The inaugural game for the new USFL will air on not one, but two networks when the spring football league kicks off on Saturday, April 16.
NBC Sports announced on Tuesday that the USFL’s season opener between the New Jersey Generals and Birmingham Stallions will broadcast in primetime at 7:30 p.m. ET. The telecast will air on NBC and Fox, marking the first time one event has aired on two competing broadcast networks since Super Bowl I was shown on NBC and CBS in 1967.
“Having two broadcast networks combine and start something like the USFL is not only unique but represents our commitment to making spring football succeed,” said NBC Sports chairman Pete Bevacqua in the network’s official announcement. “We’re excited about the opportunity, and we appreciate the partnership and cooperation that we’ve had with Eric and his team at FOX Sports.”
NBC’s involvement in the USFL was already unusual with Fox investing in the upstart league (taking a minority share) and becoming its flagship TV network. Fox will air 12 games for the 2022 season, 10 of them on FS1. But the more TV partners, the better, especially from a risk standpoint. NBC will split the season slate with Fox, televising on the broadcast network, USA Network, and streaming service Peacock.
The new USFL isn’t a “revival,” per se, with no connection to the 1980s version of the spring football league. But all of the original team names will be part of the new venture. Though each of the eight clubs is connected to a particular market, all of the USFL’s games will be played in Birmingham, Alabama.
“The first game played in any new league is itself historical and having the USFL’s inaugural game simulcast by NBC and FOX makes it even more so,” said Eric Shanks, Fox Sports CEO and executive producer. “It’s rare when two competitors can come together and see how cooperation can lead to long-term benefit, and it wouldn’t be possible without having terrific relationships with Pete, Jon Miller, and so many others at NBC Sports.”
In total, 42 regular-season and postseason USFL games will air between Fox and NBC networks. NBC Sports will air 22 contests, dividing among the main broadcast network (nine), USA Network (nine), and Peacock (four). Fox will broadcast another 22, with 14 games on its main network and eight being televised on FS1.
The USFL’s inaugural season will launch with eight teams split into North and South divisions. The Generals will be joined in the North by the Michigan Panthers, Pittsburgh Maulers, and Philadelphia Stars. The South will be made up of the Stallions, the Houston Gamblers, New Orleans Breakers, and Tampa Bay Bandits.
Ian Casselberry is a sports media columnist for BSM. He has previously written and edited for Awful Announcing, The Comeback, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, MLive, Bleacher Report, and SB Nation. You can find him on Twitter @iancass or reach him by email at iancass@gmail.com.
