FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, September 5th, 2018

NBCUNIVERSAL CELEBRATES “NFL KICKOFF 2018”

Consumer Engagement Promotion and Editorial to Air Across NBCUniversal Properties Including TODAY, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Access, America’s Got Talent, and Titulares Y Mas

Comcast NBCUniversal Celebrates NFL Kickoff 2018 Thursday with “Countdown to Kickoff” Event in Philadelphia, Highlighted by TODAY, CNBC and NBC Sports On-Site in Philadelphia

STAMFORD, Conn. – September 5, 2018 – Fresh off Sunday Night Football’s unprecedented seventh consecutive season as the No. 1 show in primetime, NBCUniversal is surrounding NBC Sports’ coverage of NFL Kickoff 2018 with unmatched participation by its sports, news and entertainment assets, as the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles open the 2018 season against the Atlanta Falcons tomorrow night on NBC.

Known for making big events bigger, NBCUniversal programs ranging from TODAY, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Access, America’s Got Talent, Squawk on the Street, and more are covering NFL Kickoff 2018 and the return of Sunday Night Football with football-related content this week.

NBC Sports kicks off its coverage of the 2018 NFL season tomorrow night when the Eagles host the Falcons on NBC, with kickoff coming at a new, earlier time of 8:20 p.m. ET. Coverage on NBC begins with a special edition of Football Night In America – the most-watched weekly studio show in sports in each of its 12 seasons – at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Three days later, NBC Sports opens its 13th season of Sunday Night Football – America’s No. 1 primetime television show for a record seven consecutive years – when two-time NFL MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers celebrate the start of the franchise’s 100th season against 2016 NFL Defensive Player of the Year and recently acquired LB Khalil Mack and the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field. All SNF games will feature a new, earlier kickoff time this season at 8:20 p.m. ET. Coverage starts with Football Night In America at 7 p.m. ET on NBC.


COMCAST NBCUNIVERSAL CELEBRATES NFL KICKOFF 2018 IN PHILADELPHIA

With the Philadelphia Eagles returning to the field after their first-ever Super Bowl title, Comcast NBCUniversal will celebrate NFL Kickoff 2018 tomorrow at the Comcast Center Plaza in downtown Philadelphia ahead of Falcons-Eagles in primetime on NBC.

Anticipating widespread excitement in the City of Brotherly Love, NBCUniversal programs will broadcast all day from Center City Philadelphia. NBC News’ TODAY, CNBC’s Squawk on the Street, and CNBC’s Mad Money w/ Jim Cramer will be on-location, while NBC10 and NBC Sports Philadelphia provide all-day exclusive coverage to create an unprecedented “Countdown to Kickoff.”

 

Below is a summary of the NBCU properties that are supporting NFL Kickoff 2018:

 

  • TODAY: TODAY will bring back their weekly “TODAY Food Loves Football” segment, beginning this week. TODAY will also be sending Al Roker and Sheinelle Jones to the Comcast Center plaza in Philadelphia on Thursday for live segments throughout the program. In addition, TODAY with Kathie Lee and Hoda featured a “Who Knew?” segment on Wednesday, where fans had a chance to win NFL swag by answering NFL trivia questions. TODAY will also air a segment on the new Sunday Night Football show open featuring Carrie Underwood.

 

  • CNBC: On Thursday, Eagles season-ticket holder Jim Cramer will be at Center City in Philadelphia for the 9 a.m. ET hour of Squawk on the Street. In addition, Cramer will host Mad Money w/ Jim Cramer from 4:00-5:30 p.m. ET, taking questions from the audience. Mad Money w/ Jim Cramer airs on CNBC weeknights at 6 p.m. ET.

 

  • The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon: Tonight’s episode will feature NFL Kickoff 2018 content and promotion.

 

  • Access: Tuesday night’s episode of Access debuted footage and provided a behind-the-scenes look from the 2018 Sunday Night Football show open starring Carrie Underwood. Additionally, hosts will be wearing various NFL jerseys on Thursday to promote NFL Kickoff 2018.

 

  • America’s Got Talent: Tonight’s program will feature NFL Kickoff 2018 content, as judges will have team jerseys and footballs on-hand as part of their promotion towards Thursday night’s game. America’s Got Talent airs Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT.

 

  • Telemundo: Tonight on Telemundo, Titulares Y Mas will feature a segment on the return of football, and hosts will be wearing Eagles/Falcons jerseys while their set will be decorated with NFL props. Tonight’s program will also include a segment on the new Sunday Night Football show open featuring Carrie Underwood. Additionally, Exalton will include integrations promoting to NFL Kickoff 2018 and Bears-Packers on Sunday Night Football.

 

  • E!: E! News will feature a behind-the-scenes look at the new 2018 Sunday Night Football show open featuring Carrie Underwood tonight in their segment promoting NFL Kickoff 2018 and the upcoming season.

 

  • PFT Live: Beginning today through Friday, Mike Florio will be on-site in Philadelphia to bring fans the latest NFL news and interviews with players and coaches with co-host Chris Simms on PFT Live on NBCSN at 7 a.m. ET.

 

  • Golf Channel: On Thursday, Morning Drive hosts will wear jerseys on an NFL-themed set  that will preview NFL Kickoff 2018 and the premiere of Sunday Night Football with a live interview with Football Night in America host Mike Tirico.

 

  • The Dan Patrick Show: The program will feature NFL content all week long, including appearances by NBC Sports’ NFL commentators.

 

  • NBC Sports Philadelphia:The home of the Authentic Eagles fan will have all-day multi-platform coverage of the defending Super Bowl Champions on Thursday. Live Eagles coverage begins at 2 p.m. ET with the Mike Missanelli Show from Penn’s Landing as part of the NFL Kickoff Experience. Starting at 5 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Philadelphia will be live on location at Xfinity Live in South Philadelphia. Additionally, all other NBC Sports Regional Networks will feature NFL Kickoff 2018 preview pieces.

 

  • NBC10: As the official station of the Philadelphia Eagles, NBC10’s “Eagles on 10” programming will include unparalleled coverage throughout the entire day on Thursday, from the Comcast Center Plaza in the morning, to the NFL Experience at Penn’s Landing, to Xfinity Live and culminating with exclusive access inside the Linc in South Philadelphia.

 

  • NBC Sports Radio: NBC Sports Radio will surround the 2018 NFL season with daily coverage across more than 425 radio affiliates, highlighted by highlighted by PFT Live, featuring NFL insider and Football Night In America commentator Mike Florio daily from 6-9 a.m. ET; Voices of the Game with Newy Scruggs weekdays from 12-3 p.m. ET; Calling the Shots with Keith Irizarry from 3-7 p.m. ET; Under Center with Mark Malone weekdays from 7-10 p.m. ET; and Going Deep with Dan Schwartzman weekdays from 10 p.m.-1 a.m. ET.

 

  • NFL Kickoff Digital and Social Roadblocks: All day Thursday, NBC Sports will have NFL Kickoff branding on websites of networks/brands across NBCU (BravoTV.com, NBCUniversal.com, NBCUNow.com, Eonline.com, GolfChannel.com, MSNBC.com, NBC.com, NBCNews.com, Oxygen.com, Telemundo.com, TODAY.com, UniversalStudiosHollywood.com, UniversalOrlando.com & USANetwork.com). Additionally, at 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, NBCU shows and brands with Twitter accounts will participate in a social roadblock promoting to the game.

 

  • 1st Look: 1st Look kicks off another exciting season of football in this special episode on Saturday night, immediately following Saturday Night Live on NBC. 1st Look will include interviews with Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth Michele Tafoya, Tony Dungy, and Mike Tirico, as well as the L.A. Rams Cheerleaders, NFL players Mark Ingram and Travis Kelce, and more.

 

  • Universal Orlando Resort: All day on Saturday, Sept. 8, and Sunday, Sept. 9, team members at NBC Sports Grill & Brew at Universal CityWalk will wear custom “SNF Jersey T-Shirts” to help promote the return of SNF.

–NBC SPORTS–