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Like a good neighbor, the NBCUniversal orchestra was there to kick off the company’s 2025-2026 TV upfront presentation at Radio City Music Hall on Monday.
Replicating Universal Studios’ well-reviewed musical stunt at CinemaCon, NBCU raised its upfront curtain on a 55-piece ensemble that played a medley of classic commercial jingles, covering everything from chewing gum (“Longer with Big Red”) to the military (“Be All That You Can Be”).
But an even bigger advertisement followed—this one for the Comcast-owned entertainment giant itself. Seth MacFarlane took the stage for a Frank Sinatra-inspired opening number that invited the assembled audience of advertisers, press, and TV fans to learn why “NBCU has the s*** you’re after.”
MacFarlane’s ribald song set the tone for a two-hour presentation heavy on celebrity cameos, content sizzle reels, and choreography-laden musical numbers. All of the showmanship was designed to show off the breadth of NBCU’s multi-platform approach to reaching audiences of all ages, interests, and purchasing power.
The list of s*** coming your way this season comprises a suite of live sports events (including the NBA, the Winter Olympics, and the Super Bowl); new linear and streaming shows alongside major motion pictures like Wicked: For Good; and a spin-off cable company that’s still very much part of the main family. All these offerings take advantage of NBCU’s expansive array of content-delivery options… which also happen to deliver ads to an expansive captive audience.
“Symphony is our secret sauce—we rally together to event-ize our company’s biggest moments,” noted NBCU chairman Donna Langley. “[We] offer something for everyone, which means advertisers can, without question, reach the broadest possible audience.”
The sporting times
One of the biggest events in the sports world is the NBA’s return to NBCU after several years in the Warner Bros. Discovery ecosystem. Not surprisingly, basketball was perhaps the biggest star of the presentation, with Langley promising that the on-court action would provide a “halo effect” around the company’s entire entertainment schedule.
Meanwhile, storied NBCU sportscaster Mike Tirico previewed the “deep integration” that NBA fans can expect as NBC Sports and Peacock join forces to, as he put it, “deliver an experience… made for the modern fan.” Peacock’s NBA coverage will incorporate real-time data overlays predicting player performance, a Courtside Live experience, and a gamified element that Tirico described as “bingo meets fantasy sports.”
Speaking of fantasies, Michael Jordan is fulfilling the dreams of many basketball fans by coming off the bench to be a special contributor to the NBA on NBC. The Chicago Bulls legend wasn’t in the house to make the announcement, but he sent a personalized video message that followed John Tesh’s performance of his signature NBA theme.
NBCU also cued up musical performances to introduce some of the other major sports extravaganzas coming up this season. A full band got the audience amped for the launch of the World Cup on Telemundo, while an Italian aria accompanied a teaser for Winter Olympics in Milan. Both events will be awarded goal-to-gold (medal) streaming coverage on Peacock.
“Peacock was built on sports,” emphasized Mark Marshall, chairman of global advertising and partnerships. “It will have over 7,500 hours of sports in the next year alone, more than any other streamer combined.”
Spin doctors
Ahead of the upfronts, Comcast announced that its spin-off company, formerly known as SpinCo, has an official name: Versant. That’s where NBCU cable networks like CNBC, MSNBC, USA, and Syfy will reside going forward as the TV industry adapts to a digital-first future.
But even though Versant is striking out on its own, it’s still welcome at NBCU family gatherings. Marshall made sure to mention that the NBCU sales team will still be the primary point of contact for cable advertising opportunities.
Additionally, both CNBC and MSNBC were prominently featured in the NBC News portion of the upfront, introduced by incoming Nightly News anchor Tom Llamas. And USA Network previewed a trailer from its upcoming series The Rainmaker, based on John Grisham’s novel.
Being part of a family, of course, means that you’re occasionally the subject of some ribbing. Enter Seth Meyers, who couldn’t resist delivering some verbal noogies to the newest member of the NBCU clan.
“Versant sounds like something you hear advertised during the news,” joked the late night host, adding: “It’s official: there are no good names left.”
Meyers also called out the fact that the Golf Channel and MSNBC are under the Versant umbrella, which could present a problem for President Donald Trump, who is known to love the former and love hating on the latter.
“Bad news, Mr. President: If you want the Golf Channel, you’ll have to also get MSNBC,” Meyers quipped.
Comic chops
Meyers wasn’t the only jokester who had the Radio City audience in stitches. Dynamic duo Tina Fey and Amy Poehler took the stage to preview their new shows—on NBC and Peacock, respectively—and announce a major anniversary that’s not Saturday Night Live related. As part of NBC’s centennial next year, the network will air a variety special featuring network legends and new faces.
“It’s going to be twice as long as SNL’s 50th anniversary special,” Fey teased. “That’s right, folks, six hours of a fun decade-by-decade look back.”
Fey’s former Weekend Update pal, Jimmy Fallon, was also in the house to preview his upcoming ad-related competitive reality series, On Brand, which he described as a cross between The Apprentice, Shark Tank, and Project Runway.
“I wanted to take people behind the curtain to see how advertising campaigns get made,” he explained, going on to outline the show’s “real ROI” for advertisers.
In fact, Fallon is already taking calls from interested brands for a possible second season. Or, more accurately, he’s directing those brands to call Marshall, even announcing his cell number onstage. (We tried it—it does go to his voicemail.)
Beyond being a good sport about the extra phone calls, Marshall also won the morning’s award for most Wickedly funny entrance. Taking advantage of NBCU’s cross-platform synergy, the exec made a gravity-defying descent from the Radio City rafters in Glinda’s airborne bubble as seen in the musical blockbuster. (Audiences were treated to an early look at the Wicked: For Good trailer during the course of the presentation.)
After that stunt, it’s safe to say that Marshall’s going to be… popular around the NBCU offices.
