FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, April 1st, 2016
NBC SPORTS GROUP’S PRESS PASS – WHAT TO WATCH – APRIL 1-3, 2016
(All times ET)
The “Press Pass” on NBC Sports Group Press Box is a quick overview of upcoming program information and highlights from the NBC Sports Group Communications team. For live streaming information on NBC Sports Live Extra, and Golf Channel Live Extra, click here.
Friday, April 1
12 p.m. on Golf Channel – LPGA Tour: ANA Inspiration
1 p.m. on NBCSN –IndyCar Phoenix Grand Prix – Practice
2:30 p.m. on NBCSN – IndyCar Chronicles – Scott Dixon
3 p.m. on NBCSN – World Figure Skating Championship: Pairs Short
4 p.m. on Golf Channel – PGA Tour: Shell Houston Open
5 p.m. on NBCSN – IndyCar Phoenix Grand Prix – Qualifying
6 p.m. on Universal HD – Rugby World
9 p.m. on NBCSN – World Figure Skating Championship: Men’s Free
9:30 p.m. on Golf Channel – PGA Tour Champions: Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic
Saturday, April 2
6 a.m. on NBCSN – Barclays Premier League Preview
7 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League Live
7:45 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League: Aston Villa v. Chelsea
10 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League: Arsenal v. Watford
10:00 a.m. on USA – Premier League: Norwich City v. Newcastle
11 a.m. on CNBC – F1 Bahrain Grand Prix – Qualifying
12:30 p.m. on NBC – Premier League: Liverpool v. Tottenham
1 p.m. on Golf Channel – PGA Tour: Shell Houston Open
2 p.m. on NBCSN – World Figure Skating Championship: Pairs Free
2:30 p.m. on NBC – Goal Zone
3 p.m. on NBC – PGA Tour: Shell Houston Open
3 p.m. on Golf Channel – PGA Tour Champions: Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic
5 p.m. on Golf Channel – LPGA Tour: ANA Inspiration
7:30 p.m. on NBCSN – NASCAR K&N Series – Greenville Pickens
8:30 p.m. on NBCSN – IndyCar Phoenix Grand Prix – Pre-Race
9 p.m. on NBCSN – IndyCar Phoenix Grand Prix
9 p.m. on NBC – World Figure Skating Championship: Ladies Free
11 p.m. on NBCSN – IndyCar Phoenix Grand Prix – Post-Race
11:30 p.m. on NBCSN – World Series of Fighting
2:30 a.m. on NBCSN – Paris Marathon
Sunday, April 3
6 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League Match of the Day
7:30 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League Live
8 a.m. on Golf Channel – Live From the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals
8:30 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League: Leicester City v. Southampton
9 a.m. on Golf Channel – 2016 Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals
10:30 a.m. on NBCSN – F1 Bahrain Grand Prix
10:30 a.m. on USA – Premier League Live
11 a.m. on USA – Premier League: Manchester United v. Everton
12 p.m. on NBC – NHL Live
12:30 p.m. on NBC – NHL: Boston Bruins @ Chicago Blackhawks
1 p.m. on NBCSN – F1 Extra
1 p.m. on USA – Goal Zone
1 p.m. on Golf Channel – PGA Tour: Shell Houston Open
2 p.m. on NBCSN – World Figure Skating Championship Gala
3 p.m. on NBC – PGA Tour: Shell Houston Open
3 p.m. on Golf Channel – PGA Tour Champions: Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic
4:30 p.m. on NBCSN –World Curling Championships: Men’s US vs. Canada
5 p.m. on Golf Channel – LPGA Tour: ANA Inspiration
7 p.m. on NBCSN – NHL Live
8 p.m. on NBCSN – NHL: St Louis Blues @ Colorado Avalanche
10:45 p.m. on NBCSN – NHL Overtime
11:30 p.m. on NBCSN – NHL Sunday Shootout: The Week in Review
12 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League Match of the Day II
1 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League Match of the Week
NHL
NBC Sports Group’s NHL “Push For The Playoffs” includes a Stanley Cup Final rematch with potential playoff implications on NBC’s NHL Game of the Week, when Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks host Patrice Bergeron and the Boston Bruins this Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET. Coverage begins at noon ET on NBC with NHL Live, NBC Sports Group’s pre- and post-game studio show.
The Bruins-Black Hawks game will be called by Mike Emrick (play-byplay), Pierre McGuire (Inside the Glass analyst), and analyst Eddie Olczyk.
NBC’s afternoon NHL Live will be hosted by Liam McHugh who will be joined by studio analysts Mike Milbury and Keith Jones.
NBCSN presents a matchup between David Backes and the St. Louis Blues and Gabriel Landeskog and the Colorado Avalanche, when the Blues visit the Avalanche on Sunday Night Hockey at 8 p.m. ET.
Chris Cuthbert (play-by-play) and Brian Boucher will call NBCSN’s Blues-Avalanche Sunday Night Hockey contest taking place at the Pepsi Center in Denver.
Kathryn Tappen will host this Sunday’s evening NHL Live studio coverage, alongside studio analysts Jeremy Roenick and Keith Jones.
NBCSN’s NHL Sunday Shootout recaps the biggest NHL moments every week, following each of NBCSN’s Sunday Night Hockey matchups. The program, hosted by Dave Briggs, will feature insight and analysis from NBC Sports analyst Jeremy Roenick.
PREMIER LEAGUE
NBC Sports Group resumes its coverage of the Premier League season this weekend with matches on NBC, NBCSN and USA.
Coverage of Premier League kicks off Saturday, April 2, on NBCSN with Barclays Premier League Preview at 6 a.m. ET, immediately followed by Premier League Live at 7 a.m. ET. Live match coverage begins at 7:45 a.m. ET with Aston Villa v. Chelsea on NBCSN.
Saturday’s coverage continues at 10 a.m. ET with Arsenal v. Watford on NBCSN, and Norwich City v. Newcastle on USA. Coverage shifts to NBC at 12:30 p.m. ET with Liverpool v. Tottenham, immediately followed by Goal Zone at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
Sunday’s live coverage begins at 7:30 a.m. ET on NBCSN with Premier League Live, immediately followed by Leicester City v. Southampton. Coverage shifts to USA at 11 a.m. ET with Manchester United v. Everton, immediately followed by Goal Zone at 1 p.m. ET.
As previously announced, with Premier League Live host Rebecca Lowe out on maternity leave, NBC Sports Group’s lead Premier League play-by-play voice Arlo White will host Premier League Live for the next two match weeks (April 2-3 and April 9-10) from the NBC Sports Group International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn. This weekend, White will be joined by Kyle Martino and Robbie Mustoe for Premier League Live pre- and post-match shows.
Saturday, April 2
7:45 a.m. on NBCSN – Aston Villa v. Chelsea, commentated by Jim Proudfoot and Kevin Kilbane
10 a.m. on NBCSN – Arsenal v. Watford, commentated by Tony Jones and David Prutton
10 a.m. on USA – Norwich City v. Newcastle, commentated by Gary Weaver and Andy Hinchcliffe
10 a.m. on Premier League Extra Time – Bournemouth v. Manchester City, commentated by Joe Speight and Ray Houghton
10 a.m. on Premier League Extra Time – Stoke City v. Swansea City, commentated by Phil Blacker and Danny Higginbotham
10 a.m. on Premier League Extra Time – Sunderland v. West Bromwich Albion, commentated by David Stowell and Garry Birtles
10 a.m. on Premier League Extra Time – West Ham v. Crystal Palace, commentated by Gary Taphouse and Tony Gale
12:30 p.m. on NBC – Liverpool v. Tottenham, commentated by Peter Drury and Lee Dixon
Sunday, April 3
8:30 a.m. on NBCSN – Leicester City v. Southampton, commentated by Steve Bower and Geoff Cameron
11 a.m. on USA – Manchester United v. Everton, commentated by Peter Drury and Jim Beglin
FIGURE SKATING
NBC Sports Group presents 29 hours of coverage of the 2016 ISU World Figure Skating Championships from TD Garden in Boston, Mass., highlighted by the ladies’ free skate this Saturday, April 2, live at 9 p.m. ET on NBC.
Live weekend coverage of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships begins today at 3 p.m. ET with the Pairs’ Short Program on NBCSN, and coverage continues on NCBSN at 9 p.m. ET with the Men’s Free Skate. Saturday’s live coverage kicks off at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN with the Pairs’ Free Skate. Weekend coverage concludes Sunday, April 3, with the Gala Exhibition at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
NBC’s live primetime broadcast team features Tara Lipinski, Johnny Weir, play-by-play announcer Tom Hammond, and reporter Andrea Joyce.
Calling all of the action on NBCSN will be Tracy Wilson, alongside Ben Agosto and Ryan Bradley.
GOLF
NBC Sports Group’s tournament coverage continues this weekend with the LPGA Tour’s ANA Inspiration, PGA Tour’s Shell Houston Open, PGA Tour Champions’ Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic, and the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals.
Live coverage of the ANA Inspiration continues today at 12 p.m. ET on Golf Channel. Coverage continues Saturday and Sunday at 5 p.m. ET on Golf Channel.
Terry Gannon (play-by-play) hosts Golf Channel’s coverage from the Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, Calif. Gannon is joined by analysts Judy Rankin and Annika Sorenstam (today), Tom Abbott (tower). with Jerry Foltz, Karen Stupples and Jim Gallagher Jr. from the course. Lisa Cornwell contributes with interviews.
Weekend coverage of the Shell Houston Open continues today at 4 p.m. ET on Golf Channel. Coverage continues Saturday at 1 p.m. ET on Golf Channel, and then moves to NBC at 3 p.m. ET. Sunday’s coverage begins at 1 p.m. ET on Golf Channel, and then shifts to NBC at 3 p.m. ET.
Golf Channel and Golf Channel on NBC’s 18th tower broadcast teams will include Whit Watson and Curt Byrum (Golf Channel), and Dan Hicks and Johnny Miller (NBC). For telecasts on both networks, Gary Koch and Justin Leonard will report from tower positions, while Roger Maltbie and Mark Rolfing will walk with the players on the course. Todd Lewis will conduct player interviews.
Coverage of the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic begins tonight at 9:30 p.m. ET on Golf Channel. Coverage continues Saturday and Sunday on Golf Channel at 3 p.m. ET.
Bob Papa (play-by-play) hosts Golf Channel’s coverage from Biloxi, Miss. Papa is joined by Lanny Wadkins (analyst), John Mahaffey and Dave Marr (tower), with Billy Ray Brown from the course.
Golf Channel’s live coverage of the 2016 Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals will begin at 8 a.m. ET with a special Live From the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals pre-game show. Beginning at 9 a.m. ET, coverage will shift to join the competition in progress with the individual Drive, Chip and Putt skills challenges across each age group.
Rich Lerner will handle play by play duties, with Peter Jacobsen joining him in the booth as lead analyst. Reporting from the Tournament Practice Area and alongside the 18th green will be Michele Tafoya, Charlie Rymer, Kay Cockerill and Michael Breed. Steve Sands will also conduct interviews.
INDYCAR
NBCSN begins its coverage of the 2016 Verizon IndyCar Series this Saturday in the desert southwest with primetime coverage of the Phoenix Grand Prix. NBCSN’s coverage begins Friday at 1 p.m. ET with live coverage of practice, followed by live coverage of qualifying on Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. ET.
Rick Allen will handle the play-by-play duties for this week. Paul Tracy returns for his third season as race analyst, while Townsend Bell is back for his fourth season in the booth. Marty Snider, Robin Miller, Kevin Lee, and Katie Hargitt, will handle coverage in the pits in Phoenix.
FORMULA ONE
Coverage of the F1 season continues on NBCSN this Sunday at 10:30 a.m. ET with the Bahrain Grand Prix from Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain.
Live weekend coverage begins Saturday at 11 a.m. ET with Qualifying on CNBC. Live Bahrain Grand Prix coverage begins Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. ET, followed by F1 Extra at 1 p.m. ET.
Lead F1 announcer Leigh Diffey will call this weekend’s action, and will be joined by veteran analyst David Hobbs, and Steve Matchett. F1 insider Will Buxton will serve as the team’s on-site reporter from Bahrain International Circuit.
WSOF
World Series of Fighting returns to NBCSN this Saturday, April 2, live at 11:30 p.m. ET, with David Branch (17-3) defending his middleweight title against Clifford “Big Cat” Starks (13-2) from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nev.
In the co-main event, Jon Fitch (27-7-1) faces Joao “The Brazilian Samurai” Zeferino (20-7) for World Series of Fighting’s vacant welterweight title.
Saturday’s card also features bouts between Vinny “Pezao” Magalhaes (13-7) and Jake “The Honey Bear” Heun (4-9) in the light heavyweight division, and Abu “Gladiator” Azaitar (11-1-1) and Danny “Dee1” Davis Jr. (11-10-1) in the welterweight division.
Play-by-play announcer Todd Harris will be joined by analysts Bas Rutten and Joey Varner to call the action.
WORLD CURING CHAMPIONSHIPS
NBCSN presents coverage of the World Men’s Curling Championships this Sunday, April 3, at 4:30 p.m. ET, as Team USA faces off against Canada.
Bill Doleman (play-by-play) and Pete Fenson (analyst) will have the call of Sunday’s Team USA vs. Canada Men’s Curling Championship match.
PARIS MARATHON
NBCSN presents “Marathon Month” in April with live coverage of the 2016 Paris, Boston and London marathons. Coverage begins this Sunday, April 3, at 2:30 a.m. ET with live coverage of the Paris Marathon on NBCSN.
Tim Hutchings calls the action for the Paris marathon.
