NBCUniversal Announces NFL Kickoff Surrounding Coverage

NBCUniversal gets "Back to Football" and will surround its coverage of NFL Kickoff 2014 with a diverse collection of assets participating in NBC Sports' 'Big Event Strategy,' including sports, news and entertainment properties.

NFL Kickoff 2014 on NBC this Thursday, Sept. 4, features Russell Wilson and the defending SUPER BOWL champion Seattle Seahawks hosting Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers at CenturyLink Field, in Seattle, Wash. A pre-game concert will feature performances by Grammy Award-winning singer, song-writer, producer, and THE VOICE judge, Pharrell Williams, as well as Seattle-natives and Grammy Award-winning band Soundgarden from a specially constructed stage outside of CenturyLink Field. Select portions of the concert will air on NBC. Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Sunday Night Football, the No. 1 PRIMETIME show on television, kicks off this Sunday, Sept. 7, when Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos host Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts from Sports Authority Field at Mile High, in Denver, Colo. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET with Football Night in America, the most-watched studio show in sports.

The SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL broadcast team of Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya on NFL Kickoff 2014 and the season opening Colts-Broncos SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL game:

Al Michaels: "I look at our schedule, at some of these games, and just go, 'wow.' Beginning, of course, Thursday night...it's just a great way to open up the season. Then on Sunday, you've got two teams who could win the AFC and wind up in the Super Bowl."

Cris Collinsworth: "Showing up in Seattle on Thursday night for that game is going to be electric. It's probably the best crowd probably in the entire league, and that 12th Man raising the flag, it's going to be a scene like no other in the NFL."

Michele Tafoya: "Whenever you have the Super Bowl, the season just takes on kind of a bigger feel for those of us who know we're going to be in this for the long haul and aiming at that final game."

Below is a summary of the NBCU properties that are supporting NFL Kickoff 2014:

• Golf Channel: Morning Drive will once again preview Kickoff and the premiere of Sunday Night Football.
• NBCSN: Pro Football Talk, hosted by Mike Florio and Paul Burmeister, and Fantasy Football Live, hosted by Dave Briggs, will preview the season.
• NBC Sports Regional Networks: NBC Sports Group's 11 regional networks will feature NFL Kickoff 2014 preview pieces.
• NBC Sports Radio: NBC Sports Radio will surround the 2014 NFL season with daily coverage on 439 radio affiliates, highlighted by McNabb and Malone; an all-sports show that leverages the unique perspective of two former NFL quarterbacks, and Safety Blitz with Rodney Harrison; featuring three-time All Pro and two-time Super Bowl-winner Rodney Harrison.
• TODAY: TODAY will present an interview this Fri., Sept. 5 with Carrie Underwood, who on Sunday returns after making her debut last season with the 2014 edition of "Waiting All Day for Sunday Night," opening theme for Sunday Night Football. TODAY will be on-site at CenturyLink Field on Thursday, Sept. 4 to contribute live segments. TODAY will also be on location in Denver, Colo., the site of this week's SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL match up, this Friday, Sept. 5. Kathie Lee and Hoda host a "Who Knew" NFL trivia segment with FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA reporter Carolyn Mannoand promote Kickoff with NFL kickoff giveaways. In addition, last Thursday,TODAY featured a segment on how to host your own tailgate.
• E!: On Friday, Sept. 5, E! NEWS will present an interview with Carrie Underwood and preview the new 2014 "Waiting All Day for Sunday Night"Sunday Night Football open.
• Access Hollywood: Tomorrow's ACCESS HOLLYWOOD to take a look at new 2014 "Waiting All Day for Sunday Night" SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL open featuring interviews with Carrie Underwood.
• America's Got Talent: The show will feature NFL Kickoff 2014 related content.
• Nightly News with Brian Williams: The show will feature an NFL Kickoff 2014 segment on Thurs., Sept. 4.
• CNBC: Throughout CNBC's Business Day programming on Thursday, CNBC's Julia Boorstin will interview representatives from the NFL, Microsoft, and Twitter about the league's new "NFL Now" app and new on-field technology.
• The Weather Channel: WAKE UP WITH AL will update fans on the conditions in Seattle on game day for NFL Kickoff 2014 as well as in Denver forSunday Night Football. AMHQ WITH SAM CHAMPION will also have Reese Waters reporting live from Seattle's CenturyLink Field on game day.
• Telemundo: Telemundo celebrates the return of the NFL season with "NFL Kickoff," a special preview show that airs on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 4:30 p.m. ET.
• NewsChannel/Affiliates: NBC's NewsChannel, which feeds all 235 NBC affiliates nationwide, will provide NFL Kickoff 2014 preview pieces.
• Universal Park & Resort: Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal CityWalk in Los Angeles and Universal Orlando Resort will help promote NBC's coverage of NFL Kickoff 2014 by featuring NBC Sports-produced trailers and videos on CityWalk's big outdoor screens along with kickoff signage on print billboards throughout the theme parks.

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