NBC Sports Group will be in full-on striker mode when it kicks off coverage of the Barclays Premier League in August.
During a press conference Tuesday morning, NBC Sports Group, which last October acquired the exclusive U.S. media rights for the next three seasons to the top English soccer circuit, announced it will show all 380 matches live during the 2013-14 campaign across various TV and digital platforms. In addition, there will be upward of 600 hours of original and weekly shoulder programming that will push the number of hours devoted to all things BPL past 1,000. The circuit's rights are currently held by Fox Soccer, with some matches sublicensed to ESPN2.
NBC Sports Network will be the focal point with 154 matches, while Premier League Extra Time, a package of overflow TV channels that will be available at no extra cost to subscribers of the national cable service, is scheduled to show 184. NBC will air 20 matches, and Spanish-language broadcast network half of that. Cable network mun 2 is on the pitch for 66. Other NBCUniversal channels, including USA and CNBC, will televise 22 matches next season. All matches will be flanked by pre- and post-game fare, emanating from programmer's studios in Stamford, Conn.
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