When the United States Football League (USFL) kicks off for the debut game of its inaugural season on Saturday, April 16, Fox and NBC will simulcast all of the action from the gridiron, according to a report from John Ourand of Sports Business Journal.
It’s been more than half a century since competing broadcast networks have aired a scheduled competition. Super Bowl I was aired on NBC and CBS back in 1967, 40 years later, CBS, NBC, and NFL Network carried a Patriot-Giants game, but the decision to simulcast the season-ending contest wasn’t planned well ahead of time, according to Ourand’s report.
Protective Stadium in Birmingham, Alabama will be the home of the primetime game between the New Jersey Generals and Birmingham Stallions when the USFL season launches. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 PM ET with Fox Sports handling the game coverage and NBC Sports handling pregame, halftime, and postgame duties, according to Ourand’s report. Both networks will air the same commercials.
Last year, the USFL reached a multi-year agreement with Fox and NBC to broadcast all 43 games of the league’s regular-season and postseason. Fox Sports has a controlling interest in the USFL and they will be airing 22 games (14 on Fox and 8 on FS1) with NBC airing 22 (9 on NBC, 9 on USA, and 4 on Peacock).