Notre Dame Football on NBC

This article is about Notre Dame football coverage on NBC. For NBC Sports' other coverage of college football, see College Football on NBC Sports. For NBC's 1952–1957 college football coverage, see NBC College Football Game of the Week.

Notre Dame Football on NBC
Also known as	Notre Dame Football on USA Notre Dame Football on Peacock
Genre	College football telecasts
Presented by	Dan Hicks Jason Garrett Zora Stephenson Reggie Smith Maria Taylor Ahmed Fareed Joshua Perry Matt Cassel Michael Robinson Chris Simms Nicole Auerbach Jordan Cornette Noah Eagle Todd Blackledge Kathryn Tappen Terry McAulay
Theme music composer	John Colby
Opening theme	“Here Comes Saturday Night” by Fall Out Boy (primetime games only)
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
No. of seasons	34
Production
Production locations	Notre Dame Stadium Notre Dame, Indiana, U.S. (Regular season) Various NCAA stadiums (Shamrock Series)
Camera setup	Multi-camera
Running time	210 minutes or until game ends (inc. adverts)
Production companies	National Collegiate Athletic Association NBC Sports
Original release
Network	NBC USA Peacock Universo via Telemundo Deportes (Spanish simulcasts of select games)
Release	September 7, 1991 (1991-09-07) – present
Related
College Football on NBC Sports Big Ten College Countdown

Notre Dame Football on NBC is an American presentation of college football games involving the Notre Dame Fighting Irish that are produced by NBC Sports, the sports division of the NBC television network in the United States. NBC Sports has broadcast all Notre Dame home games since September 7, 1991. ^[1]

Since NBC began airing Notre Dame home football games 33 years ago, NBC's deal ^{[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]} with the university has ensured that all of its home games are on national broadcast television, a unique configuration among American sports. Most of the games are televised in the afternoon, usually starting at 3:30 p.m. ET.

Since 2011, at least two games per season are played in prime-time, often played at neutral venues for the purposes of recruiting and financial benefits for playing at those sites, a high-profile matchup involving a major opponent, or to schedule around conflicts with other NBC Sports or NBC News programming. Since 2021, one game per season has aired on NBC's over-the-top streaming service Peacock. Previously, these games aired on an NBCUniversal-owned cable channel, such as USA Network.

History

Prior to NBC

The first Notre Dame football telecast occurred on November 19, 1949, when WTVN-TV (now WSYX) in Columbus, Ohio broadcast ^[10] Notre Dame's game against the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Notre Dame soon had an exclusive television deal with the DuMont Television Network starting in 1950. ^[11] What attracted Notre Dame to DuMont despite receiving higher bids ^[12] from ABC and NBC, was DuMont's willingness to air educational programs on behalf of Notre Dame along with the football broadcast. This triggered concern from NCAA members that television would hurt attendance. But Notre Dame argued ^[13] that the contract with DuMont actually increased interest in their football program and the university.

On October 1, 1950, WSB-TV in Atlanta, Georgia broadcast ^[14] Notre Dame's game against the North Carolina Tar Heels from South Bend, Indiana via a coaxial cable. WBKB-TV in nearby Chicago aired ^[15] Notre Dame's home games live with the aid of a microwave relay system that was fashioned by William C. "Bill" Eddy, Bill Kusack, and Arch Brolly.

Through the next three years, Notre Dame's games were mostly edited and syndicated for airing on Saturday nights. The telecasts were typically condensed to a one-hour program anchored by Lindsey Nelson.

Notre Dame would next land a television deal with ABC in 1953. It was ABC who would air the "Game of the Century" ^[16] between Notre Dame and the Michigan State Spartans on November 19, 1966. The game was not shown live on national TV. The agreement between the NCAA and ABC in effect at the time limited each team to one national television appearance and two regional television appearances each season. Notre Dame had used their national TV slot in the season opening game against Purdue. ABC executives did not even want to show the game anywhere but the regional area, but pressure from the West Coast and the South (to the tune of 50,000 letters) made ABC air the game on tape delay.

In 1976, Notre Dame was one of 67 schools to form the College Football Association (CFA) and pool their television rights. ^[17] However, by the second half of the 1980s, ^[18] Notre Dame became one of the most valuable and recognizable teams on national television and was unhappy with deals signed by the CFA ^[19] that emphasized regional games. ^{[20] [17]}

In 1986, Notre Dame joined eight independent schools in the East coast in a secondary rights deal with Jefferson-Pilot Communications. ^[21] In the event that CBS or ESPN passed on airing that week's Notre Dame game, then Jefferson-Pilot's independent stations could broadcast it throughout the country. CBS ^{[22] [23]} most notably broadcast the famous "Catholics vs. Convicts" game ^[24] against the Miami Hurricanes in 1988.

1990s

In February 1990, Notre Dame broke away from the CFA and signed a five-year broadcasting contract with NBC beginning in the 1991 season, worth $38 million. The deal surprised the college football world and left many of the other CFA members unhappy with Notre Dame. ^{[25] [20]} Notre Dame got half of the $7.6 million that NBC paid for the rights each year of the deal and its opponent received the other half. ^[26] The last regular season Notre Dame home game to be televised on a network outside of NBC was on November 17, 1990, when the Irish played their final home game of 1990 against Penn State, in a game that was broadcast by ESPN (with Ron Franklin, Gary Danielson, and Neil Lomax on the call). ^[a]

The network's 1993 broadcast of the Game of the Century between Florida State Seminoles and Notre Dame (ranked as the #1 and #2 college football teams at the time) is still the most-watched regular season college football game since NBC began carrying the Fighting Irish's games. ^[28]

2000s

The infamous 2005 "Bush Push" game between Notre Dame and USC in South Bend on NBC was the most watched college football game across all networks in nine years.

In 2009, Notre Dame began to play one home game each year at a neutral site outside of the university's Notre Dame, Indiana campus for recruitment and exposure purposes, which are broadcast nationally on NBC as part of the television deal with 7:30 p.m. Eastern start times under the banner of the Shamrock Series. This was initiated with a late October 2009 game against Washington State at the Alamodome in San Antonio. A November 2010 matchup against Army at Yankee Stadium, which NBC also televised, was also a Notre Dame home game, despite West Point's proximity to the Tri-State area. Notre Dame battled Miami at Soldier Field in 2012 and met Arizona State at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas in 2013, a year later Notre Dame played Purdue at Lucas Oil Stadium and in 2015, Notre Dame played against Boston College at Fenway Park. As of 2022, the Irish have never lost under the Shamrock Series banner.

2010s

Ratings for NBC's Notre Dame game telecasts had slumped to historic lows during the 2011 season, coinciding with average performances of the team on the football field over the past several years; however, the resurgence in the program under Brian Kelly in 2012 has resulted in the network's highest game viewership since 2005. ^[28]

In 2011, sister channel Versus (later NBCSN, now defunct) began airing rebroadcasts of past Notre Dame games, including those aired on NBC over the years. Previously via NBC's rights deal, sister cable network Universal HD aired same-week reruns of Notre Dame home games until NBCUniversal's January 2011 merger with Comcast. The deal has also been expanded to cover some games of the university's hockey team. This was further punctuated when numerous weather delays forced a Notre Dame football game against USF to go past the scheduled period and NBC never rejoined the game opting instead to air the movie, when Versus picked up the conclusion of the game. ^[29]

On April 9, 2013, NBC Sports renewed its broadcasting contract with Notre Dame for ten years through the 2025 season. ^[30] Double the length of prior contract extension deals, the agreement allows NBC Sports the rights to a minimum of seven home games to be broadcast per season, with NBC Sports Network also acquiring rights to select games beginning in 2016. While most games traditionally are held at 3:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturdays, some games will be held during primetime. ^[31] Revenue from the deal will continue to aid non-athlete student financial assistance. ^[32]

On November 21, 2015, NBCSN broadcast its first live Notre Dame game, a neutral site night game against Boston College held at Boston's Fenway Park as part of the Shamrock Series. ^[33]

On September 8, 2016, NBC announced that all Notre Dame home games during the 2016 season would be broadcast in 4K ultra-high-definition television exclusively on DirecTV. ^[34]

On September 30, 2017, NBCSN broadcast its second live Notre Dame game, against Miami (OH).

For Notre Dame's November 23, 2019, senior day game against Boston College, the school's broadcasting arm Fighting Irish Media produced an alternate broadcast for NBCSN known as the "Notre Dame Fan Feed", which carried the team radio broadcast with Paul Burmeister and Ryan Harris, segments featuring a studio panel hosted by Ahmed Fareed, Jessica Smetana, Darius Walker, and Daelin Hayes, and on-field reports by Tony Simeone that highlighted Notre Dame traditions and fans. ^[35]

2020s

Notre Dame's September 19, 2020, game against South Florida was moved to USA Network due to conflicts with the 2020 U.S. Open on NBC. With NBC's usual production unit working the U.S. Open, the broadcast was produced using the university's in-house Notre Dame Studios and Fighting Irish Media unit (in combination with NBC talent, and staff working from NBC Sports' Stamford, Connecticut studios), marking the first time it had worked a regular season Fighting Irish football game on NBC. ^[36]

Notre Dame's double-overtime win against Clemson on November 7, 2020 was NBC's most-watched Notre Dame game since 2005, averaging just over 10 million viewers. This was despite part of the game being pre-empted to USA Network due to coverage of a primetime address by Joe Biden, winner of the 2020 United States presidential election. ^[37]

On August 4, 2021, NBC announced that the team's 2021 home opener against Toledo would be exclusive to paid subscribers of NBCUniversal's streaming service Peacock, the first Notre Dame home game not to air on terrestrial television since 1990 vs. Air Force. ^{[38] [39]}

For Notre Dame's September 23, 2023, primetime game against Ohio State, NBC experimented with having its Big Ten Saturday Night broadcast team of Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge, and Kathryn Tappen call the game, rather than its usual Notre Dame broadcast team of Jac Collinsworth, Jason Garrett, and Zora Stephenson (who were instead assigned to an afternoon Big Ten game). ^{[40] [41]}

On November 18, 2023, NBC renewed its rights to the Fighting Irish through 2029. NBC will continue to carry most Notre Dame home games, with one game per-season being exclusive to Peacock. Notre Dame Studios will also produce a documentary series following the team for Peacock. ^[42]

Personalities

See also: List of NBC College Football personalities

Current

Game coverage

• Dan Hicks – lead play-by-play (2011–2016, 2024–present); ^{[43] [44]} fill-in play-by-play (2002)
• Paul Burmeister – fill-in play-by-play (2017, 2020, 2023–present)
• Noah Eagle – primetime play-by-play (2023–present)
• Jason Garrett – lead color commentator (2022–present)
• Todd Blackledge – primetime color commentator (2023–present)
• Zora Stephenson – lead sideline reporter (2022–present)
• Kathryn Tappen – primetime sideline reporter (2023–present); lead sideline reporter (2014–2021); studio host (2022)
• Lewis Johnson - fill-in sideline reporter (2023–present); lead sideline reporter (2002–2006)
• Terry McAulay – rules analyst (2018–present); alternate rules analyst (2023–present)
• Reggie Smith – main rules analyst (2023–present)

Studio coverage

• Maria Taylor – studio host (2023–present)
• Ahmed Fareed – on-site host (2023–present)
• Joshua Perry – studio analyst (2023–present)
• Chris Simms - studio analyst (2024–present)
• Matt Cassel – on-site analyst (2023–present)
• Michael Robinson – on-site analyst (2023–present)
• Nicole Auerbach – insider (2023–present)
• Jordan Cornette - game break host/contributor (2024–present)
• Colt McCoy - contributor (2024–present)

Former

Play-by-play

• Jac Collinsworth (2022–2023) ^[45]
• Don Criqui ^[46] (1994–1997)
• Dick Enberg (1991, 1993 and 1998–1999)
• Tom Hammond (1992–1997 and 2000–2015)
• Charlie Jones ^[47] (1993–1997)
• Craig Minervini (2000) – Minervini filled in for Tom Hammond for the September 9, 2000 game against Nebraska, and the following week's game involving Purdue. Hammond was preparing for and subsequently, assigned to work on NBC's coverage of the Summer Olympic telecasts in Sydney, Australia.
• Mike Tirico (2016–2021)

Color commentary

• Drew Brees (2021)
• Todd Christensen (1993)
• Cris Collinsworth (1992–1994)
• Randy Cross (1994–1996)
• Tony Dungy (2020)
• Doug Flutie (2014–2019)
• Pat Haden (1998–2009)
• Paul Maguire (1995)
• Mike Mayock (2010–2014)
• Beasley Reece (1996)
• Phil Simms (1995)
• Joe Theismann (2009)
• Bob Trumpy ^[46] (1993 and 1995–1997)
• Bill Walsh (1991)

Sideline reporters

• Jac Collinsworth (2020) ^[45]
• John Dockery (1991–1997)
• Ahmed Fareed (2023; primetime games)
• Alex Flanagan (2007–2013)
• Jim Gray (1998–2001) ^[48]
• Lewis Johnson (2002–2006)
• O. J. Simpson (1991–1993)

Studio hosts

• Jac Collinsworth (2020–2021)
• Bob Costas (November 13, 1993)
• Liam McHugh (2013–2019)
• Kathryn Tappen (2022)

Studio analysts

• Dhani Jones (2016)
• Jonathan Vilma (2015)
• Chris Simms (2017–2019)
• Hines Ward (2013–2015)
• Doug Flutie (2020)
• Corey Robinson (2021)

Notes

1. Starting in 2024, with the expansion of the College Football Playoff, Notre Dame home playoff games are permitted to be televised by other networks who serve as media rights holders for the playoff. The first such instance will occur on December 20, 2024 when Notre Dame hosts Indiana in a first-round playoff game to be televised on ABC and ESPN. ^[27]

References

1. "NBC presents the first game of its new Notre Dame football package". NBC Sports History Page. Archived from the original on 2017-08-06. Retrieved 2017-08-06.
2. Heisler, Karen (October 3, 2014). "A GROUNDBREAKING PARTNERSHIP". The University of Notre Dame.
3. Sandomir, Richard (August 25, 1991). "COLLEGE FOOTBALL; Notre Dame Scored a $38 Million Touchdown on Its TV Deal". The New York Times.
4. Stewart, Larry (February 6, 1990). "Notre Dame Jumps Ship, Signs With NBC". Los Angeles Times.
5. Carter, Bill (February 6, 1990). "Notre Dame Breaks Ranks on TV Football Rights". The New York Times.
6. Wojciechowski, Gene (February 8, 1990). "ANALYSIS : Notre Dame's Deal Shouldn't Be a Shock". Los Angeles Times.
7. Sherman, Ed (February 6, 1990). "NOTRE DAME DEAL WITH NBC STIRS FUROR". Chicago Tribune.
8. Asher, Mark (February 8, 1990). "ABC, CFA ALTER TV DEAL IN LIGHT OF NBC-NOTRE DAME". The Washington Post.
9. Blum, Ronald (February 5, 1990). "Notre Dame Sells Football Games to NBC". AP.
10. Helwagen, Steve (May 31, 2017). "The history of Ohio State-Michigan on television". 247sports.com.
11. "Born 80 years ago, college football on TV was limited by the NCAA's grip until stopped by the Supreme Court". 29 September 2019.
12. Sperber, Murry (30 November 1998). Onward to Victory: The Creation of Modern College Sports. Macmillan. p. 384. ISBN   9780805038651.
13. Kelly, Jason (5 August 2002). Mr. Notre Dame: The Life and Legend of Edward Moose Krause. Taylor Trade. p. 109. ISBN   9781461703327.
14. Novotny, Patrick (2007). "The Impact of Television on Georgia, 1948–1952". The Georgia Historical Quarterly. 91 (3): 324–347. JSTOR   40585016.
15. Jajkowski, Steve. "A VIDEO VETERAN SPOTLITE". Chicago Television.
16. Weinreb, Michael (19 August 2014). Season of Saturdays: A History of College Football in 14 Games. Simon and Schuster. p. 70. ISBN   9781451627848.
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18. "Notre Dame Football Review" (PDF). archives.nd.edu.
19. Goodwin, Michael (November 11, 1986). "TV SPORTS; COLLEGE PACT NOT IN FOCUS". The New York Times.
20. "ANALYSIS : Notre Dame's Deal Shouldn't be a Shock". Los Angeles Times . 8 February 1990.
21. Barca, Jerry (13 August 2013). Unbeatable: Notre Dame's 1988 Championship and the Last Great College ... St. Martin's Publishing. p. 230. ISBN   9781250024848.
22. Mell, Randall (February 23, 1988). "IS FANS' TV FOOTBALL FEAST COLLEGES' FINANCIAL FAMINE?". South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
23. Vowles, Joshua (March 31, 2019). "ESPN is taking over the Navy VS Notre Dame Football Series from CBS". One Foot Down.
24. Smith, Matt (October 2, 2012). "Notre Dame vs. Miami: A Retrospective of the Storied Rivalry". Bleacher Report.
25. Sandomir, Richard (25 August 1991). "COLLEGE FOOTBALL; Notre Dame Scored a $38 Million Touchdown on Its TV Deal". The New York Times.
26. Sandomir, Richard (August 25, 1991). "College Football; Notre Dame Scored a $38 Million Touchdown on Its TV Deal". The New York Times . Retrieved September 30, 2008.
27. Rumsey, David (December 8, 2024). "ESPN, ABC To Simulcast First Non-NBC Notre Dame Home Game Since 1990". Front Office Sports. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
28. Hansen, Eric (November 28, 2012). "Notre Dame football: ND-USC showdown a TV hit". South Bend Tribune . Schurz Communications. Archived from the original on December 1, 2012. Retrieved November 29, 2012.
29. youtube.com/watch?v=NGXroCC13Dk
30. Arnold, Keith (April 9, 2013). "Notre Dame & NBC Sports renew partnership". NBC Sports . Retrieved April 19, 2013.
31. Hamilton, Brian (April 18, 2013). "Notre Dame, NBC renew deal through 2025". Chicago Tribune . Tribune Publishing . Retrieved April 19, 2013.
32. "NBC's Notre Dame deal extended". ESPN . Associated Press. April 18, 2013. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
33. "NBCSN to air ND vs. BC Shamrock Series Game Saturday". University of Notre Dame . CBS Interactive. November 20, 2015. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
34. Umstead, R. Thomas (September 8, 2016). "DirecTV To Offer Notre Dame Football Telecasts In 4K". Multichannel News. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
35. Flammang, Greg (2019-11-24). "Notre Dame Fan Feed on NBC A Refreshing Alternative to Their Stale Broadcast". UHND.com. Retrieved 2020-09-09.
36. "NBC Sports Teams With Fighting Irish Media, Notre Dame Studios for Live Football Broadcast". Sports Video Group. 24 September 2020. Retrieved 2020-09-28.
37. "Clemson-ND thriller hits high despite election". Sports Media Watch. November 9, 2020. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
38. "Peacock will have exclusive coverage of Notre Dame's home opener against Toledo". Awful Announcing. 2021-08-04. Retrieved 2021-11-04.
39. "Notre Dame football home opener to stream exclusively on Peacock". SportsPro. 2021-08-05. Retrieved 2021-11-04.
40. Axelrod, Ben (2023-09-22). "Noah Eagle dismisses Notre Dame homerism on NBC, says he'll be 'neutral Noah' for Ohio State game". Awful Announcing. Retrieved 2023-09-23.
41. Lucia, Joe (2023-09-21). "Your 2023 college football Week 4 announcing schedule". Awful Announcing. Retrieved 2023-09-24.
42. "Notre Dame football staying on NBC through 2029 season". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved 2024-02-21.
43. "Notre Dame & NBC Sports Group renew historic football partnership". NBC Sports. April 18, 2013. Retrieved April 19, 2013.
44. "Dan Hicks Replaces Jac Collinsworth in Notre Dame Booth for NBC Sports | Barrett Media". barrettmedia.com. 2024-08-20. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
45. "NO. 1 CLEMSON TIGERS VISIT NO. 4 NOTRE DAME FIGHTING IRISH IN SOUTH BEND THIS SATURDAY AT 7:30 P.M. ET ON NBC". NBC Sports Pressbox. 2020-11-04. Retrieved 2021-10-02.
46. "Great Games". Tripod.com. Retrieved January 24, 2010.
47. 1995 Notre Dame vs. USC – Kinnon Tatum on YouTube
48. "Jim Gray biography" (PDF). HarryWalker.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 26, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2010.

External links

• Official website