FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, November 4th, 2012
NBC SPORTS NETWORK ACQUIRES MULTI-YEAR RIGHTS TO AIR DIRECTV’S “THE DAN PATRICK SHOW”
NEW YORK – November 4, 2012 – NBC Sports Network has acquired multi-year rights from DIRECTV to air The Dan Patrick Show, the renowned sports television show and syndicated radio program starring Football Night in America co-host Dan Patrick. The Dan Patrick Show will debut on NBC Sports Network tomorrow and air weekdays from 9 a.m.–Noon ET. A “Best Of” version will air weekday afternoons from 4-5 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network
To coincide with the debut of the show tomorrow, NBC Sports Network will relocate to Channel 220 (from Channel 603) on DIRECTV, which is adjacent to other national sports channels. DIRECTV owns and operates The Dan Patrick Show, which airs daily on DIRECTV’s exclusive Audience Network as well.
“Dan and the Danettes generate buzz and relevance every day with their entertaining format and top-line guests, making The Dan Patrick Show a perfect morning fit for the NBC Sports Network and its new channel position on DIRECTV,” said Jon Miller, President, Programming, NBC Sports & NBC Sports Network.
“I’ve loved my time working for NBC Sports, on both Football Night in America and the Olympic coverage, and I really wanted to see our show on NBC Sports Network,” said Patrick. “This is good for the show, the channel and, most of all, the fans. I think the show that we have created with DIRECTV will be perfect for NBC Sports Network as part of its daily lineup.”
Patrick added, “I like where the NBC Sports Network is going. I think we are joining a powerhouse sports network in its early stages. I did this once before in my career and it worked out pretty well.”
“We are extremely proud of the work Dan, the Danettes and the DIRECTV Entertainment team have done to create a truly distinctive TV show that has redefined the genre, or as Dan likes to describe it: ‘A TV show about a radio show on TV’,” said Chris Long, senior vice president, Entertainment and Production for DIRECTV. “Our incredibly creative production team has developed a show for our Audience Network that just keeps getting better year by year, so we’re not surprised NBC Sports Network wanted it for their morning line-up.”
The Dan Patrick Show will follow The ‘Lights, NBC Sports Network’s new highlights show that launched this summer. Designed to serve the busy morning schedule of sports fans, The ‘Lights, which will air from 8-9 a.m. ET, is a 20-minute sports report that uses a unique presentation of simultaneous video clips, graphics and voiceovers to deliver scores and information.
“Dan’s show will combine with The ‘Lights to give NBC Sports Network a morning programming block that truly super-serves sports fans by providing them with all the highlights they need, followed by Dan’s unique perspective on sports and entertainment,” added Miller.
MORE ABOUT THE DAN PATRICK SHOW
The Dan Patrick Show began airing exclusively on DIRECTV on Aug. 3, 2009, and expanded on the radio show format using Patrick’s trademark humor and interaction with his production staff that includes Paul Pabst, Patrick O’Connor, Andrew Perloff and Todd Fritz, known as “The Danettes.”
Amid the revealing behind-the-scenes antics and interstitial videos, the series is known for its unique blend of situational comedy, breaking sports news, unparalleled insider access and pop culture commentary. By allowing viewers to see the true comedy that surrounds Patrick and his team, The Dan Patrick Show reveals the humor in sports broadcasting while opening the locker room doors to the world of sports. Patrick’s on-air guests include many high profile athletes and celebrities.
MORE INFORMATION ON DAN PATRICK
Dan Patrick, regarded as one of the most accomplished, popular and versatile commentators in sports media today, co-hosts NBC’s Football Night in America NFL studio show, along with host Bob Costas, analysts Tony Dungy and Rodney Harrison, and NFL insiders Peter King and Mike Florio. Football Night is the most-watched NFL studio show on television, drawing a record 8.9 million viewers in 2011.
This past summer, Patrick served as host of NBC’s live weekday and weekend daytime coverage of the 2012 Olympic Summer Games in London. He served in the same role for NBC during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
“Patrick is a superb anchor with a keen sense of sports and pop culture,” writes the Baltimore Sun. Since joining Football Night in 2008, Patrick has also hosted or worked on numerous other events for NBC Sports, including the Stanley Cup Final and the PLAYERS Championship.
In addition to his work for NBC Sports, Patrick is currently a columnist at Sports Illustrated and contributes to SI.com. He also hosts the critically-acclaimed nationally syndicated radio program, The Dan Patrick Show, which is simulcast as a television program distributed nationally through DIRECTV Sports Networks.
Patrick was an anchor on ESPN’s SportsCenter from 1989 to 2006. While at ESPN, he also reported from major events including the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals and Final Four. He hosted The Dan Patrick Show on ESPN Radio from 1999 to August of 2007 and wrote for ESPN The Magazine’s most popular page that featured interviews with athletes. In 2000, Patrick released a book entitled “Outtakes,” based on the magazine column. Prior to working with ESPN, Patrick was a sports anchor and reporter for CNN from 1983 to 1989.
In 1998, he received a Sports Emmy Award in the Studio Host category. In 2000, Patrick was named the National Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, making him just the second cable commentator to receive the honor. He received a CableACE Award in 1997 for his work on SportsCenter. In 2011 and 2012, Patrick was nominated for a Sports Emmy for Outstanding Sports Personality – Studio Host – for his work with Football Night and DIRECTV.
Patrick received a B.A. in broadcasting from the University of Dayton.
