SAL MASEKELA TO JOIN NBC OLYMPICS IN SOCHI

Stamford, Conn. - November 25, 2013 - Veteran action sports and entertainment personality Sal Masekela will join NBC Olympics' coverage as a sports desk reporter, it was announced today. He will present features for The Olympic Zone, NBC Sports Group's 30-minute daily show for NBC affiliates, covering all aspects of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

"Sal will provide a unique voice and insight into the world of sports and entertainment," said Jim Bell, Executive Producer of NBC Olympics. "His extensive action sports broadcast experience will offer a valuable perspective to Olympic viewers."

Masekela, who joined NBC in 2012, serves as a host and commentator for NBC's Red Bull Signature Series, one-of-a-kind programming featuring innovative snowboarding, downhill skiing, mountain biking, freestyle motocross, and BMX events. In addition, Masekela hosts and produces his own web series Travelin' Sal: Come Ride With Me.

Masekela's prior broadcast experience includes serving as host of the X Games and Winter X Games for 13 years on ESPN and ABC, as an NBA sideline reporter on ESPN and ABC as well as a human interest reporter at the 2010 Soccer World Cup in South Africa. He also served as the host of The Daily 10 on E! Network and as the red carpet reporter for E! at the Academy Awards, Emmys and Golden Globes.

For more on Sal Masekela, click here.

THE OLYMPICS BEGIN FEB. 6, 2014

With more Winter Olympic events than ever before, competition for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games from Sochi, Russia, will begin one day prior to the Opening Ceremony. As a result, NBC will begin its primetime coverage of the 2014 Sochi Olympics on Thursday, Feb. 6, one night before the broadcast network provides its traditional primetime coverage of the Opening Ceremony on Friday, Feb. 7. This marks the first time NBC will air Olympic primetime coverage before the Opening Ceremony. The primetime broadcast on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2014, is scheduled to include competition in snowboard slopestyle (men's and women's), in which two-time gold medalist Shaun White is expected to compete in slopestyle's Olympic debut; team figure skating, which is also in the Olympics for the first time; and women's freestyle moguls.