Super Bowl 49 from A to Z
By Will Osgood
N
National Anthem
Idina Menzel, a Broadway star, will sing the ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ before kickoff at this year’s Super Bowl. Menzel, 43, is not nearly as big a name as some who have sung the anthem in the past; a group which includes Beyonce, Mariah Carey, Carrie Underwood, Christian Aguilera and Alicia Keys.
But given that she is from Broadway, there is no doubt she will sing beautifully and give the anthem the respect it deserves.
NBC
As has already been proven (and will continue to be throughout the rest of this A-Z guide) the Super Bowl is a huge deal. Gaining rights to a Super Bowl is a major coupe for a network, earning said network gobs of advertising dollars.
NBC will pay back some of the riches by offering 11 hours of free Super Bowl content online on NBCSports.com, including the game itself.
Noted figure skaters, described in this TV Newser article, as “flamboyant”, will join NBC’s pre-game coverage to offer “tailgate party” coverage. They will join the coverage hosted by Bob Costas, Dan Patrick and Josh Elliot with the normal Sunday night gang of Tony Dungy, Rodney Harrison and Hines Ward (to name the most noteworthy).
NBC’s in-game broadcast team will of course be Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, the normal Sunday Night Football broadcasting team.
Next: Good 'ole radio