By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man –@tvanswerman
TV Answer Man, now that Peacock is doing the women’s World Cup in 4K, does that mean it will have Notre Dame football games in 4K. NBC has the home games in 4K, as you know. — Tim, New Orleans.
Tim, Peacock last month began showing the FIFA 2023 Women’s World Cup in 4K (albeit in Spanish), the first time the streaming service has offered live sports in the format. The images have been excellent, arguably better than Fox’s 4K broadcasts of the World Cup. Since Peacock began its live 4K streams, I have received a few e-mails from readers asking if this means more live sports will be in 4K on the service, such as NBC’s broadcasts of Notre Dame home football games. NBC in late spring revealed its broadcast schedule for Notre Dame football in 2023 and I then asked a network spokesman if the Fighting Irish’s home games would be in 4K again this season.
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The network’s response: “Yes, the Notre Dame football games on NBC will be available in 4K this season.”
This week, I asked the same spokesman if Peacock will now show the games in 4K, too. I also asked if NBC and Peacock would show the network’s Big Ten football games this season in the format. The response: “Production details for both Notre Dame and Big Ten games will be available closer to the start of the season.” I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
As for the 2023 Notre Dame games that will be in 4K via NBC, here they are. (As of now, there’s no 4K scheduled for Peacock.)
| Sat., Aug. 26 | 2:30 p.m. | Navy (in Ireland) | NBC, Peacock |
| Sat., Sept. 2 | 3:30 p.m. | Tennessee State | NBC, Peacock |
| Sat., Sept. 16 | 2:30 p.m. | Central Michigan | Peacock (Not 4K, as of now) |
| Sat., Sept. 23 | 7:30 p.m. | Ohio State | NBC, Peacock |
| Sat., Oct. 14 | 7:30 p.m. | USC | NBC, Peacock |
| Sat., Oct. 28 | 3:30 p.m. | Pittsburgh | NBC, Peacock |
| Sat., Nov. 18 | 3:30 p.m. | Wake Forest | NBC, Peacock |
And as for where you can watch the six Notre Dame games in 4K, DIRECTV and YouTube TV last year were the only pay TV services to offer them in the format and they are likely to do so again this year. The two services aired the games in 4K on special 4K channels. Unlike Fox, NBC does not provide a 4K feed of live sporting events on its streaming app so there is no other way to watch the games in 4K besides watching them on a pay TV service unless Peacock comes through. Comcast offered Notre Dame football in 4K in 2020 but did not during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. The cable operator did not offer a reason when asked why by The TV Answer Man.
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
@tvanswerman
