The University of Notre Dame and NBC Sports have agreed on a multi-year extension of their historic football partnership, through the 2029 season. The agreement extends the landmark partnership – the longest college media relationship dating to 1991 – to nearly four decades (39 seasons).

“We are thrilled to continue our historic collaboration with our partners at NBC Sports,” said University of Notre Dame Vice President and James E. Rohr Director of Athletics Jack Swarbrick. “In the next generation of this partnership, we will collaborate to provide our fans even more Notre Dame content through a variety of NBCUniversal’s distribution channels while continuing to put our student-athletes and their stories at the heart of our messaging.”

“There is no better tradition than Notre Dame Football in South Bend, and we are thrilled to keep that tradition within the NBC Sports family as we extend our relationship as the exclusive home of Fighting Irish home games through the end of the decade,” said Rick Cordella, President, NBC Sports.

 

“With enhanced rights that allow us to present Notre Dame Football on NBC as well as across Peacock and additional platforms, we look forward to bringing the Fighting Irish to fans in more ways than ever before.” -Rick Cordella, President, NBC Sports

 

NBC Sports retains global media rights on all platforms to all Notre Dame home football games. It also allows for select games to stream exclusively on Peacock, which has been the exclusive home of one Notre Dame Football game each season since 2021. Peacock will also be the exclusive home of a new, annual documentary series on Notre Dame Football, debuting in 2024.

NBC Sports’ Notre Dame Football games are averaging 5.1 million viewers this season – the largest audience through five game broadcasts since 2005 and up 86% from last year at this point. The Fighting Irish’s Sept. 23 primetime thriller against Ohio State averaged 10.6 million viewers across NBC, Peacock and NBC Sports Digital, ranking as NBC Sports’ second-most watched regular season college football game of all-time, behind only then-No. 2 Notre Dame’s “Game of the Century” 31-24 defeat of No. 1 Florida State on Nov. 13, 1993 (22 million viewers).

The new agreement also extends to other events on the Notre Dame Football calendar, including the annual Blue-Gold Game and Notre Dame’s Pro Day.

In 2023-24, NBC Sports also marks its 11^th season presenting Notre Dame hockey coverage, as Peacock is exclusively live streaming the entire hockey 21-game home schedule.

Last November, NBC and Peacock presented the Notre Dame Fighting Irish women’s college basketball team against Cal — marking the first-ever live presentation of a women’s college basketball game on NBC and Peacock. The series continued earlier today with the Notre Dame-Illinois women’s basketball game presented live on NBC and Peacock from Washington, D.C.

Revenues from the NBC partnership have played a key role in Notre Dame’s financial aid endowment since the start of the relationship in 1991 when University officers allocated a portion of the football television contract revenue for undergraduate scholarship endowment (not athletic scholarships). To date, Notre Dame undergraduate students have received over $100 million in aid from revenue generated through the NBC contract.

Source: Comcast

Comcast announced today that it has proactively connected its fiber-rich network to multiple mall properties across the company’s Greater Chicago Region in Illinois and Indiana, including:

• Southlake Mall, Merrillville, IN

Mall traffic is experiencing a resurgence. Some malls are experiencing a shift in tenants, while others are transforming from traditional retail destinations into anchor communities that include everything from entertainment venues, medical offices, service businesses, and public gathering spaces to office facilities and even residential buildings – in addition to retail. As a result, in many instances, the redevelopment is occurring both inside and outside mall structures and spilling onto the mall property.

With Comcast’s network in place, the company can deliver Internet speeds up to 100 Gbps to businesses and residential speeds faster than a Gigabit, along with its full suite of Comcast Business and Xfinity residential services, to mall properties.

“At the very least, the mix of stores inside malls is changing. On the other end of the spectrum, some malls are planning or are even in the process of transforming themselves,” said Sean McCarthy, Comcast’s Regional Vice President of Business Development and Strategic Initiatives. “State-of-the-art Internet connectivity and technology are playing a major role in almost all aspects of these changes. You really can’t have one without the other.”

With such a wide variety of retail, commercial, residential and public uses, this new iteration of malls requires powerful Internet connectivity and technology. Examples of how technology can be employed in transformed malls include:

• Retail stores process online orders for in-store and curbside pickup and employ virtual in-store try-on technology.
• Medical offices access patient medical records and exchange large imaging files.
• Entertainment venues book and manage reservations for large numbers of patrons.
• Malls need powerful websites and to connect to app platforms that have real-time information about all the different tenants, services and events occurring onsite.
  • Interactive maps use augmented reality and track and communicate with visitors onsite.
  • Smart displays and digital directories help visitors locate businesses, provide schedules and take advantage of amenities onsite.
• With residential buildings creating a built-in market onsite, businesses in the mall interact with residents, and vice versa, from booking restaurant and concert reservations to making medical appointments.
• Residents interact online or via app with building management, access building amenities, pay rent and even track packages that arrive.

Malls contribute to the economy. Technology contributes to malls.

Malls are big businesses, major economic drivers and job creators. Malls attract visitors from local and surrounding communities, which, in turn, increases tax revenue. With the COVID-19 pandemic keeping shoppers at home and the rise of online shopping, mall traffic fell. However, a turnaround is underway. In fact, in 2022, mall sales increased by more than 11% to nearly $819 billion, according to The State of the American Mall, a report from Coresight Research. According to Gitnux Market Data, malls with a greater portion of non-retail tenants, such as restaurants, gyms and experience-oriented businesses, tend to attract more foot traffic.

For more information about the role of connectivity and technology in the next generation of malls and shopping centers, send an email to economic_development@comcast.com.

 

Source: Comcast

 

 

This Flag Day, June 14, there were plenty of displays across Northwest Indiana of Old Glory in the familiar red, white and blue stars and stripes. But what happens when a flag is not in good enough condition to fly outside of a home or business and represent the United States of America?

According to U.S. Flag Code, if a flag is no longer serviceable and is faded, frayed, tattered, torn or worn, it needs to be taken down and destroyed. The recommended method for homeowners and businesses across the country is the same way that U.S. military personnel retire their flags – through burning.

Veterans on staff at Comcast in Northwest Indiana have united to ensure that flags are retired with proper military protocols according to Comcast’s Regional VetNet co-lead Karin Ladd.

“Comcast is committed to supporting the military community, its veteran employees and their families,” Ladd said. “Comcast’s Veterans Network Employee Resource Group (VetNet ERG) is another great example of how our connection to the military community has influenced our company culture and focus. This group serves as a vital support system for our military-connected teammates, providing opportunities for mentorship, networking and professional development. This group also participates in several veteran-related service projects each year.”

VetNet ERG has more than 450 members in Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region, which includes Northwest Indiana, and nearly 10,000 members across the company nationwide. VetNet ERG members include Comcast employees who are military veterans, active participants in the reserves, military family members and other supporters of the military community.

In 2017, military-connected employees at Comcast NBCUniversal launched the Flag Replacement program to honor the nation’s symbol and ensure that the American flag is proudly displayed in Comcast’s service areas.

“Through this program, our dedicated teammates work together to replace worn or damaged flags outside homes and businesses at no cost to the property owners,” Ladd said.

If a Comcast technician notices a distressed, faded or torn American flag at a home or business, they report the location to the local VetNet team.

“The VetNet team then contacts the individual or business and offers to replace the flag for free,” Ladd said. “Our flag replacement team will then retire the flag in accordance with military protocols. Our team assists anyone in need of a flag replacement, regardless of whether they are Comcast customers.”

Flag ‘ambassadors’ are trained on the customs and courtesies for properly handling the American flag, including the traditional 13 folds. Each of the folds represents different facets of life, liberty, this country and the U.S. armed forces.

“After replacing the flag, our flag ambassadors will either provide the old flag to the property owner or coordinate with the local American Legion post for proper disposal,” Ladd said.

To learn more about Comcast’s ongoing commitment to the military community, visit military.comcast.com.

It is estimated that roughly 15% of households in the city of Indianapolis do not have a broadband internet subscription. The obstacle isn’t internet access—a common misconception. High speed broadband service is available across virtually every corner of the city. In fact, Indianapolis residents have access to the same robust and reliable gigabit speeds that are available in neighboring suburbs.

The true challenge lies in getting households to adopt broadband service. There are multiple reasons that contribute to why so many households have not connected despite having access to a broadband connection.

According to a 2021 U.S. Census Bureau and National Telecommunications and Information Administration survey, among the top reasons people across the U.S. do not subscribe to Internet at home are:

• 18% of U.S. households cite cost of monthly service
• 60% of U.S. households cite a variety of complex challenges, including:
  • concern over online safety, privacy and security;
  • frustration over technology and lack of access to technical assistance; and
  • unfamiliarity with all the opportunities the internet can provide
• 3% of U.S. households cite no computer, inadequate equipment or cost of a computer

On each of these three key fronts, there is much being done to bridge the digital divide and maximize the number of people in Indianapolis who adopt internet connectivity.

Eliminate the Cost-of-Service Hindrance

According to results of the 2021 United States Census data the median household income for residents living in Indianapolis was $54,000 per year, and 16.4% of the population lived at or below the poverty level, reinforcing there is an affordability hurdle. Combating this obstacle are several public and private programs that make broadband service more affordable—and in many cases, free—for qualifying households.

In 2021, Congress and the FCC created the Affordable Connectivity Program—formerly the Emergency Broadband Benefit—a long-term, $14 billion program that helps families and households struggling to afford internet service and connects them to critical services. Since the program’s inception, it’s estimated that more than 16 million households have enrolled in this broadband affordability program.

Even before this government support became a reality, internet providers serving Indianapolis, including Comcast, have offered heavily discounted residential broadband coupled with other key features, like router and security at no cost as well as access to millions of WiFi hotspots. Programs like these make internet adoption easy, affordable—and even free with a $30 credit toward internet service—to an ever-increasing number of Indy residents, while offering high speeds, reliable equipment, complimentary technical support, and continuing education.

We have effective government and private solutions available. Continuing to raise awareness of these programs will alleviate affordability as a contributing factor to the adoption gap allowing us to shift more focus toward the need for more equipment and education.

Get Reliable Equipment in The Hands of Those Who Need It

Another barrier to adopting broadband internet is the lack of having reliable equipment—laptops, desktops, or tablets—readily available in the home. The city of Indianapolis, numerous providers, private organizations, and nonprofits have made incredible investments and strong headway in putting donated devices in the hands of people who need them.

As with any technology, however, laptops and tablets are prone to breaking and eventually become obsolete. Hence, there is an ongoing need to put devices in the hands of the people who most need the technology. Solving this perpetual challenge will require collaboration between municipalities, nonprofits and private organizations to determine how to best allocate investments for the strongest need.

However, the use of new equipment—regardless of reliability— cannot be fully optimized if unfamiliarity with or distrust of the technology exists. Consequently, this places outsized importance on digital skills training in the community.

Improve Digital Skills & Education

One of the biggest facilitators of internet adoption is digital skills training and education, particularly around online safety and security. Thirty-two million Americans still struggle to use a computer, and 71% of adults without home broadband say they’re not interested in having it in the future. But with connected technologies becoming more important than ever in today’s internet-driven world, knowing what broadband can do and the opportunities it provides is critical to long-term economic and educational sustainability.

A myriad of service providers, community nonprofits and private organizations are laying the groundwork in building trust, but more still needs to be done to concentrate investment, boost collaboration and strengthen and build upon the digital skills and adoption initiatives already underway throughout the City of Indianapolis.

Next Steps

Bridging the digital divide is a complex issue that requires an elevated level of collaboration. As we continue refining programs and initiatives to bolster internet adoption, we need to allocate resources more effectively, look deeply at the data and understand why adoption struggles persist. While great strides have already been made in Indianapolis, more work can be done to ensure a fully connected population aligned with an increasingly digital-first world.

-By Shannon Dulin, Director of Community Impact – Heartland Region, Comcast

 

Source: Indianapolis Busienss Journal

 

Comcast announced today a partnership with the National Skills Coalition (NSC) to educate local, state, and national decisionmakers about the benefits of the new Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to promote digital equity and opportunity nationwide. The initiative aims to help close the digital skill divide that is currently limiting educational and employment opportunities for nearly 50 million Americans.

“If local, state, and federal decisionmakers fully understand its potential – and if workforce and broadband offices work together on its implementation – this federal investment in digital equity could have a profound impact on closing the digital skill divide for tens of millions of America’s workers,” said Andy Van Kleunen, NSC CEO. “We’re grateful to Comcast for their partnership in making that happen.”

 

“When digital skills grow, our economy grows.”

“The demand for digital skills exists across every industry and throughout the workforce. That’s why we’re proud to partner with the National Skills Coalition to help ensure more local and national leaders are aware of and take advantage of public sector digital equity funds to invest in the skill development programs that are critical to closing our country’s digital divide,” said Dalila Wilson-Scott, EVP and Chief Diversity Officer of Comcast Corporation and President of the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation.

As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed by Congress in 2021, states have recently begun to receive historic federal investments in digital equity through the $42 billion BEAD program and the $2.75 billion DEA.

BEAD funding will help states expand access to broadband, digital devices, and digital skills in unserved or under-served communities. BEAD also invests in training local workers to install and maintain new broadband infrastructure in their communities. Complementary, DEA will provide grants to states to support a range of digital inclusion activities, including digital skill building and efforts to advance awareness of adoption programs such as the Affordable Connectivity Program.

In addition to the grant, NSC and Comcast will partner on research, communications, and trainings that highlight best practices for implementing federal digital inclusion funding. The work will engage federal, state and local officials; state workforce and digital inclusion advocates; and national equity organizations.

Comcast’s partnership with the National Skills Coalition is part of Project UP, the company’s comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and help build a future of unlimited possibilities.

Source: Comcast

 

Comcast realizes that serving the Region means serving an incredibly diverse population. People of all races, ethnicities, and identities call Northwest Indiana home. One of the ways Comcast is helping to support that diversity is through Comcast RISE, which stands for Representation, Investment, Strength and Empowerment.   Comcast RISE is part of Project UP, the company’s comprehensive, $1 billion initiative to advance digital equity and help build a future of unlimited possibilities.

The RISE program was started in 2020 as a way to support the businesses that were statistically hit the hardest by COVID-19. Originally, the program accepted applications from small businesses owned by people of color, but the program expanded in 2021 to include all-women-owned small businesses. A panel of judges reviews the applications, and companies accepted into the RISE program receive practical support to expand their business.

Applications are judged on three main criteria: the completeness of the application, the persuasiveness of the application, and the originality of the application. This helps to ensure that only legitimate applicants with heart and knowledge that just need a bit of a helping hand are selected.

The RISE program has four main areas of support for small businesses to help them not just stay afloat but also grow and expand. RISE awardees receive one or more of the following services: marketing consultation services, a 90-day TV media campaign, creative production services to create a 30-second commercial and a tech makeover featuring a combination of Comcast Business services and computer equipment.

The Comcast RISE Investment Fund is an extension of the program and recently awarded $10,000 grants to small businesses in Chicago, Miami, Oakland, Seattle, and Washington, D.C. areas. These areas were selected because they were hit particularly hard by COVID-19. The most recent round of grants announced in November featured 100 grants distributed throughout each area. The money awarded from this round alone totaled $5 million.

Over its two-year term, RISE has provided over $110 million of support to over 13,000 small businesses throughout the United States. On top of the financial and business support services provided by the RISE program, Comcast has partnered with the entrepreneur-based platform Ureeka to provide ongoing mentorship and resources to help small businesses succeed over the long-term.  In addition, the company partnered with tech education and training nonprofit Hopeworks on a Comcast RISE recipient map to encourage consumers to patronize small Comcast RISE businesses in their communities.

Supporting local businesses translates to national success, and everyone benefits when the community they’re a part of flourishes. Additional details about the RISE program in 2023 are forthcoming. To learn more about Comcast’s RISE program, see recipient success stories, or find local businesses that have benefited from the program, visit the initiative’s website at comcastrise.com.

Source: NWI Life

 

Comcast today announced, “Free This Week,” a new year-long program that will deliver Xfinity customers more value by unlocking a new selection of free content each week from top streaming services and premium networks, no strings attached. “Free This Week” programming will be available for Xfinity customers and curated into one simple to navigate destination available on X1 and Flex. A selection of “Free This Week” programming will also be available on the Xfinity Stream app and Xumo’s XClass TV.

“Free This Week” comes ten years after Xfinity’s inaugural free content sampling, Watchathon Week, and represents an evolution of the company’s free programming strategy providing customers with something free to watch, every week of the year. New data released by Xfinity shows viewership typically doubles during the time a network or streaming service participates in a content sampling such as “Free This Week.”

“At Xfinity, we strive to deliver the best entertainment experience to our customers and make it easy for them to access all the programming they subscribe to, and also discover new programming that might be of interest to them,” said Sophia Ahmad, EVP and CMO, Comcast Cable. “With Free This Week, we are offering customers a no-strings-attached chance to discover something new every week of the year, building on the great success previously established with events like Watchathon Week and Free TV Week.”

Helping ensure customers start the new year on the right foot, the first two weeks of “Free This Week” will feature free access to top wellness apps such as The Great Courses, Gaia, One Day University, Gaiam TV, Sweat Factor and FitFusion by Jillian Michaels. Future participating networks and streaming services include HBO Max, SHOWTIME®, REVOLT, HISTORY Vault, Lifetime Movie Club and more.

To access “Free This Week” programming and look ahead to what content is going to be unlocked in future weeks, customers can simply say “Free This Week” into their voice remote.

Source: Comcast

 

Comcast announced today that it has awarded the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana’s Lake Station Club a $10,000 grant to support digital skills training and new computers and other technology.

“Our mission is to ‘inspire and enable the youth of Northwest Indiana’s communities to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens,’” said Ryan Smiley, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana President & CEO. “What better way to help our members prepare for the future than to give them the tools they need to succeed academically and in their future workplace.”

The grants are part of Project UP, Comcast’s 10-year, $1 billion commitment to advance digital equity. One of Project UP’s centerpieces is Internet Essentials, a low-cost Internet service for low-income families, which has helped 560,000 people in Indiana connect to the Internet at home since it was launched in 2011.

“Through Internet Essentials, Comcast has helped hundreds of thousands of Indiana families get connected to the Internet at home,” said John Crowley, Comcast’s Regional Senior Vice President. “I’m proud that Comcast recognized the impact of the digital divide early on, stepped up and now continues to offer solutions that further our commitment to organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana and the youth the organization serves.”

Crowley also noted a federal government digital equity initiative, called the “Affordable Connectivity Program” (ACP), which provides eligible low-income households a credit up to $30 a month toward the cost of Internet and/or mobile services, including all of Comcast’s Xfinity Internet and Xfinity Mobile plans. The ACP would cover the cost of Internet Essentials or Internet Essentials Plus, making it free for eligible families. For more information, visit www.xfinity.com/acp.

More about Project UP, Comcast’s $1 Billion Commitment to Advance Digital Equity

For over a decade, connecting more people to the Internet and the technology they need to participate and excel in an increasingly digital world has been one of Comcast’s top priorities. Looking toward the next ten years, Comcast is building on that foundation and expanding its impact through Project UP, a comprehensive initiative to advance digital equity and help build a future of unlimited possibilities.

Backed by a $1 billion commitment to reach 50 million people, Project UP encompasses the programs and community partnerships across Comcast, NBCUniversal and Sky that connect people to the Internet, advance economic mobility and open doors for the next generation of innovators, entrepreneurs, storytellers and creators. For more information on Project Up, visit http://corporate.comcast.com/impact/project-up.

 

State leaders and internet service providers will soon begin signing contracts to build high-speed broadband to 50,000 rural homes and businesses in Indiana as part of the Next Level Connections program. The goal of this program, shared by lawmakers and internet providers, is to ensure that every Hoosier, regardless of location, has access to a high-speed connection. That’s why Indiana is partnering with providers, like Comcast, in an open, transparent, and competitive process in hopes of finally closing the rural digital divide.

Governor Holcomb’s program will spend $270 million, deploying broadband to Hoosier homes and businesses in 83 counties. We live in an increasingly digital world, and an internet connection impacts everything from education and business, to relationships, agriculture and more.
While most Hoosiers have access to high-speed internet, the Next Level Connections program is thoughtfully crafted to drive investment to rural areas that don’t have broadband infrastructure. The program promotes public trust with transparency and accountability through an open bidding and selection process, evaluation criteria, progress reporting, build-out requirements, and deadlines.

As a result of the program, in this third round Comcast will partner with the state to serve over 10,000 addresses and invest nearly $30 million in private capital. The State of Indiana will contribute $13 million in funding towards these projects in 17 Indiana communities. Comcast will begin working immediately on the various steps of this multi-year expansion project, so that we can begin construction and ultimately bring our fast, reliable network to more Hoosiers.

Without a program like Next Level Connections, these projects would not be possible as building broadband infrastructure into rural areas can be financially prohibitive, sometimes costing upwards of $40 thousand per mile. The program helps to address this challenge by leveraging public funds to fill the gaps of private investment and helping ease the financial risk for providers to build additional, more remote, rural areas.

With over 150 applications received, around 75,500 new addresses to be connected, it’s clear that this program is working well. The NLC grant program is the result of several years of hard work by the Indiana Legislature under the leadership of House Utilities Chairman Ed Soliday.

Next Level Connections is already making a difference in helping to coordinate and provide infrastructure for generations of rural Hoosiers. We look forward to continuing our participation in future rounds of this program, and we hope other providers are inspired to serve rural areas that make sense for their business model, so we can meet the noble goal of connecting all Hoosiers in the foreseeable future.

Joni Hart is Vice President of Governmental Affairs, Indiana, Comcast.