Posted by chicagomedia.org on June 19, 2008 at 21:22:56:
The University of Notre Dame and NBC Sports today announced a new five-year agreement under which NBC will televise Irish home football games through 2015, which will mark the 25th year of the partnership.
The extension provides NBC rights to eight Notre Dame home games from 2011 to 2015, seven games at Notre Dame Stadium and an additional eighth off-site home game airing in primetime each year. The relationship began in 1991.
"We are absolutely thrilled to be continuing our landmark agreement with Notre Dame, the most storied brand in college sports," said Dick Ebersol, chairman, NBC Sports & Olympics. "This new deal, which will bring us to 25 years as partners, is great tribute to the wonderful relationship that Ken Schanzer has built with the entire Notre Dame community."
NBC has been televising Irish home games since 1991, and this marks the fifth of a series of five-year agreements with Notre Dame. The original agreement covered the seasons from 1991 through 1995. The first five-year extension (announced in 1994) covered 1996 to 2000, the second extension (announced in May '97) covered 2001 to 2005, and the third extension (announced in December '03) covered 2006 to 2010.
NBC's schedule of Notre Dame home games in 2008 features dates against San Diego State (Sept. 6), Michigan (Sept. 13), Purdue (Sept. 27), Stanford (Oct. 4), Pittsburgh (Nov. 1) and Syracuse (Nov. 22).
(TV Newsday)