Dick Ebersol, the former head of NBC Sports, was named the recipient of the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award.
The award, presented annually by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, recognizes “longtime exceptional contributions to radio and television in professional football.” Ebersol once was called “the most powerful figure ever in sports TV.”
The Pro Football Hall of Fame will honor Ebersol during enshrinement week in August. That makes it even more special for Ebersol, whose good friend, Pat Bowlen, is in the Class of 2019, along with Champ Bailey, Gil Brandt, Tony Gonzalez, Ty Law, Kevin Mawae, Ed Reed and Johnny Robinson.
“This is especially meaningful to be recognized in the same year that my dear friend Pat Bowlen earns his rightful place in Canton,” Ebersol said. “I have deep respect for how Pat’s vision so profoundly shaped the NFL’s television landscape as well as giving Denver Super Bowl championship football teams.”
Ebersol, who spent more than 20 years as the head of NBC Sports, negotiated two historic broadcast contracts. He secured a four-year, $880 million deal for the rights to the NFL’s AFC games and two Super Bowls and won the right to broadcast the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta with a record-setting bid of $456 million.
In 2005, Ebersol created Sunday Night Football as NBC returned to covering the NFL. He, along with Bowlen, Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, Roger Goodell and NFL Executive Steve Bornstein, worked to land the new Sunday Night package on NBC. It became the first sports series in history to be a top-10 show since its inception.
