"2019 NFL KICKOFF PRESENTED BY EA SPORTS MADDEN NFL 20" TO CELEBRATE START OF THE NFL’S AND THE CHICAGO BEARS’ 100TH SEASON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 SHOW TO FEATURE LIVE PERFORMANCE BY INSPIRE CHANGE ADVOCATES MEEK MILL, MEGHAN TRAINOR AND RAPSODY AT GRANT PARK
NBC'S FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA KICKS OFF THE SEASON AT HISTORIC SOLDIER FIELD NBC/NFL Network Special on Thursday, Sept. 5, 7:30 - 8:10 p.m. ET Precedes NFL Kickoff Game: CHICAGO BEARS vs. GREEN BAY PACKERS on NBC
The NFL kicks off its 100th season with "2019 NFL KICKOFF PRESENTED BY EA SPORTS MADDEN NFL 20" – 7:30 PM ET Thursday, September 5. Artists and Inspire Change advocates MEEK MILL, MEGHAN TRAINOR and RAPSODY will perform live before the Green Bay – Chicago game at GRANT PARK in Chicago. To further the celebration of both the NFL and the Bears 100th season, 2019 KICKOFF EXPERIENCE PRESENTED BY EA SPORTS MADDEN NFL 20 will take place on Thursday, September 5 and will be open to fans from 12:00 PM CT to 10:30 PM CT at Grant Park. Kickoff Experience is free and open to the public and brings fans closer to the NFL through sponsors’ interactive experiences and dynamic promotions. Additionally, Bears’ Legends will be onsite to sign autographs throughout the afternoon: JIM MCMAHON, MATT FORTE and CHARLES TILLMAN. Fans are also encouraged to stop by the Madden NFL 20 Experience at Grant Park for a chance to watch NFL Legends MICHAEL VICK, CHAD JOHNSON, music artists, Twitch streamers and fans compete in the first ever EA SPORTS Madden NFL Twitch Prime Crown Cup. At approximately 6:30 PM CT Meek Mill will headline the musical acts of the day on the Kickoff Main Stage. Preceding his performance will be the musical acts from Inspire Change advocates Meghan Trainor and Rapsody. Following Meek Mill’s performance, fans are encouraged to stay and make history together as the Green Bay - Chicago game is shown live on massive screens throughout Grant Park. This will be a first-of-its-kind NFL KICKOFF WATCH PARTY for fans onsite. Throughout the game, Bears’ and Packers’ Legends will be on stage along with the integration of Bears’ fan rituals and a free-to-play game for interactive fan experience. A portion of both Meek Mill’s and Meghan Trainor’s performances will be featured in simulcast coverage of the 40- minute pregame show from Chicago from 7:30 – 8:10 PM ET on NBC and NFL Network. The show leads into the opener of the NFL’s 100th season between Green Bay – Chicago. The historic NFC North matchup has been one of the NFL’s greatest rivalries throughout the last several decades and will start the season off at Soldier Field. In addition to the live telecast of NFL Kickoff on NBC, the game will be streamed live across all devices via NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app, NFL.com, and the NFL app. Additionally, fans on mobile devices can stream the game via the Bears and Packers mobile properties, Yahoo Sports, and other Verizon Media and NFL properties. Audio coverage of the game will be provided by Westwood One Radio, SiriusXM and the TuneIn app.
AL MICHAELS will call the action alongside CRIS COLLINSWORTH. MICHELE TAFOYA will report from the sideline, and three-time Super Bowl referee TERRY MCAULAY, Sunday Night Football’s rules analyst, will join Al and Cris in the booth. The Football Night in America team of MIKE TIRICO, LIAM MCHUGH, TONY DUNGY, RODNEY HARRISON, CHRIS SIMMS, MIKE FLORIO and KATHRYN TAPPEN will also be on site from Chicago. 2019 NFL KICKOFF PRESENTED BY EA SPORTS MADDEN NFL 20 will be executive produced by RICKY KIRSHNER, the Executive Producer of the Super Bowl pregame and halftime shows, and directed by GREGG GELFAND. In addition to presenting sponsor EA Sports Madden NFL 20, top-tier sponsors for NFL Kickoff include Bose, Bud Light, Microsoft, Pepsi, Pizza Hut, Snickers and Verizon. HISTORY OF NFL OPENING KICKOFF EVENTS
DATE LOCATION NETWORK TALENT GAME
9/5/2002 Times Square, New CBS, MTV, Bon Jovi, Enrique San York VH1 and Iglesias, Alicia Keys, Eve, Francisco at ESPN Cast of Broadway musical NY Giants Rent with Joey Fatone of (ESPN) NSYNC
9/4/2003 The National Mall, ABC Aerosmith, Mary J. Blige, NY Jets at Washington, DC Aretha Franklin, Britney Washington Spears, Good Charlotte (ABC)
9/9/2004 Gillette Stadium, ABC Boston Pops, Mary J. Indianapolis New England/ Blige, Destiny's Child, at New Metropolitan Park, Elton John, Toby Keith, England Jacksonville Lenny Kravitz (NE); (ABC) Jessica Simpson (Jax.)
9/8/2005 Gillette Stadium, ABC Green Day, Santana, Oakland at New England/ Los Michelle Branch, Ozzy New England Angeles Coliseum, Osbourne, Trisha (ABC) LA/Detroit Yearwood (NE); Kanye West, Maroon 5, Good Charlotte, Rihanna (LA); Rolling Stones (taped from Detroit)
9/7/2006 Heinz Field, NBC Rascal Flatts, Martina Miami at Pittsburgh/Miami McBride (Anthem) (Pitt.); Pittsburgh Diddy, Cassie, Yung Joc, (NBC) Tego Calderon (Miami)
9/6/2007 Monument NBC, NFLN John Mellencamp, Faith New Orleans Circle/RCA Dome, Hill, Kelly Clarkson, at Indianapolis Hinder, Keyshia Cole & Indianapolis Voices of Unity Youth (NBC) Choir (Anthem)
9/4/2008 Columbus Circle, NFLN, NBC Natasha Bedingfield, Washington New York Keith Urban, Usher at New York City/Giants Stadium, Giants (NBC) New Jersey
9/10/2009 Point State NFLN, NBC Tim McGraw, The Black Tennessee at Park/Heinz Field, Eyed Peas, Harry Pittsburgh Pittsburgh Connick Jr. (Anthem) (NBC)
9/9/2010 Jackson Square NFLN, NBC Dave Matthews Band, Minnesota at (Parade & Concert) Taylor Swift, Harry New Orleans (NBC) /Superdome, New Connick Jr., Colbie Caillat Orleans (Anthem)
9/8/2011 Lambeau Field, NFLN, NBC Kid Rock, Lady New Orleans Antebellum, Maroon 5 at Green Bay Green Bay (NBC)
9/5/2012 Rockefeller Center, NFLN, NBC Mariah Carey, No Doubt Dallas at New New York / MetLife York Giants Stadium, New (NBC) Jersey
9/5/2013 Baltimore Inner NFLN, NBC Keith Urban, Danielle Baltimore at Harbor/ Sports Bradbery (Anthem) Denver Authority Field at Mile High, Denver (NBC)
9/4/2014 CenturyLink Field, NFLN, NBC Pharrell Williams, Green Bay at Seattle Soundgarden, Ariana Seattle (NBC) Grande (Anthem)
9/10/2015 Gillette Stadium, NFLN, NBC Ellie Goulding, Train Pittsburgh at New England New England (NBC)
9/8/2016 Civic Center Park, NFLN, NBC Dierks Bentley, Carolina at Denver OneRepublic, Andra Day Denver (NBC) (Anthem)
9/7/2017 Christopher NFLN, NBC Guster, Flo Rida, Maren Kansas City Columbus Park, Morris (Anthem) at New Boston / Gillette England Stadium, New (NBC) England
9/6/2018 Penn’s Landing, NFLN, NBC Shawn Mendes Atlanta at Philadelphia / Philadelphia Lincoln Financial (NBC) Field, Philadelphia
ABOUT MEEK MILL
Meek Mill is a critically-acclaimed multiplatinum hip-hop artist, criminal justice reform advocate and entrepreneur that hails from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Meek evolved from Philadelphia's hottest underground rapper to one of the world's preeminent musical artists, having released a slew of smash studio albums and singles, including "Ima Boss," "Dreams and Nightmares (Intro)," and "Going Bad," among many others. His latest studio album, CHAMPIONSHIPS, debuted at No. 1 on Billboard’s “Top 200 Albums,” marking his second chart-topper following his 2015 album DREAMS WORTH MORE THAN MONEY. In addition to serving as the President of Dream Chasers, Mill is the co-chair of the REFORM Alliance, which launched in January 2019 and aims to advance criminal justice reform and eradicate outdated policies that perpetuate injustice in the United States.
# # # CONTACTS:
NFL: JORDYN WHITE: [email protected] NBC: DAN MASONSON: [email protected] MEEK MILL: DIDIER MORAIS: [email protected]