FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, December 30th, 2016
NBC SPORTS GROUP’S PRESS PASS – WHAT TO WATCH – DECEMBER 30, 2016 – JANUARY 2, 2017
(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 NBCSports.com, and Golf Channel Live Extra, click here.
Friday, December 30th
2:55 p.m. on NBCSN – Premier League: Hull City v. Everton
5 p.m. on NBCSN – Goal Zone
6 p.m. on NBCSN – Aviva Premiership Rugby: Newcastle v. Wasps
3 a.m. on NBCSN – Big Bash League Cricket: Adelaide Strikers v. Sydney Sixers
Saturday, December 31st
9 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League Live
9:55 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League: Manchester United v. Middlesbrough
12:30 p.m. on NBCSN – Aviva Premiership Rugby: Bath v. Exeter
12:30 p.m. on NBC – Premier League: Liverpool v. Manchester City
2:30 p.m. on NBC – Goal Zone
2:30 p.m. on NBCSN – World Series of Fighting Pre-Show
3 p.m. on NBC – Premier League: Behind the Badge: Watford FC
4 p.m. on NBC – World Series of Fighting
Sunday, January 1st
7:30 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League Live
8:25 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League: Watford v. Tottenham
10:55 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League: Arsenal v. Crystal Palace
1 p.m. on NBCSN – Goal Zone
1:30 p.m. on NBCSN – Aviva Premiership Rugby: Leicester v. Saracens
3 p.m. on NBC – NHL Centennial Classic: Detroit Red Wings @ Toronto Maple Leafs
3:30 p.m. on NBCSN – Big Bash League Cricket: Adelaide Strikers v. Sydney Sixers
7 p.m. on NBC – Football Night in America
8:20 p.m. on NBC – Sunday Night Football: Green Bay Packers @ Detroit Lions
Monday, January 2nd
7 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League Live
7:25 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League: Middlesbrough v. Crystal Palace
9:55 a.m. on NBCSN – Premier League: Sunderland v. Liverpool
10:00 a.m. on CNBC – Premier League: Manchester City v. Burnley
12:10 p.m. on NBCSN – Premier League: West Ham v. Manchester United
1:00 p.m. on NBC – NHL Winter Classic: Chicago Blackhawks @ St. Louis Blues
2:15 p.m. on NBCSN – Goal Zone
7:00 p.m. on NBCSN – Premier League Match of the Day
9:00 p.m. on NBCSN – Premier League Match of the Week
NBC’s Sunday Night Football — primetime television’s No. 1 show — continues this week with #Game256, a battle for the NFC North division title, as the Green Bay Packers (9-6) visit the Detroit Lions (9-6) on New Year’s Day at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich. Coverage begins with Football Night in America this Sunday, Jan. 1, at 7 p.m. ET on NBC.
Calling Packers-Lions are Al Michaels (play-by-play); Cris Collinsworth; and sideline reporter Michele Tafoya.
Football Night in America, the most-watched weekly studio show in sports, is hosted by Mike Tirico, who will report on-site from Ford Field in Detroit, Mich. Dan Patrick will host from NBC Sports Group’s International Broadcast Center in Stamford, Conn., and will be joined by Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison and Mike Florio. Paul Burmeister reports from Fed ExField in Hyattsville, Md., on the Giants-Redskins game.
NBC Sports presents a classic rivalry in one of the most iconic events in all of sports on Monday, January 2, 2017, when Alex Pietrangelo and the St. Louis Blues host Patrick Kane and the Chicago Blackhawks at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Mo., in the 2017 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® at 1 p.m. ET on NBC.
In addition to the NHL Winter Classic, NBC presents a clash of young American NHL stars on New Year’s Day at 3 p.m. ET in the NHL Centennial Classic, when rookie sensation Auston Matthews and the Toronto Maple Leafs host Dylan Larkin and the Detroit Red Wings at BMO Field in Toronto.
Play-by-play commentator Mike ‘Doc’ Emrick, analyst Eddie Olczyk, and analyst Pierre McGuire will have the call of the Blackhawks-Blues Winter Classic showdown from Busch Stadium, home of Major League Baseball’s St. Louis Cardinals. Analyst Jeremy Roenick will also serve as a roving reporter during game coverage.
NHL Live host Liam McHugh will be on-site at Busch Stadium alongside former players and analysts Mike Milbury, Keith Jones and Roenick to provide pre-game and post-game analysis, as well as commentary during intermissions. In addition, Bob Costas, will join NBC Sports’ coverage of the 2017 NHL Winter Classic.
John Forslund (play-by-play), Brian Boucher (analyst), and McGuire will call Red Wings-Maple Leafs from BMO Field, home of Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC. Host Kathryn Tappen will anchor coverage from Toronto with Roenick.
NBC Sports Group continues its Premier League packed holiday this week, with 20 consecutive hours of Premier League programming on Monday, Jan. 2.
This Friday, Dec. 30, NBCSN hosts coverage of Premier League Live at 2 p.m. ET followed by Hull City v. Everton at 3 p.m. ET.
Weekend match coverage begins this Saturday, Dec. 31, at 9 a.m. ET with Premier League Live on NBCSN followed by Manchester United v. Middlesbrough at 10 a.m. ET.
Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET, NBC and NBC UNIVERSO host coverage of Liverpool v. Manchester City. NBC Sports Group’s lead Premier League play-by-play announcer Arlo White calls the match, joined by analyst Graeme Le Saux at Anfield.
Coverage continues New Year’s Day, this Sunday, Jan. 1, at 7:30 a.m. ET with Premier League Live on NBCSN, followed by Watford v. Tottenham at 8:30 a.m. ET. Sunday at 11 a.m. ET, NBCSN host coverage of fourth-place Arsenal v. Crystal Palace.
Coverage continues Monday at 12:15 p.m. ET with West Ham v. Manchester United on NBCSN. White calls the match, joined by analyst Lee Dixon at London Stadium. Monday’s live match coverage wraps up at 2:15 p.m. ET on NBCSN with Goal Zone.
As a part of NBC Sports Group’s 20 consecutive hours of Premier League programming on Monday, Jan. 2, NBCSN will present a new Premier League Download featuring Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola at 4 p.m. ET. Hosted by the Men in Blazers’ Roger Bennett, Premier League Download: Inside the Mind of Pep Guardiola features an in-depth discussion on the unique aspects of football that motivate the Manchester City manager. In addition, NBCSN will feature encore presentations of all four Behind the Badge: Watford FC shows Monday beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET.
Rebecca Lowe hosts Premier League Live, joined by a combination of Robbie Earle, Kyle Martino and Robbie Mustoe.
| Friday 30th December | Hull City | Everton | 2000 | Jim Proudfoot | Kevin Kilbane |
| Saturday 31st December | Burnley | Sunderland | 1500 | Gary Taphouse | Davie Provan |
| Channel + MUX game | Chelsea | Stoke City | 1500 | Rob Palmer | Tony Gale |
| Leicester City | West Ham United | 1500 | Joe Speight | Andy Hinchcliffe | |
| Manchester United | Middlesbrough | 1500 | Jon Champion | Kevin Kilbane | |
| Southampton | West Bromwich Albion | 1500 | Tony Jones | Terry Gibson | |
| Swansea City | AFC Bournemouth | 1500 | Phil Blacker | Ray Houghton | |
| Liverpool | Manchester City | 1715 | Peter Drury | Jim Beglin | |
| Liverpool | Manchester City | 1715 | Peter Drury | Jim Beglin | |
| Sunday 1st January | Watford | Tottenham Hotspur | 1330 | Peter Drury | Phil Neville |
| Arsenal | Crystal Palace | 1600 | Jon Champion | Andy Townsend | |
| Arsenal | Crystal Palace | 1600 | Jon Champion | Andy Townsend |
WSOF
NBC Sports Group presents World Series of Fighting action on New Year’s Eve, this Saturday, Dec. 31, highlighted by the undefeated Justin “The Highlight” Gaethje (16-0) defending his lightweight title against Luiz “Buscape” Firmino (19-7) live at 4 p.m. ET on NBC from the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York, N.Y. Coverage on Saturday begins at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.
In the co-main event, Jon Fitch (28-7-1) defends his welterweight title against Jake Shields (31-8).
Saturday’s card also features Yushin “Thunder” Okami (32-10) vs. Paul Bradley (23-6) in a welterweight bout, and Marlon Moraes (16-4) defending his bantamweight title against Josenaldo Silva (25-4).
Action on NBCSN includes a middleweight title fight between champion David Branch (19-3) and Louis Taylor (13-1); Jared Rosholt (14-3) vs. Caio Alencar (9-1) in a heavyweight bout; and Shane Kruchten (11-4) vs. Jeremy Mahon (5-4), fighting at a catchweight of 145 pounds.
Play-by-play announcer Todd Harris will be joined by analysts Bas Rutten, Renzo Gracie and Joey Varner to call the action. Two-time Olympic judo gold medalist Kayla Harrison joins the telecast as an analyst in her broadcast debut.
Golf Channel presents Tiger Woods’ birthday (Friday, Dec. 30) programming featuring highlights from all 14 major championship victories in succession.
