NBCUniversal and NFL to Air First-Ever Commercial-Free Fourth Quarter During Bills-Chargers

NBCUniversal and NFL to Air First-Ever Commercial-Free Fourth Quarter During Bills-Chargers

“Peacock Holiday Exclusive”

on Saturday, December 23

New York, NY – December 21, 2023 – Today, NBCUniversal and the NFL announced that the Peacock Holiday Exclusive matchup between the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday, Dec. 23 will include the league’s first-ever commercial-free fourth quarter. This matchup will deliver a groundbreaking fan experience with an over 40% reduction in standard NFL ad load resulting in more than 12 minutes of additional game-related content. Coverage for Peacock’s exclusive NFL game begins at 8 p.m. ET from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, California.

“We are proud to work with our partners at the NFL to present this first-of-its kind experience,” said NBC Sports President Rick Cordella. “NBC Sports’ best-in-class NFL production, Peacock’s fan-friendly viewer experience, and this innovative advertising model will allow NFL fans an exciting new way to watch the game’s conclusion.”

The Buffalo Bills-Los Angeles Chargers matchup will tap into innovative ad formats including:

• COMMERCIAL FREE FOURTH-QUARTER INTRO: At the top of the fourth quarter, the broadcast will feature a branded moment to acknowledge the first-ever NFL commercial-free experience. From this moment on, there will be no commercials throughout the fourth quarter.

• CONTENT TAKEOVERS: In lieu of fourth-quarter commercial time, the broadcast will feature special content takeovers and game features, seamlessly integrating relevant booth and studio updates and analysis.

NBC Sports’ Sunday Night Football announce team of Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth and Melissa Stark will call Bills-Chargers. For Stark, it will be her 100th regular-season matchup on the sidelines. The Peacock Holiday Exclusive matchup immediately follows the Holiday Special Saturday afternoon game between the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers at 4:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock. NBC Sports’ B1G Saturday Night team – Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge and Kathryn Tappen – will call Bengals-Steelers. Three-time Super Bowl referee Terry McAulay will serve as rules analyst for both games.

A special edition of Football Night in America will begin at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday to preview Bengals-Steelers and at 7:30 p.m. ET to preview Bills-Chargers. NBC Sports’ Ahmed Fareed will host FNIA from NBC Sports’ Studio 1 in Stamford, Conn. He’ll be joined by former Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett, three-time Super Bowl Champion Devin McCourty, former NFL quarterback Chris Simms, NFL Insider Mike Florio, and fantasy sports industry pioneer Matthew Berry. Hall of Fame head coach Tony Dungy and two-time Super Bowl winner Rodney Harrison will join co-host Jac Collinsworth at SoFi Stadium.

In January, Peacock will also be the home of the first-ever exclusive live streamed NFL Playoff game, presenting an NFL Wild Card Playoff in primetime on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2024. With the two Saturday NFL Wild Card games and a Sunday primetime NFL Wild Card game (on NBC and Peacock), NBCUniversal will be the first media company to present three NFL Playoff games in a single weekend (January 2024).

The Peacock exclusive Wild Card game and regular season game will be broadcast on NBC stations in the two competing team cities, and available on mobile devices with NFL+. The NFL is the only sports league that presents all regular-season and postseason games on free, over-the-air television in local markets.

Source
NBCUniversal

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