Everton’s fight to avoid relegation gets prominent place in NBC’s Premier League coverage

LONDON: NBC’s Premier League team is used to covering the pomp and circumstance of the champions lifting the trophy on Championship Sunday. With Manchester City having their title ceremonies last week after winning their third straight Premier League title and fifth in the last six seasons, it’s all about the fight to avoid relegation going into the final match day. NBC’s studio crew and top announcer team will be at Goodison Park for Everton’s match against Bournemouth.

Everton have 33 points, two points clear of the relegation zone, but could find themselves out of England’s top division for the first time in nearly 70 years with a loss and a victory by either Leicester City or Leeds United. Everton could be relegated with a draw and a win by Leicester City, which won the 2016 title. This is first time in NBC’s 10 years of carrying the Premier League that it will be on site for a match with relegation implications.

“I think this is as good as it gets. It would be great to have a title race as well, but this actually allows us to focus on relegation, which we so often can’t do,” said NBC Premier League host Rebecca Lowe. “It paints a whole different picture of an end of a season.

“It’s so rare to have three clubs this size threatened with relegation, which makes the gravitas, the jeopardy, everything even bigger.” Everton’s large following of fans in the United States is another reason why NBC decided to anchor coverage from Goodison Park. Three teams will vie to avoid the last two relegation spots and join Southampton in heading to the second-tier Championship next season. NBC studio analyst and former US men’s national team goalkeeper Tim Howard, who made 414 appearances for Everton from 2006-16, will be on hand.