The last time CBS broadcast the Super Bowl was '13 when a Mercedes-Benz Superdome power failure halted play between the 49ers and Ravens, and CBS Sports Chair Sean McManus said that a "repeat performance isn't likely," according to Chuck Barney of the SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS. McManus said, "I can't speak to the power inside the stadium, but we will have three redundant sources of power (for the CBS compound) -- land, battery and diesel-powered generators. If one goes out, the other kicks in automatically." He added, "We'll be more prepared than last time. ... We honestly learned a lot of lessons. We'll be well prepared to do a really good job if there's a news story that takes place during the game" (SAN JOSE MERCURY NEWS, 2/2).
FEELING HIS WAY: In Phoenix, Kent Somers noted commentary from former NFLer Jay Feely as a CBS special teams analyst has "received positive reviews for his work in the playoffs." Feely said, “It’s an area that really hasn’t been touched, and CBS was gracious enough to give me that opportunity.” Somers noted Feely "has been out of the league for only two seasons, which gives him an advantage as an analyst." Feely: “Special teams plays such a pivotal role, and it’s an area of the game most fans don’t really understand." One of Feely’s "biggest challenges is that he has to make his points quickly during the broadcast" as there is "no time for pontification." Feely said, “When I was an analyst all year doing college football, that was my biggest challenge, talking too much" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 2/3).
MARSHALL LAW: The AP noted Jets WR Brandon Marshall "will appear on the Super Bowl pregame show on CBS." He will join the net's regular "The NFL Today" crew in the Bay Area "before Sunday's championship game." Marshall "appears on CBS-affiliated Showtime's 'Inside the NFL' during the season" (AP, 2/2).
FOUR FOR FOUR: In Buffalo, Mark Sommer noted CBS in its lead-up to the Super Bowl on Sunday will air a pre-game segment, “A (Revised) History of the Buffalo Bills,” that "blissfully reverses the outcome of those four consecutive losses" from '91-94. Former Bills coach Marv Levy "was filmed in his Chicago home" and Pro Football HOFer Bruce Smith in his Virginia Beach home for the five-minute piece. Pro Football HOFers Jim Kelly and Thurman Thomas, as well as CBS NFL analyst Steve Tasker, "filmed in Buffalo" (BUFFALO NEWS, 2/3).
FOLLOW THE STREAM: USA TODAY's Mike Snider noted CBS this year is "expanding the variety of devices" fans can stream the Super Bowl "using the CBS Sports app to include Apple TV, Google Chromecast and Roku players." Additional camera angles "will be available for viewers on Windows 10 devices and the Xbox One video game system." CBS also is "working with Amazon on support for Amazon Fire TV devices" (USA TODAY, 2/3).
STEVIE WONDER: CBS Entertainment President Glenn Geller, who tapped "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" for its high-profile post-Super Bowl slot, said the net "loved the idea of having a big, live event after the Super Bowl -- something that could be topical, have comedy and where anything can happen. It felt like Stephen could utilize what makes him so great" (ADWEEK. 2/1 issue). Colbert said of what is planned for the show, "Everything's about Super Bowl. We'll do our live analysis, and we'll have our live analysis of the most important thing: who won the commercials. And we'll have our own Super Bowl commercial. We'll be watching the game and writing the show as we go. ... We've written jokes live about an election, but how do you write jokes about a Super Bowl? We've got to turn the jokes around in 20 minutes" (ADWEEK, 2/1 issue).
SPREADING THE WEALTH: The AP's David Bauder wrote the Super Bowl "looms as an important opportunity for the people at 'CBS This Morning.'" The net's Super Bowl coverage is "expected to give extra attention to the news show, which is steadily becoming a player in the morning TV world." CBS "hopes new viewers tune in, and the show's Gayle King has the spotlight of an interview with President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama during the pregame show" (AP, 2/1).
