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[12/14/11 - 12:40 PM]
NBCUniversal's New Nine-Year "Sunday Night Football" Agreement Includes More Games, Three Super Bowls, Upgraded Playoff Package & Enhanced Flex Scheduling
Plus: NBC will annually broadcast a primetime game on Thanksgiving night beginning in 2012.

[via press release from NBC]

NBCUNIVERSAL'S NEW NINE-YEAR "SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL" AGREEMENT INCLUDES MORE GAMES, THREE SUPER BOWLS, UPGRADED PLAYOFF PACKAGE & ENHANCED FLEX SCHEDULING

Increased Digital Rights Annual Thanksgiving Night Broadcasts Begin on NBC in 2012

NEW YORK - December 14, 2011 - NBCUniversal today agreed to a new and extensive media rights agreement to extend its NFL rights package through the 2022 season. The new agreement includes many enhancements that broaden the exposure of NFL content on NBC, and across other NBCUniversal platforms.

"This is a great day for NBCUniversal and the NBC Sports Group. There is no more powerful programming on television than the NFL and no better program than Sunday Night Football. The long-term agreement announced today provides us with significant enhancements to our existing NFL package, ensures that we will continue our partnership with the NFL for many years, and adds tremendous value to the many assets of NBCUniversal. We could not be more pleased," said Steve Burke, CEO, NBCUniversal.

"Sunday Night Football on NBC is the most-watched program on primetime television, and we're excited to continue our long-term partnership with the NFL," said Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBC Sports Group. "The new primetime Thanksgiving game starting in 2012, the upgraded playoff package and the three Super Bowls are all major enhancements to our new agreement. The additional digital and programming rights add tremendous value to the NBC Sports Group portfolio."

This new and extensive media rights agreement includes many enhancements vs. the previous agreement:

(Beginning with the new agreement in 2014 except where noted in bold)

· NBC will annually broadcast a primetime game on Thanksgiving night beginning in 2012;

· Upgraded playoff coverage, exchanging one of its current Wild Card games for a Divisional playoff game;

· In addition to the 2012 Super Bowl, NBC will broadcast the 2015, 2018 and 2021 Super Bowls;

· Enhanced flexible scheduling;

· Expanded digital rights, including "TV Everywhere" rights;

· Spanish language rights so that games could be shown on Telemundo, mun2 or with an SAP feed.

NBC will now broadcast 19 regular season games including 17 regular season Sunday Night Football games, each season's opening NFL Kickoff Thursday night primetime game and the new Thanksgiving night game, and two playoff games (one Wild Card game and one Divisional game). NBC's original Sunday Night Football agreement, which began in 2006, included 17 regular season games. It was increased to 18 in 2010.

Sunday Night Football, the most-watched primetime show of the fall television season for the second straight year, is preceded each week at 7 p.m. ET by the critically acclaimed Football Night in America, which provides comprehensive highlights and analysis of the day's events in the NFL, along with a preview of that night's Sunday Night Football contest.

The original six-year Sunday Night Football agreement between NBC Sports and the NFL started with the 2006 season and ran through the 2011 season. The current agreement, which was extended in 2009, expires after the 2013 season.

NBC & THE NFL: NBC's long history with the NFL dates back 70 years to 1939 when NBC became the first network to televise an NFL game - Philadelphia Eagles vs. Brooklyn Dodgers from Ebbets Field to the approximately 1,000 sets then in New York. NBC first broadcast the NFL Championship Game in 1955. In 1964, NBC signed a five-year contract to televise the AFL. NBC was awarded the AFC package in 1970, an association that would continue through the 1997-98 season. NBC televised the first Super Bowl in 1967 and the historic New York Jets' upset of the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III in 1969.

In February 2009, NBC broadcast Super Bowl XLIII, which was, at the time, the most-watched program in television history, and on February 5, 2012, NBC will broadcast Super Bowl XLVI from Indianapolis with extensive coverage all week on NBC Sports Network (to be re-named from VERSUS on Jan. 2, 2012). NBC has built Sunday Night Football into the most-watched primetime show on television.





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· FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA (NBC)
· SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL (NBC)





[12/20/24 - 11:33 AM]
Season Finale of NBC Drama "Brilliant Minds" Will Now Air as a Special Event with Back-to-Back Episodes on Monday, Jan. 6
The original season finale date was a week later on January 13.

[12/20/24 - 11:04 AM]
ID's New Series "The Curious Case Of..." to Premiere with Explosive, Expanded Episode Focused on Former "Jackass" Star Bam Margera's Controversial Legal Guardianship
Featuring "The Curious Case of Natalia Grace" legal analyst Beth Karas, the series will dive into some of the most shocking true crime cases and unbelievable scandals.

[12/20/24 - 10:32 AM]
FOX Sports Films, SMAC Entertainment, BZ Entertainment and NFL Films Announce "The Madden Cruiser: A Bayou Adventure with Bill Belichick" Airing Super Bowl Sunday on FOX
The one-hour special features eight-time Super Bowl champion Bill Belichick as he travels in the iconic "Madden Cruiser" bus of Hall of Fame legend John Madden on an unforgettable road trip through Louisiana's football country with a host of special guests.

[12/20/24 - 10:02 AM]
Onyx Collective Presents Winter Premiere Dates and First Looks for Documentary Film "SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)" and New Comedy Series "Deli Boys"
The former premieres Thursday, February 13 while the latter launches on Thursday, March 6.

[12/20/24 - 09:27 AM]
MTV's "Teen Mom" Celebrates Its Sweet 16 with a New Season of "Teen Mom: The Next Chapter" on Thursday, January 30th at 8PM ET/PT
The groundbreaking docu-series that has never shied away from authentic, unfiltered narratives will return for its milestone 16-year anniversary with Amber Portwood, Ashley Jones, Briana DeJesus, Catelynn Baltierra, Cheyenne Davis, Jade Cline, Leah Messer, Maci McKinney and Mackenzie McKee.

[12/20/24 - 09:01 AM]
Video: "Bandidos" Season 2 - Official Trailer - Netflix
Lilí and Miguel's peaceful escape is shattered when she's forced into a risky quest for the Tear of Fire diamond, risking everything to save her friends.

[12/20/24 - 08:31 AM]
Video: New Netflix Sports Promo Highlights Upcoming Sports Programming
Netflix continues to expand its sports slate, offering members a wide variety of sports programming across series, films and live events, including the recent record-breaking Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul fight and the upcoming NFL Games on Christmas Day and the debut of "WWE Raw" on Netflix next year.

[12/20/24 - 07:31 AM]
"Stranger Things 5" - That's a Wrap!
Production on the fifth and final season has officially wrapped, set to premiere in 2025.

[12/20/24 - 06:01 AM]
Netflix Secures U.S. Rights to the FIFA Women's World Cup 2027 and 2031
The agreement covers all languages, with studio shows and top-tier talent planned with a dual telecast for both English and Spanish language broadcasts in the U.S.

[12/20/24 - 02:01 AM]
Video: "Lisabi: A Legend Is Born" - Official Trailer - Netflix
The epic tale of the birth and rise of legendary folk hero Lísàbí Agbongbo-Akala, destined to save the Egba people in the face of a treacherous leader.

[12/20/24 - 01:01 AM]
Video: "Love Is Blind: Germany" - Official Trailer - Netflix
The experiment comes to Germany as local singles seek true love and a commitment that lasts a lifetime, all before meeting each other face-to-face.

[12/19/24 - 08:01 PM]
Video: "Incognito" - Official Trailer - Netflix
The mission? Lock target and finish the job.

[12/19/24 - 01:33 PM]
HBO Original Film "For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story" to Debut on Max Friday, December 20
In celebration of the Kennedy Center honoring Arturo Sandoval and prior to this Sunday's airing of the ceremony, Max will be bringing the 2000 multiple Emmy-nominated HBO original film to Max for the first time.

[12/19/24 - 01:01 PM]
The Holiday Cheer Will Be in Houston as Pentatonix Performs the National Anthem During NFL Christmas Gameday on Netflix
Plus: The Steelers will honor the U.S. armed forces with a special National Anthem performance by Voices of Service.

[12/19/24 - 12:59 PM]
HBO Renews "Dune: Prophecy" for a Second Season
Across Max territories, the first episode has amassed approximately 15 million viewers.