NBC and Golf Channel plan to ramp up British Open coverage in their first year televising the event. In other news, the special Sunday night Notre Dame/Texas game will air on ABC, and ABC will again simulcast ESPN’s NFL Wild Card Game.
Golf: British Open (July 14-17, NBC and Golf Channel)
- Golf Channel and the NBC broadcast network will air nearly 50 hours of live British Open coverage this year, up from 37 scheduled hours last year on ESPN (the actual number differed due to rain delays). Golf Channel telecasts will run from 1:30 AM-4 PM ET during the first two rounds and from 4-7 AM on the weekend. NBC will air third round coverage from 7 AM-2:30 PM on July 16 and the final round from 7 AM-2 PM on July 17, with encore presentations on both days from 4-6 PM. (Golf Channel)
CFB: Notre Dame/Texas (7:30 PM ET September 4, ABC)
- The Notre Dame/Texas college football game, which last month was moved back a day to Sunday, September 4, has been scheduled for 7:30 PM ET on ABC. It is assumed to be the first Sunday night regular season game on the network. The matchup highlights a four-game opening weekend on ABC, which the previous day will carry a tripleheader of Oklahoma/Houston, LSU/Wisconsin from Lambeau Field, and USC/Alabama from Cowboys Stadium. (ESPN Media Zone)
NFL: Wild Card Game (TBD January 7 or 8, ESPN and ABC)
- ESPN will simulcast its annual NFL Wild Card Game on ABC for the second straight year, the network announced Tuesday. Last year, the networks combined for a 14.7 rating and 25.2 million viewers, with more than three quarters of viewers watching on ABC (19.4M). (ESPN Media Zone)
