NBC to broadcast live from Beaver Creek's Birds of Prey, Aspen Winternational World Cup ski races

PARK CITY, Utah – The U.S. Ski Team and NBC Sports Network will partner for historic first-ever live American TV broadcasts of Audi FIS Alpine World Cup ski racing as part of a pre-Sochi Olympic (2014) broadcast schedule announced by the network and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association.

The live coverage will feature Olympic champions Lindsey Vonn and Julia Mancuso from the Nature Valley Aspen Winternational Thanksgiving weekend, along with fellow Olympic gold medalists Ted Ligety and Bode Miller at the Audi Birds of Prey World Cup in Beaver Creek a week later.

“Broadcasting our World Cups from Aspen and Beaver Creek live is a great way to promote the thrill of alpine ski racing and build excitement for the 2014 Olympics in Sochi,” Vail's Lindsey Vonn said. “NBC did an amazing job with the London Olympics and its coverage continued to prove how passionate Americans are for Olympic sports.”The deal is part of an extensive coverage package between NBC and the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association including 11 hours on NBC and 22 on NBC Sports Network. The broadcast initiative represents a concerted effort by the USSA under new chief marketing officer Mike Jaquet to grow the public awareness of its sports through television and digital distribution.

“Our partner NBC has helped us take some huge steps in developing a more relevant broadcast schedule with not only live broadcasts but more same weekend coverage than ever,” Jaquet said. “Across all of our sports, including alpine, freeskiing, freestyle and snowboarding, we have the most impactful broadcast schedule ever which will help us grow viewership and increase the value of our sports for our fans, partners and athletes.”

The broadcast schedule includes events in Aspen, Beaver Creek, Telluride, Copper Mountain, Lake Placid, Deer Valley Resort in Park City, Utah, Canyons Resort, Utah, Squaw Valley, Calif., and Heavenly, Calif.

The broadcast schedule features the most same-day and same-weekend coverage ever, including two live programs from the Audi FIS World Cup.

“Live broadcasting of the Audi FIS World Cup from Aspen and Beaver Creek is an historic step for our organization and our partner NBC Sports Network,” said Bill Marolt, president and CEO of the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association. “This first-ever live coverage will help create greater relevance for our sport and great stars like Lindsey Vonn, Julia Mancuso, Ted Ligety and Bode Miller.”

Ligety, a 2006 Olympic gold medalist, won a World Cup giant slalom last season at Beaver Creek.

“Broadcasting the Audi Birds of Prey giant slalom live is a huge step forward in showing the intensity and excitement of alpine skiing to the U.S. audience,” Ligety said. “It's one of the best races of the season.

2012-13 USSA NBC/NBC SPORTS TELEVISION

NOTE: NBC Sports Network programming listed below is confirmed with final times to be announced this fall.

Nature Valley Aspen Winternational, Aspen, CO – Nov. 24-25

NBC: Sunday, Nov. 25 – 1:00 p.m. ET (women's GS, next day)

NBC Sports: Sunday, Nov. 25 – 2:00-4:00 p.m. ET (women's SL, LIVE)

Audi Birds of Prey, Beaver Creek, CO – Nov. 30-Dec. 2

NBC: Sunday, Dec. 2 – 1:00 p.m. ET (men's DH, same weekend)

NBC Sports: Sunday, Dec. 2 – 3:00-4:00 p.m. ET (men's GS, LIVE)

NBC Sports: Super G TBD

USANA U.S. Snowboardcross Cup/Audi FIS Skicross World Cup, Telluride, CO, Dec. 13-15

NBC: Saturday, Dec. 22 – 3:00 p.m. ET (SX, SBX, next weekend)

NBC Sports: Team SBX, time TBD

Sprint U.S. Grand Prix, Park City, UT, Dec. 21-22

NBC: Sunday, Dec. 23 – 2:00-3:30 p.m. ET (ski/SB halfpipe, next day)

NBC Sports: Halfpipe skiing, time TBD

NBC Sports: Halfpipe snowboarding, time TBD

Visa U.S. Freeskiing Grand Prix, Copper Mountain, CO, Jan. 11-12

NBC: Saturday, Jan. 12 – 2:00 p.m. ET (halfpipe/slopestyle, next day)

NBC Sports: HP/SS Freeskiing, time TBD

Sprint U.S. Snowboarding Grand Prix, Copper Mountain, CO, Jan. 9-12

NBC: Sunday, Jan. 13 – 3:30 p.m. ET (next day)

NBC Sports: HP/SS Snowboarding, time TBD

USANA U.S. Freestyle Cup, Lake Placid, NY, Jan. 17-19

NBC: Sunday, Jan. 20 – 3:00 p.m. ET (moguls/aerials, next day)

NBC Sports: Moguls, time TBD

NBC Sports: Aerials, time TBD

Visa Freestyle International, Deer Valley Resort, Park City, UT, Jan. 31-Feb. 2

NBC: Saturday, Feb. 9 – 2:00 p.m. ET (moguls, next weekend)

NBC Sports: Aerials, time TBD

Sprint U.S. Grand Prix, Canyons Resort, Park City, UT, Mar. 1-2

NBC: Saturday, Mar. 9 – 12:30 p.m. ET (SX, SBX, next weekend)

NBC Sports: Skicross, time TBD

NBC Sports: SBX, time TBD

Nature Valley U.S. Alpine Championships, Squaw Valley, CA, Mar. 20-24

NBC: Sunday, Mar. 24 – 12:00 p.m. ET (same weekend)

U.S. Freestyle Championships, Heavenly, CA, Mar. 29-31

NBC Sports: TBD

	24hr snow	mid dpth	snow cond.
A-Basin	n/a	n/a
Aspen	n/a	n/a	closed
BC	n/a	n/a	closed
Breckenridge	n/a	n/a	closed
Buttermilk	n/a	n/a	closed
Copper	n/a	n/a	closed
Crest. Butte	n/a	n/a	closed
Eldora	n/a	n/a	closed
Heavenly	n/a	n/a	closed
Highlands	n/a	n/a
Howelsen	n/a	n/a	closed
Keystone	n/a	n/a	closed
Kirkwood	n/a	n/a	closed
Loveland	n/a	n/a
Monarch	n/a	n/a	closed
Northstar	n/a	n/a	closed
Powderhorn	n/a	n/a	closed
Purgatory	n/a	n/a	closed
Silverton	n/a	n/a	closed
Ski Cooper	n/a	n/a	closed
Ski Granby	n/a	n/a	closed
Snowmass	n/a	n/a	closed
Steamboat	n/a	n/a	closed
Sunlight	n/a	n/a	closed
Telluride	n/a	n/a	closed
Vail	n/a	n/a	closed
WinterPark	n/a	n/a	closed
Wolf Creek	n/a	n/a	closed
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