JOHNNY WEIR & TARA LIPINSKI TO SERVE AS EVENT REPORTERS DURING NBC'S SUPER BOWL XLIX PRE-GAME COVERAGE

Popular Broadcast Duo will Report from Super Bowl XLIX Tailgate Party

STAMFORD, Conn. - January 22, 2015 - NBC Sports' popular figure skating analysts Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski will join NBC's Super Bowl XLIX pre-game show to offer their unique take on the big game and the events surrounding it, NBC Sports announced today.

"Johnny and Tara" burst onto the sports-broadcasting scene during the Sochi Olympics in February 2014 with a style The New York Times described as "an ongoing, enthusiastic conversation among confidants." Since that critically-acclaimed debut, the duo has reported on style, luminaries and parties at some of televisions biggest events, including NBC's coverage of the 2014 Kentucky Derby and Access Hollywood's coverage of the 2014 Academy Awards.

Johnny and Tara will be based at the Super Bowl XLIX Tailgate Party, the official NFL pre-game party for VIP guests. They will interview celebrities who annually attend the NFL's championship game and will also provide their own Super Bowl observations.

"Having six hours of pre-game coverage allows us to not only surround every aspect of the game, but also to cover the Super Bowl as the unparalleled event that it is," said Sam Flood, Executive Producer for NBC Sports & NBCSN, and the producer of NBC's Super Bowl XLIX pre-game show. "We're looking forward to Johnny and Tara bringing their fun perspective and style to the show."

Following the Sochi Olympics, Weir -- a three-time U.S. figure skating champion -- and Lipinski -- the 1998 Olympic ladies figure skating gold medalist -- were named NBC Sports' lead figure skating analysts through the Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, in 2018.

NBC's pre-game coverage of Super Bowl XLIX begins at noon ET on Sunday, Feb. 1, from Glendale, Ariz. Additional details about NBC's pre-game show will be announced soon.