim Bell will be the executive producer of NBCUniversal’s coverage of the Games, NBC Sports Group chairman Mark Lazarus said all events will be shown (drum roll, please) LIVE!
NBC Sports Group will be able to show events on its various cable channels, such as Versus (which becomes NBC Sports Network in 2012), USA and MSNBC. With London being five hours ahead of Schenectady, showing the events live during the day will be a bonus.
Dick Ebersol, who resigned in May as the NBC Sports Group chairman, never wanted to show events live during the day because he feared that the prime-time rating would be compromised.
But now, with the Internet social media bringing immediacy, waiting to show events in prime time is not a good idea.
“I believe in that, and that will be some philosophical shift from my predecessor,” Lazarus told The Associated Press.
“You can show things in its rawest form to satisfy that immediacy, and then you can package it and make it a bigger story and broader
and more inclusive of other elements, and people will watch it again and bring others with them.”
Recently, NBC signed a deal to keep the U.S. Olympics TV rights through 2020.
shows on air
Some local radio notes:
“Cady’s Corner” with host Brian Cady makes its debut today at 10 a.m. on WTMM-FM (104.5). Cady will preview all of the day’s college football action, from the
local teams to the national games.
“If there’s something the Capital Region has been lacking over the years, it’s consistent coverage of college football, both on the
local and national levels,” Cady said. “Being able to turn this dream into a reality has been extremely fulfilling, and I am very grateful for this amazing opportunity.”
“Inside Pro Football” begins its fifth season Friday at 5 p.m. on WOFX-AM (980). Local sports agents Ray Brownell and J.R. Rickert are the hosts.
The guests for the season premiere are Washington Redskins linebacker Lorenzo Alexander and Tennessee Titans safety Jordan Babineaux. Middleweight boxer J’Leon Love will be the guest on “Celebrity Fantasy Football.”
“We are excited to bring back ‘Inside Pro Football’ again this year,” Brownell said. “This season will be bigger and better than ever. Great player guests, outstanding celebrities, great prizes. We break down every matchup for the weekend, so no matter which team you’re a fan of, we break them down.”
Football schedules
Here are the college football games and NFL season opener that will be televised over the next several days.
The game schedule will also include Internet broadcasts on ESPN3.com. Most ESPN and ESPN2 games will be on ESPN3.com.
Announcers, in order of play-by-play, analyst and sideline reporters, are in parentheses. Announcing pairings and game broadcasts are subject to change.
NFL
Thursday
NBC13 and NBC13 HD — New Orleans at Green Bay, 8:30 p.m. (Al Michaels/Cris Collinsworth/Michele Tafoya).
College Football
Today
ESPN and ESPN HD — Akron at Ohio State, noon (Dave Pasch/Urban Meyer and Chris Spielman/Quint Kessenich); BYU at Mississippi, 4:45 p.m. (Bob Wischusen/Bob Davie/Jessica Mendoza); Boise State vs. Georgia, 8 p.m. (Brad Nessler/Todd Blackledge/Holly Rowe).
ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD — Utah State at Auburn, noon (Beth Mowins/Mike Bellotti/Ivan Maisel); Western Michigan at Michigan, 3:30 p.m. (Mike Patrick/Craig James/Jeannine Edwards); Colorado at
Hawaii, 10:15 p.m. (Dave Lamont/David Diaz-Infante).
ESPNU and ESPNU HD — Northwestern at Boston College, noon (Rob Stone/Danny Kanell); Louisiana-Monroe at Florida State, 3:30 p.m. (Pam Ward/Dan Hawkins); Florida Atlantic at Florida, 7 p.m. (Clay Matvick/Brian Griese/Allison Williams); Grambling State at Alcorn State (same-day tape), 10:30 p.m. (Adam Amin/Jay Walker).
MSG and MSG HD — Kent State at Alabama, noon (Dave Neal/Andre Ware/Cara Capuano).
MSG Plus and MSG Plus HD — Miami (Ohio) at Missouri, noon (Bill Land/Dave Lapham/Jim Knox); UCLA at Houston,
3:30 p.m. (Craig Bolerjack/Joel Klatt/Petros Papadakis); Louisiana Tech at Southern Mississippi, 10 p.m. (Ron Thulin/JC Pearson/Jeremy Bloom).
BTN and BTN HD — Indiana State at Penn State, noon (Matt Devlin/Glen Mason/
Dionne Miller); Chattanooga at Nebraska, 3:30 p.m. (Kevin Kugler/Kelly Stouffer/
Ahman Green).
MY4 and MY4 HD — Appalachian State at Virginia Tech, 12:30 p.m. (Steve Martin/Dave Archer/Mike Hodgewood).
ESPN3.com — Troy at Clemson, 3:30 p.m. (Joe Davis/Warrick Dunn); James Madison at North Carolina, 3:30 p.m.; Buffalo at Pittsburgh, 6 p.m. (John Sanders/John Bunting); Liberty at North Carolina State, 6 p.m. (Darren Goldwater/Rene Ingoglia); William & Mary at Virginia, 6 p.m. (Dave Weekley/John Gregory); Montana at Tennessee,
6 p.m. (announcers TBA); Richmond at Duke, 7 p.m. (Neil Solondz/Jay Taylor); Army at Northern Illinois, 7 p.m. (Shawn Kenney/Bob Chemeil); Indiana at Ball State, 7 p.m. (Jim Barbar/Adam Archuletta); East Carolina at South Carolina, 7 p.m. (announcers TBA); Missouri State at Arkansas, 7 p.m. (announcers TBA); Austin Peay at Cincinnati, 7 p.m. (announcers TBA); Elon at Vanderbilt, 7:30 p.m. (announcers TBA); Ohio at New Mexico State, 8 p.m. (announcers TBA).
Fox College Central — Louisiana-Lafayette at Oklahoma State, 7 p.m. (Steve Physioc/Yogi Roth/Desond Purnell).
ABC10 and ABC10 HD — Minnesota at Southern California, 3:30 p.m. (Carter Blackburn/Brock Huard/Shelley Smith); Oregon vs. LSU, 8 p.m. (Brent Musburger/Kirk Herbstreit/Erin Andrews).
NBC13 and NBC13 HD — South Florida at Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m. (Dan Hicks/Mike Mayock/Alex Flanagan).
CBSN and CBSN HD — Delaware at Navy, 3:30 p.m. (Tim Brant/Randy Cross/Kaylee Hartung).
FX and FX HD — Tulsa at Oklahoma, 8 p.m. (Gus Johnson/Charles Davis/Tim Brewster).
Sunday
ESPNU and ESPNU HD — Prairie View A&M vs. Bethune Cookman, noon (Mike Morgan/Jay Walker).
ESPN and ESPN HD — Marshall at West Virginia, 3:30 p.m. (Joe Tessitore/Rod Gilmore/Quint Kessenich).
MSG Plus and MSG Plus HD — SMU at Texas A&M, 7:30 p.m. (Joel Meyers/Joel Klatt/Jim Knox).
Monday
ESPN and ESPN HD — Miami at Maryland, 8 p.m. (Sean McDonough/Matt Millen/Heather Cox).
Thursday
ESPNU and ESPNU HD — Florida A&M at Hampton, 7:30 p.m. (Anish Shroff/Jay Walker).
ESPN and ESPN HD — Arizona at Oklahoma State, 8 p.m. (Rece Davis/Craig Palmer and Craig James/Jenn Brown).
CBSN and CBSN HD — Central Washington at Humbold State, 8 p.m. (announcers TBA).
Friday
ESPN and ESPN HD — Florida International at Louisville, 7 p.m. (announcers TBA); Missouri at Arizona State, 10:30 p.m. (announcers TBA).
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