FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 8th, 2016

“SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL” BUS MAKES SECOND STOP OF NFL KICKOFF WEEK IN ARIZONA FOR PATRIOTS-CARDINALS

Stops Include Arizona Youth Football League at Pecos Park on Saturday & Game Day at University of Phoenix Stadium on Sunday

New Features Include an Interactive Control Room Replica & Digital/Social Media Wall

Arizona Cardinals Host New England Patriots in Season Debut of NBC’s Sunday Night Football

STAMFORD, Conn. – September 8, 2016 – NBC Sports Group’s Sunday Night Football bus makes its second stop of NFL Kickoff week, traveling to Pecos Park in Phoenix this Saturday and University of Phoenix Stadium on Sunday for the season opener of Sunday Night Football. This season, fans will get a closer look at behind-the-scenes action of SNF broadcasts on the bus, which will take fans from the field, to the studio and in the production trucks. Features of the bus include an interactive replica of Sunday Night Football’s control room, a replica of the Football Night in America desk, life-size “Photo Bomb” wall, and more.

This Saturday, Sept. 10, the bus travels to the Arizona Youth Football League at Pecos Park in Phoenix, Ariz., and will be open for fans from Noon – 2 p.m. MST. The bus will then make its way to the Phoenix Children’s Hospital* from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. MST. The bus will be open for fans at the Game Day at University of Phoenix Stadium Sunday, Sept. 11, beginning at 2:15 p.m. MST, leading up to kickoff of Sunday Night Football.

The full schedule for this week’s destinations:

Date Time (MST) Location
Sat., Sept. 10 Noon – 2 p.m. Arizona Youth Football League at Pecos Park – 17010 S. 48th St. Phoenix, AZ 85048
Sat., Sept. 10 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Arizona Cardinals Community Event at the Phoenix Children’s Hospital* – 1919 E. Thomas Road Phoenix, AZ 85016
Sun., Sept. 11 2:15 p.m. – 6 p.m. Game Day at University of Phoenix Stadium – 1 Cardinals Drive Glendale, AZ 85016, The SNF Bus will be parked outside of Gate 1 on the West Side of the building in the flight deck

*Event not open to the public

NBC Sports – the only network with two primetime NFL packages – opens its 11th season of Sunday Night Football this Sunday, September 11, when Carson Palmer and the Arizona Cardinals face Jimmy Garrapolo and the New England Patriots at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Coverage starts with Football Night in America – the most-watched weekly studio show in sports – at 7 p.m. ET on NBC.

ABOUT THE SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL BUS

The bus will arrive in each city two to three days prior to the game, making stops at local landmarks and events before heading to the game site. Once at the stadium, the Sunday Night Football bus will give fans the opportunity to interact with America’s most-watched primetime television show with exclusive activities, memorabilia and a 55-inch monitor housing social media elements.

The inside of the 45 ft.-long bus brings fans from the field to the studio set and for the first time, in the production trucks. The 2016 bus features football field decaling on the floor, an interactive control room replica that allows fans a taste of how the broadcast comes to life, and replica of the Football Night in America studio where fans can grab a mic, and act as “special correspondents” for photos. From the life-size NFL players and Carrie Underwood on the outside, to the life-size “Photo Bomb” wall featuring NFL players, fans will have numerous opportunities to interact and share memories from the bus.

Following each Sunday night game, the stars of the game will autograph the 2016 “Players of the Game Sunday Night Football,” which will be displayed on a photo wall in the bus – complete with a stadium backdrop – alongside the football signed by the 2015 SNF players of the game. In addition, a photo of each 2016 SNF Player of the Game will be added to the SNF schedule display on the outside of the bus throughout the season.

THE SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL BUS BY THE NUMBERS

  • The SNF bus will drive more than 23,000 miles across the country throughout the season;
  • There will be 23 game day stops ;
  • The bus will drive through 40 different states throughout the season, on the road for more than 370 hours;
  • It would take 50 footballs to make up the length of the SNF Bus, and 46,000 footballs to equal the weight of the bus.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA

The Sunday Night Football bus also incorporates social media inside and out, with SNF’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts along with the #SNF hashtag displayed on the exterior.

A dedicated producer will collect photos and create videos of the bus’ travels and the cast of characters it encounters along the way. Life on the road with the Sunday Night Football bus is featured on the Sunday Night Football Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts and NBC Sports on Snapchat.

Fans can follow the social conversation and access content around Sunday Night Football and the SNF Bus at NBCSports.com/SNFAllAccess, with video highlights from the SNF Bus, player interviews and the game. Fans can show their passion for who they think will win each week and use an interactive map to see how other football fans across the country are talking about that SNF matchup. In addition, fans can vote on which team’s hype video they like the best.

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–