NBC has both Sunday Night Football and Celebrity Apprentice on its just-revealed schedule for next season despite the NFL football season being in limbo because of the current players lockout and Celebrity Apprentice star Donald Trump mulling a presidential bid. During a conference call today, NBC chairman Bob Greenblatt expressed hope that both football and The Donald will be back but also said that the network is working on contingency plans if that doesn't happen.
"Certainly we’re hoping that he will be back with us," Greenlatt said of Trump. But if he isn't, "we will bring the show back and have someone else at the head of the boardroom table. ... (Celebrity Apprentice) is too strong a franchise for us not to consider that." Greenblatt wouldn't discuss whom they have in mind as a replacement for Trump, only saying that it would be someone who is "confident and galvanizing."
As for Sunday Night Football, "we feel pretty good about where we are with the NFL and "pretty optimistic that football will be there," Greenblatt said. "Worst-case scenario, (the season) will be delayed by a few weeks." NBC is already working on "high-quality, live entertainment reality-type shows that would fill the gap," Greenblatt said. He wouldn't elaborate, only noting that they are "attention-getting big ideas" and that NBC will air the specials elsewhere on the schedule if there is no delay to the football season
