Television windows for this year’s planned NCAA men’s basketball tournament have been announced. Plus: NBC intends to air the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics live in all time zones; NBC is set to air a special on Mike Emrick.
CBS, Turner, announce NCAA Tournament windows
CBS and Turner Sports released the telecast windows for this year’s scheduled NCAA men’s basketball tournament Wednesday. As previously noted, the tournament is scheduled to begin with all four “First Four” games on Thursday, March 18 — two on TruTV (5 and 8:30 PM ET) and two on TBS (6:20 and 9:50 PM) — followed by the first two rounds on March 19-22. Other than occurring one day later than usual, the telecast windows for the first two rounds are all-but-unchanged from a typical year. [Related: 2021 March Madness TV schedule.]
With the Sweet Sixteen scheduled for a Saturday and Sunday, all eight games are set to air in their own separate telecast windows. Half of the games would air on CBS in the afternoon and the other half on TBS in primetime. CBS would air the first set of Elite Eight games in primetime on Monday, March 29, and TBS the second pair on Tuesday, March 30.
The Final Four and National Championship remain scheduled for their original dates of April 3 and April 5. Notably, the first national semifinal is scheduled for 5 PM ET — earlier than the usual 6 PM start — presumably to provide greater time between games. CBS is scheduled to air a one-hour Selection Show on March 14. [CBS/Turner]
NBC plan to air Olympic Opening Ceremony live in all time zones
NBC Sports has announced that it plans to carry the Opening Ceremony of the scheduled Tokyo Summer Olympics live in all time zones on the NBC broadcast network July 23. Coverage would run from 6:55-11 AM ET, leading into a special, Olympic-themed edition of the network’s “Today” morning show. Sports Business Daily was first to report.
This year would mark the first time that the Opening Ceremony has been televised live since the Olympics was last held in North America in 2010. Even then, NBC only aired the Opening Ceremony live in the Eastern and Central time zones. NBC did stream the Opening Ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics live, albeit a world feed sans-announcers.
The Opening Ceremony would begin a nearly-full day of Olympic coverage on NBC. The network also plans to air a three-hour block of Olympic competition at 1 PM ET — a first for the opening Friday of the Games — and encore presentations of the Opening Ceremony both in primetime and overnight hours. [NBC Sports PR; Sports Business Daily 2.10]
NBC to air Emrick special
NBC Sports said Wednesday that it will air a one-hour special celebrating the career of its former NHL play-by-play voice Mike Emrick, who retired at the end of last season. Titled “Doc Emrick — The Voice of Hockey,” the special would air February 21 at 2 PM ET, leading into one of the NHL’s scheduled Lake Tahoe outdoor games. Among those interviewed for the special is former NBC host Bob Costas, who has not appeared on any NBC Sports broadcast since his quiet exit from the network two years ago. [NBC Sports PR]
