NBC dives into altcast universe with NFL game on Peacock

NBC’s Peacock streamer will host its first alternate broadcast of an NFL game that combines a live matchup with a video game pairing.

The venture, which takes place during the Houston Texans-Kansas City Chiefs game Dec. 21, 2024, will blend video game elements from EA Sports’ Madden universe and live action.

Both the game and altcast start at 1 p.m. eastern.

The stream, a collaboration between NBC Sports, Peacock, the National Football League, EA Sports and Genius Sports, will be an immersive, data-powered live football experience that injects Madden NFL’s unique brand elements as animated overlays. Touchdowns will be celebrated on the altcast with animated elements instead of what’s happening on the field, NBC noted.

Featuring live EA Sports Madden NFL 25 graphics, route trees, play cards and player ratings, the Madden NFL Cast will transform football strategy, information and IQ for viewers enabled by the NFL’s Next Gen Stats and GeniusIQ, Genius Sports’ next-generation data and AI platform. GeniusIQ combines real-time data insights with fully branded animations, delivering an immersive viewing experience.

A behind-the-scenes preview video is available here.

The live stream, which is available exclusively on Peacock, will feature a dedicated commentary team with NBC Sports’ Paul Burmeister handling play-by-play; former NFL quarterback, YouTuber and Madden NFL expert Kurt Benkert utilizing graphic overlays to discuss and predict play options; and six-time Cincinnati Bengals Pro Bowl wide receiver Chad Ochocinco – who frequently discussed his own Madden rating in production meetings with John Madden – serving as a real-time player “ratings adjuster,” according to NBC.

Also joining the production will be pro Madden NFL player Henry Leverette, who won the Ultimate Madden Bowl championship ring in February, and is the first player in Madden NFL Championship Series history to reach $1 million in career earnings.

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The EA Sports Madden NFL Cast will be produced by Steve Greenberg and directed by Geoff Butler. NBC Sports’ Executive Producer of NFL, Fred Gaudelli, who was the lead producer for John Madden’s final seven seasons in the broadcast booth, heads production of the presentation.

The Madden NFL Cast will be available on-demand on Peacock through Dec. 28, 2024.

The Madden NFL Cast follows several sports milestones on Peacock this year, including the record-setting Peacock Exclusive AFC Wild Card Game last January; the first-ever NFL game in Brazil that streamed exclusively on Peacock; and the critically acclaimed viewing experience for the 2024 Paris Olympics, highlighted by fan-favorite show Gold Zone and product features like the Gen AI-powered “Your Daily Olympic Recap” and Multiview, which is available for select Premier League matches this season.

Execution of the Madden NFL Cast is weather dependent given visibility required.

This is NBC’s first foray into an altcast of an NFL game, though it’s not a new concept. CBS offers at least one each season, typically tied into its animated series brands. ABC and ESPN offer “ManningCast” and streamer Amazon Prime Video supplements its “Thursday Night Football” productions with a data-driven “Prime Vision with Next Gen Stats” offering.