Wide World of Sports: Upfronts Edition

NBCNBCSNTelemundoSports were up first during NBCUniversalamp8217s May 14 presentation at Radio City Music Hall with the US womenamp8217s gold medalwinning hockey team rising from beneath the stage on a hydraulic lift their standing ovation later referenced by Chairman Advertising Sales and Client Partnerships Linda Yaccarinoamp160For his part Late Nightamp8217s Seth Meyers during his annual turn deriding other networks and his companyamp8217s Upfront proceedings questioned why NBCU was touting the Olympics and coverage of the Super Bowl since neither event will be on the networkamp8217s air during the 201819 season He likened it to a waiter telling customers about what specials a restaurant had run out ofStill those events helped fuel NBCamp8217s 38 advantage over its competitors among adults 18 to 49 and nearly ended CBSamp8217 nineyear run as Americaamp8217s mostwatched network Small wonder NBCU CEO Steve Burke in his opening remarks reminded the audience that the company holds Olympic rights through 2032Given the coverage of the World Cup which kicks off on June 15 it was somewhat surprising that Telemundo Deportes President Ray Warren didnamp8217t grace the big proscenium amp160Then again considering Telemundo is still wrapping up the final ad sales pieces for the tournament in Russia personally pitching the 2019 Womenamp8217s World Cup from France would have upstaged this summeramp8217s event amp160Instead the audience watched extensive futbol highlights that finished with a look at inimitable Argentinian striker Lionel Messi Mexican goalie Guillermo Ochoa and Carli Lloyd the star of the US womenamp8217s 2015 Word Cupwinning sideLater NBCU rigged up a wrestling ring with WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon introducing Charlotte Flair Nia Jax and Ronda Rousey as leaders of a womenamp8217s revolution at the sports entertainment company amp160The WWE Upfront push didnamp8217t culminate in an announcement that NBCU had pinned a renewal for Raw and SmackDown the promotions that run on USA amp160At this juncture reports indicate NBCU is nearing a deal for the former while the latter could decamp to FoxFox Fox Sports 1Joe Buck the voice of Fox Sports helmed this expansive component of the companyamp8217s Upfront also on May 14 amp160Buck talked up the World Cup before noting Fox will continue to bring the heat with a lineup that includes the most NFL windows ever with the addition of Thursday Night Football to its Sunday NFC package highlighted by Americaamp8217s Game of the WeekThe latter he declared will rank as TVamp8217s top show for a 10th consecutive year when the 2018 NFL season ends amp160When combined with an enhanced college football slate and MLBamp8217s playoffs culminating in the World Series the 2017 edition of which outperformed all entertainment programming on television last season Fox will again rule the ratings roost during the most important sales time of the year heading into the holiday season amp160amp8220We owned the fall and this year weamp8217re going to dominate againamp8221 Buck saidBuck and Fox played to the hometown crowd trumpeting the surging interest in the New York Yankees and Aaron Judge before talking with former Bronx Bomber and now studio star Alex RodriguezIf there were any concerns that the new Manhattanbased TNF studio crew of Michael Strahan Howie Long and Terry Bradshaw wonamp8217t have enough to say in the absence of their Fox NFL Sunday buddies Curt Menefe and Jimmy Johnson they were quickly allayed by the fourtime Super Bowl winning QB for the Pittsburgh Steelers amp160Bradshaw explained how he would not need to learn to navigate the subway because heamp8217ll have a driver before engaging in a lengthy rambling tale about spending 6500 on a bronze eaglePresumably in the mode of if you canamp8217t get brother Peyton to join your TNF booth itamp8217s good to have a Manning in the house New York Giants quarterback Eli supplied local wisdom to Long and Bradshaw amp160He noted that just because a play receives Tony nods it doesnamp8217t mean itamp8217s worth visiting Broadway just to see it amp160And oh by the way yes the subway is supposed to emit that odorTroy Aikman eventually joined his mates on stage at the Beacon Theater amp160There he announced that he too would be doubling down and serving as the TNF analyst alongside Buckamp8217s playbyplay game callsUnivisionUnivision Deportes NetworkUnivision Deportes President Juan Carlos Rodriguez detailed what it perceives to be the companyamp8217s station on the sports scene the amp8220undisputed home of socceramp8221 citing such key properties as Liga MX MLS CONCACAF Gold Cup and home to both the Mexican and US national teams amp160He emphasized that Univision networks garner 59 of all viewing of the fastestgrowing sport in the USamp160 He also played up the one piece that he said had been missing from its portfolio great European soccer which Univision now has as the Spanishlanguage rightsholder in the US to UEFAamp8217s top two club competitions the Champions and Europa LeaguesRodriguez also championed the Campeones Cup matching the winners of MLS and Liga MX on Sept 19 billing it as North Americaamp8217s soccer Super Bowl amp160Of interest amp160Yes amp160At that level of football amp160Hardly amp160But it was an Upfront after allamp160The amp8220House of Socceramp8221 though was worthy of the hype amp160At the companyamp8217s experiential Upfront event at Spring Studios on May 14 and May 15 the threeroom exhibit afforded media buyers and planners with views of Univision Deportes futbol action on various screens photo above amp160There were also floortoceiling images of the winning teams flanked by the actual trophies from Liga MX CONCACAF Gold Cup MLS and UEFA Champions League amp160Hardware for inaugural UEFA Nations League which kicks off on the Spanishlanguage programmer this fall was also in the House of HouseMore impressive was a twominute 180degree film of amp8220the beautiful gameamp8221 amp160Great footage of the players walking through the tunnel and stepping onto the pitch to the roar of the crowd Outstanding saves and goals fans dressed in various garb supporting their preferred clubs and tailgating activities among family and friends kicking it around were also part of the showcaseWhat was missing though was a physical payoff amp160Where were the media buyers in pants or skirts shoes or in bare feet trying to boot the ball past a goalkeeper of some repute for tickets or tchotchkes amp160That would have been a buzzworthy social moment worth sharingTurner SportsFollowing a sizzle reel focusing on MLB PGA championship ELeague March Madness and pro basketball action including the Emmywinning Inside the NBA crew TNT and NBA TV anchor and sideline reporter Kristen Ledlow took the stage in the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden promising that amp8220we take whatamp8217s exciting and cool about sports weamp8217re broadcasting and find smart ways to make magic with all our partnersamp8221 amp160Ledlow then said the portfolio is about to get a lot more engaging with coverage of amp8220the most popular sport on the planet UEFA Champions Leagueamp8221 which will appear on TNT TBS and truTV but mostly directtoconsumer offering Bleacher Report LiveTurneramp8217s soccer hosts the freshly minted Kate Abdo who will be a big part of Fox Sportsamp8217 coverage of the 2018 FIFA World Cup and twotime NBA MVP Steve Nash then appeared on stage amp160The former point guard professed his love for futbol demonstrating his dribbling and shooting skills amp160He put two of three balls in the back of a mininet against the worldamp8217s biggest keeper Shaquille Oamp8217Neal before punting a few into the crowd photo aboveAfterward Kevin Reilly President of TBS and TNT and Chief Creative Officer for Turner Entertainment Networks professed his love for the comic inanities and shenanigans delivered for a third consecutive Turner Upfront by the big man CNNamp8217s Anderson Cooper and Conan Oamp8217Brien amp160When it was suggested after the event that the trio warrants a show on TBS or on a digital outlet Reilly shut that possibility down but did say Turner has something more in mind with the amicable funloving ShaqCBSWith Super Bowl LIII from Atlantaamp8217s MercedesBenz Stadium on its docket Feb 3 CBS trotted out its No 1 announcer crew of Jim Nantz Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson on the afternoon of May 16 at Carnegie Hall amp160On the same stage a year earlier CBSamp8217 Upfront marked the former Dallas QBamp8217s introduction as a rookie game analyst amp160Heading into his sophomore campaign Romo onair persona combines enthusiasm and playcalling vision amp160During the accompanying sizzle reel attendees could hear Romo predict plays and then see the action that followedNantz also cited amp8220Romodamusamp8217amp8221 pick of Jacksonville making a strong run last season which ended with the Jaguarsamp8217 close loss to New England in the AFC championship game amp160The venerable playbyplay man asked about the New York Jets selection of Sam Darnold with third pick in the 2018 NFL draft amp160Wolfson declaring her New York roots yelled amp8220Jets Jets Jetsamp8221 minus the letters while Romo expects a solid career from the USC QB amp160He was less certain when Nantz asked if he ever dreamed of going to the Super Bowl as a broadcaster amp160Romo who never made the title game with the Cowboys hesitated somewhat before responding that the title tilt is amp8220the pinnacleamp8221 whether in the booth and on the fieldClick the social buttons above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writersamp160

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Wide World of Sports: Upfronts Edition

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