This morning at the NATPE conference in Miami Beach, outgoing NBCU CEO Jeff Zucker was asked about what the NFL means to NBC.
Questioned by Michael Nathanson who analyzes media properties for Wall Street, and who also happens to be Zucker’s brother-in-law, Zucker said, “I think you only need to look at what happened this year. There’s not a more important brand, maybe in all of America, than the NFL.”
Praising NBC Sports and Olympics boss Dick Ebersol, Zucker added “Sunday Night Football the #1 program in all of television. I can’t even begin to tell you how important it is. I shudder to think about NBC without it.”
This is Zucker’s last week on the job as NBCU CEO, where he spent 24 years — his entire professional career. Steve Burke takes over as CEO when Comcast’s deal to acquire a controlling interest in NBCU, closes this Friday.