NBC Sports today announced that the net will broadcast seven Notre Dame football games during the '12 season. It includes two primetime games -- Sept. 22 against Michigan in South Bend and Oct. 6 against Miami at Chicago's Soldier Field. NBC Sports Network will again televise the school's annual Blue-Gold Spring Game on Saturday, April 21, at 1:30pm ET (NBC).
SIGNING DAY: The NFL yesterday announced the NFL Network's coverage of free agency's first day posted a 5% increase in primetime viewership over last year's first day of free agency on July 29, 2011, with an average of 337,000 fans tuning in compared to 320,000 last year. The NFL's digital media platforms -- including NFL.com, NFL Mobile Only From Verizon and other NFL mobile products -- posted a 40% increase in page views compared to last season. In addition, Tuesday ranked as NFL Digital's highest single-day traffic ever in March in total page views and unique users (NFL).
BANNER DAY: In Tulsa, John Hoover cites sources confirming THE DAILY's report Tuesday that the Big 12 "is close to finalizing a TV contract with ABC/ESPN that is on par with other conferences nationwide." A source said, "Yes, the Big 12 is strong. I'd say very strong." Another source said that the "syncing of the league's partnerships with multiple entities 'makes everyone happy.'" For the conference's newest additions West Virginia and TCU, "it's a banner day." WVU was "paid a reported $10 million from the Big East last year, while TCU in 2009-10 was among nine schools in the Mountain West Conference that divvied up just over $9 million in total league revenue" (TULSA WORLD, 3/15).
UP IN THE AIR: NBC announced today that NBC Sports Network can now be seen on JetBlue Airways' personal seatback TVs as part of the airline's lineup of 36 channels of DirecTV programming (NBC).
