Super Bowl LI week hasn't even started yet, and NFL Media is already making preliminary plans for Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis. That says quite a bit about the massive operation required to cover the big game.
"We have to start thinking about next year," said Mike Muriano, NFL Media's executive producer for studio and remote content. "We're looking at sites and logistics. For us, the Super Bowl is a mammoth undertaking."
First things first, which means NFL Media is gearing up for all the festivities surrounding Super Bowl LI in Houston. There will be 80 hours of live coverage on NFL Network, featuring 47 on-air personalities with a combined 20 Super Bowl rings. Meanwhile, SuperBowl.com, NFL Mobile, and social media outlets such as Snapchat, will be pushing out a seemingly unlimited array of content.
All told, the volume of X's and O's literally could connect New England to Atlanta. In addition, there will be a slew of interviews with top NFL stars, celebrities, and features on anything and everything connected to the game.
"This is it," said Tom Brady, vice president, social media and emerging programming, digital media, who will be documenting the other Tom Brady. "The Super Bowl is the culmination of everything that happens during the year. We need to have everything buttoned up."
NFL Media has come a long way from its first outing, Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston in 2004. Back then, the new NFL Network did one to two hours of live coverage per day, or around 14 hours for the week.
Muriano said NFL Media quickly realized there was more to be done during Super Bowl week.
"We took a look at Radio Row and said, 'Is there something we could do there?'" Muriano said. "It just started growing from there."
Indeed, the coverage is about quality and quantity. NFL Network will have 11 hours of pre- and post-game coverage on gameday alone. At its core, Muriano said, is breaking down the intricacies of the Super Bowl matchup. All facets of the Patriots and Falcons will be dissected, and all the various story angles will be covered on the various platforms.
But there is much more to the game than the game. There is a premium on showcasing the Super Bowl experience.
"Whatever device you're using, we're going to do our best to bring you to that city," Muriano said. "We will be showing things that are germane to that city. We really want to show what it is like to be there. The city becomes a NFL amusement park for the better part of the week."
One of Muriano's favorite parts of the week is the mix of NFL former and current stars and celebrities who attend the game. He said it usually leads to some amusing "crossover" moments on the set when one guest is leaving and the next one is coming on.
"One year, we were wrapping up an interview with Peyton Manning, and Tom Petty (the halftime performer in Super Bowl XVII in 2008) was coming up," Muriano said. "We said to Peyton, 'Tom Petty is coming up. Why don't you stay?' He said, 'I like Tom Petty.' It made for a fun segment."
With the heavy volume of content comes an elevated importance of its placement, Brady said. NFL Media has vast research from previous Super Bowls showing what stories do best on the various platforms.
"What you see at SuperBowl.com is going to be different than NFL Mobile," said Dave Jurenka, Vice President, digital media operations. "We have to put the right content on the right platform. Is this story best for NFL Network? Or for Snapchat? We want to put it out there in a way that it will resonate with that consumer."
Consumers will be seeing an updated version of SuperBowl.com, which Jurenka said "is the first step in a redesign" of NFL.com. NFL Media also will have a special app, Super Bowl LI Fan Mobile Pass, for fans in Houston featuring news about all the activities.
Ultimately, it all adds up to a staggering amount of content. Apparently, there is no such thing as too much at the Super Bowl.
"You always can find something that will interest somebody," Brady said.
