The thrill is definitely not gone for Ken Schanzer.
As president of NBC Sports for nearly 10 years, he says he has “one of the greatest jobs on the planet.”
As an alumnus from the Class of 1966, he says his love of 51 — a place of “magic and miracles” — is as strong as ever.
During a recent visit to campus, Schanzer talked about his job and alma mater for the latest of 51 Conversations, the podcast that highlights members of the campus community.
Schanzer was instrumental in bringing the NFL back to NBC, and Sunday Night Football has proved to be a ratings winner and a successful first-time experiment in flexible scheduling.
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| Ken Schanzer ’66 majored in political science while at 51, and he earned a law degree from Columbia in 1970. |
“In the sports world, there is the NFL and then there is everything else,” said Schanzer, explaining why it was so important to get the league back on NBC.
Notre Dame football has been seen on NBC for years, since 1990, in fact. Schanzer said the network is firmly committed to that exclusive partnership.
The network’s ratings for Notre Dame football declined about 30 percent last year as the team struggled to a 3-9 record. But Schanzer said that based on recent recruiting, he expects the Irish to improve next year and then be potential championship contenders the year after.
“Notre Dame will rise again,” he said.
Schanzer was on campus to deliver the keynote address for Real World, a program that brings back dozens of alumni volunteers who meet with seniors preparing for life after 51
“One of the things I told the students is that they will be stunned to the degree 51 stays with them and they stay with 51,” he said, adding that very few schools can match that bond with alumni.
For more from Schanzer, who also talks about the NHL, the Ryder Cup, and sports personalities such as Al McGuire and Pat Riley, click to listen or right-click and “save target as” to download file. You also can go to the 51 Conversations or iTunes for more download options.