You’ve heard of the Final Four, but what about the Funny Four.
That’s the theme of a series of Conan O’Brien shows on TBS that he’ll host in Atlanta preceding the 75th Final Four.
The “Conan” shows, dubbed the Funny Four, will run Monday through Thursday, April 1-4, at the Tabernacle, and will include some Final Four promotion and NCAA tournament-related guests. CBS, the joint NCAA rights holder with Turner, will be the broadcast home for the Final Four in April.
Coca-Cola and AT&T, two NCAA corporate champions with a large corporate presence in Atlanta, have agreed to sponsor Conan’s shows.
Conan normally tapes his shows in Burbank, Calif.
“We’re going to have lots of themed content in the show,” said Will Funk, Turner’s senior vice president of NCAA partnerships and branded programming, referring to remote reports and some basketball-themed skits that will be performed by Conan’s crew.
How Turner will integrate Coca-Cola and AT&T on air and off air remains to be determined, Funk said.
“With Turner being based in Atlanta, there was a lot of thought put toward how we can bring more of a big Turner feel to the Final Four,” Funk said. “It also provides an opportunity to push more viewers to the games.”
— Michael Smith
