NBC Pledges to Air NFL Anthem Protests During Super Bowl LII

NBC Pledges to Air NFL Anthem Protests During Super Bowl LII
NBC Sports executive producer of Fred Gaudelli and sportscaster Al Michaels speak onstage during the NBCUniversal portion of the 2018 winter Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on January 9, 2018. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Colin Fredericson
1/10/2018
Updated:
1/10/2018

A top NBC sports executive producer said that the network planned on airing coverage of national anthem protests, if they happen, during the NFL’s upcoming Super Bowl LII.

“The Super Bowl is a live event … and when you’re covering a live event, you’re covering what’s happening. So if there are players that choose to kneel, they will be shown live,” said Fred Gaudelli, via Adweek, at the Television Critics Association winter press tour.
Executive Producer of Super Bowl LII, Fred Gaudelli, speaks onstage during the Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on Jan. 9, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Executive Producer of Super Bowl LII, Fred Gaudelli, speaks onstage during the Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on Jan. 9, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
The gesture could give the anthem protests that started in 2016 an even bigger stage. Last year’s Super Bowl had the fifth highest viewership of any TV broadcast ever, according to Fox News. But criticism against the NFL for the anthem protests has risen while viewer ratings have dropped. They were declining before the 2017 season, and are expected to continue that decline during the playoffs, CNN reported

When asked about empty stadiums and diminished television viewership, Gaudelli and sportscaster Al Michaels cited other reasons.

“Obviously, you can watch the game anywhere on any device there is. If your team isn’t having the season you’d hoped they have, if the weather is bad…I think there are a lot of factors and to pin it on one thing I think is erroneous,” said Gaudelli at the meeting, via Variety.
On-air talent Al Michaels speaks onstage at the 'Sunday Night Football' panel during the NBCUniversal NBC Sports portion of the 2014 Summer Television Critics Association at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on July 14, 2014 in Beverly Hills, California. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
On-air talent Al Michaels speaks onstage at the 'Sunday Night Football' panel during the NBCUniversal NBC Sports portion of the 2014 Summer Television Critics Association at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on July 14, 2014 in Beverly Hills, California. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

“Most of the seats in most of the stadiums have been sold, but you go to Atlanta, where they just opened up a new stadium. They have behind the lower bowl a 100-yard almost mall. You’ve got stores, you’ve got bars, you’ve got restaurants, you’ve got games for the kids,” added Michaels.

The pair spoke at the Television Critics Association press tour, a twice a year event showcasing the latest ventures by top media networks. According to their website, the association “represents more than 200 professional journalists who cover television for publications across the United States and Canada.”
Executive Producer Fred Gaudelli and sportscaster Al Michaels speak onstage during the NBCUniversal portion of the 2018 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on Jan. 9, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
Executive Producer Fred Gaudelli and sportscaster Al Michaels speak onstage during the NBCUniversal portion of the 2018 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on Jan. 9, 2018 in Pasadena, California. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

The NFL anthem protests have been a source of contention since they began in 2016. Former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick credits his initiation of the protests with his current inability to gain employment in the NFL and has tried to take legal action. Within the NFL, the protests have been a source of confusion for management, players, and players organizations, who have expressed different ideas of how to handle the issues they have brought up.

Opposition to the protests comes down from the highest level of government. President Trump has expressed his disapproval via Twitter and in speeches. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell hasn’t publicly taken a definite stance on the protests. The Super Bowl could reveal a larger picture of how the protests have affected the NFL’s image, at its largest yearly event.

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Colin is a New York-based reporter. He covers Entertainment, U.S., and international news. Besides writing for online news outlets he has worked in online marketing and advertising, done voiceover work, and has a background in sound engineering and filmmaking. His foreign language skills include Spanish and Chinese.
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