NBC and the National Football League said Monday they are joining with Microsoft Corp. in creating an Internet site available to computer users for a month leading up to the Super Bowl game.
NBC and the NFL are also creating a Super Bowl preview show that will be shaped in part by suggestions that may be made via the Internet site.The online service will open later this month and will remain in operation at least a week after Super Bowl XXX is played and broad-cast live Jan. 28 on the NBC television network.
The service will feature advertising along with coverage of news conferences and opportunities to exchange views with principals in the battle for the NFL championship. On game day, NBC will offer analysis of the game as it is played for computer users who can tear themselves away from the television set.
Those who use the online service will be able to suggest topics to be included in the one-hour TV special on behind-the-scene game preparations, which will be aired the night before the Super Bowl.
The game traditionally attracts the biggest viewing television audience of the year and commands the highest price for commercial time. NBC is said to be getting a record $1.2 million for 30-second commercials in this season's pro football finale. NBC Sports vice president Jonathan Miller said 85 percent to 90 percent of the game commercials had been sold.
Microsoft will help create and manage the online service that will be located on the Microsoft Network area of the global Inter-net computer network.
Last week, Microsoft announced it was investing in a new 24-hour cable news network and online news service that NBC hopes to launch next summer.
NBC and the NFL are selling advertising packages that include a total of nine minutes of advertising on the TV special as well as slots on the on-line service.
NBC declined to say what the charge was for the package or how much it was charging for commercials on the show alone. Miller said about five minutes of ad time in the special remained available.
Ann Kirschner, an executive for NFL Enterprises, said the online ads were going for about $100,000.