NBC’s ‘Sunday Night Football‘ broadcast featured two of the NFL’s heavyweights. The San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys were teed up for a primetime showcase of two of the NFC’s current best.
Of course, the 49ers aren’t actually in San Francisco anymore. The team moved away from its longtime home at Candlestick Park in the city proper out to Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara years ago. A trip from the Chase Center to Levi’s will run you over 41 miles and a 46-minute trip via Google Maps. So, it’s often humorous when networks show shots of San Francisco or the Bay Area because those shots wouldn’t be close to Levi’s Stadium.
In a titanic upset, NBC ensured its accuracy was on point. The game between the Niners and Cowboys went to break early on. Wouldn’t you know it: NBC showed a shot of Santa Clara!
An actual live shot of Santa Clara during a 49ers game?!?!
Do you believe in miracles, yes! pic.twitter.com/YTWWlO9wr4
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 9, 2023
The network’s move was quickly noticed by viewers of the 49ers-Cowboys game.
https://twitter.com/UKOSU777/status/1711179679997317491
That’s cool they showed Santa Clara University during the 49ers Cowboys game. Imagine if they showed PayPal Park and San Jose Earthquakes got a mention on a primetime football game
— Tectonic Takes (@TectonicTakes) October 9, 2023
They showed Santa Clara University during the 49ers Cowboys game. Finally a place near the stadium instead of the Golden Gate Bridge.
— Ivan Ornelas (@IvanOrnelas2) October 9, 2023
LOL they actually showed something in Santa Clara instead of San Francisco for the going to commercial shot. First time I can remember
— Todd pierce (@Todd_Pierce04) October 9, 2023
NBC listened to Al Michaels and showed Santa Clara university lol
— Armando Melendéz (@tacoguy209) October 9, 2023
During a ‘Thursday Night Football’ broadcast earlier this season, former NBC football voice Al Michaels openly pondered why the networks showed shots of the city when they weren’t actually in the city of San Francisco. To Michaels’s credit, it is a good question. As a native New Jerseyan, it admittedly gets tiresome when the state is overlooked for the big city across the river. We get it, but you don’t need to go overboard with it.
Somebody must have been listening to the broadcast that night of the game between the Niners and the New York Giants. They made sure tonight to showcase the city of Santa Clara.
Hey, what’s so bad about some free advertising?