NBC double play: Olympics, Super Bowl
In TV scheduling, NBC will deliver a one-two ratings punch this week that’s likely to knock out the competition for weeks.
The network presents the Super Bowl, the most-watched telecast each year, today. Then NBC turns to the Winter Olympics from PyeongChang, South Korea, starting Thursday and running to Feb. 25.
The NFL has nearly everyone’s attention because the New England Patriots will meet the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis. Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth will be in the booth for NBC, and Michele Tafoya will report on the sideline.
NBC’s coverage starts at noon for a game that begins at 6:30 p.m. The president usually gives an interview before the big game, but Donald Trump has passed on participating on NBC.
A video of “The Champion”
with Carrie Underwood, filmed last year, opens NBC’s Super Bowl show. P!nk sings the national anthem, and Justin Timberlake presides over the halftime show.
After the game, NBC has scheduled “This Is Us” to give that drama a ratings boost. The series’ cast will appear on a special “Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” after late local news. Timberlake and Dwayne Johnson also visit Fallon for the show in Minneapolis.
With the Olympics, NBC hopes for a string of nights producing ratings gold. On Friday, Mike Tirico hosts the Opening Ceremony with Katie Couric, who’s back on NBC for the spectacular.
NBC promises figure skating, snowboarding or alpine skiing in prime time every night, except Friday, until the Closing Ceremony brings the Games to an end Feb. 25.
Tirico debuts as NBC’s primetime host, and Rebecca Lowe anchors the network’s daytime coverage. But it’s a mammoth production, sprawling for more than 2,400 hours across NBCU platforms. The Olympics coverage enlists 89 commentators who can be seen on NBCSN, CNBC and USA Network as well as Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA, the NBC Sports app and NBCOlympics.com.
How to answer the Olympics? CBS starts a celebrity edition of “Big Brother” with Omarosa Manigault on Wednesday, and ABC delivers “The Bachelor Winter Games” on Feb. 13. You don’t go big against the Olympics.