Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/123805
Under the Dome Notre Dame Extends NBC Contract To 2025 Notre Dame and NBC agreed to in decades, we could not be more add another decade to their teleproud to extend this historic partvision rights agreement in April, nership, which continues to be one a deal that will carry of the most innovative Irish football on the in sports-media hisnetwork through the tory," said Mark Laza2025 season. rus, chairman of NBC "It's pretty consisSports Group. tent with the marketNBC announced earplace right now," Notre lier in the week that Dame athletics director it would be making a Jack Swarbrick said of change in the broadcast the long-term renewal. booth for future Irish "Most of these deals games. Veteran comare 12, 13, 14 years. mentator Dan Hicks is Our broadcast partner NBC also announced that vet- slated to take over for wanted to be in that eran commentator Dan Hicks play-by-play man Tom same ballpark and I will take over as the lead play- Hammond as the lead understand that. … by-play voice for Notre Dame voice during Notre We're interested in a football this fall. Dame games this fall. photo courtesy nbc sports group long-term equity relaHicks is best known tionship. It made sense." for his work on NBC's PGA golf Previous renewals have typically coverage and during the Olympics. been for five years at a time. This He announced NFL games for the new deal allows for as many as five network in the 1990s and has been night games over a two-year pea pinch hitter on a handful of drariod, which includes off-site Shammatic Notre Dame broadcasts rerock Series games. There will be cently, including a triple-overtime only one night game in Notre Dame win against Pittsburgh last fall. Stadium in 2013, which is still to be "Dan is a gifted commentator, announced. It also allows NBC to and we wanted to find more highslot games to its new cable outlet, profile opportunities to showcase NBC Sports Network, in the future his talents," said Sam Flood, an exand opens doors for more original ecutive producer for NBC Sports programming like documentaries and NBC Sports Network. "Comabout Irish sports teams throughing off an undefeated regular seaout the year. son and a berth in the BCS Champi"Coming off one of Notre Dame's onship Game, Notre Dame football best and most dramatic seasons provides a perfect platform."