Executive Round Up: How are Programmers Evolving College Football Coverage to Increase Engagement?

With college football kicking off Saturday, we asked executives in the industry how their networks are evolving their coverage to better engage with fans. Here’s what they had to say.

Rick Cordella
President, Programming
NBC Sports/Peacock Sports

With 31 FBS games this fall—a record for NBC Sports—we’re excited to begin our landmark Big Ten partnership and continue our storied, three-decade partnership presenting Notre Dame Football. With comprehensive coverage across NBC and Peacock, including the first time that Big Ten Football will have a dedicated weekly primetime game on a national broadcast network with “Big Ten Saturday Night,” 10 exclusive games on Peacock, bringing our weekly studio show live to campuses, and much more, NBC Sports will provide the pageantry and energy of college football’s premier games to fans across the country.

Nick Dawson
SVP, Programming & Acquisitions
ESPN

What still matters most is using flexibility week to week to put the best game in the best window for fans across the country, which remains core to our strategy at ESPN. That said, ESPN is consistently raising the bar with our game productions, whether that’s with new and innovative access and technology or alternate presentations, including our signature MegaCast, to provide fans more compelling reasons to tune in. Additionally, the ESPN App allows us to meet fans and viewers where they are, so whether they choose to consume via phone, tablet, connected devices, traditional TV, at a bar or restaurant, etc., we have them covered.

Dan Weinberg
EVP, Programming
CBS Sports

College football’s popularity criss-crosses the country, and this year CBS Sports offers nearly 100 national games featuring the biggest programs. In 2023 we’ll showcase the Big Ten and SEC, plus deliver triple and quadruple headers all season. Our games are supported by best-in-class studio shows, first-rate editorial coverage and a greater digital and social presence than ever before. We are blanketing our platforms with all things college football. National pigskin passion runs high, and CBS Sports’ multi-platform coverage will meet fans and viewers wherever they are.