NBC Cross-Promoting Arena Football and Las Vegas

NBC is once again trying to grow its Arena Football audience with a mini-movie, but will also use it to cross-promote the movie with an upcoming DVD release of its hit show Las Vegas.

Las Vegas's Nikki Cox and Colorado Crush owner John Elway star in the NBC mini-movie Rumble in Montecito

The two-minute mini movie, Rumble in the Montecito, will be seen on more than 5,200 Regal Cinemas, United Artists and Edwards Theaters screens in 430 theaters nationwide from Dec. 3-30. It will also be featured on Regal's Lobby Entertainment Network, a digital distribution system comprised of more 1,300 42-inch plasma screens located in Regal lobbies nationwide.

Rumble in the Montecito is the sequel to last-year's Rumble in the House, and again stars Philadelphia Soul co-owner Jon Bon Jovi and Colorado Crush co-owner John Elway. The new movie is filmed on the set of Las Vegas's fictional Montecito Casino and Hotel. Show stars Josh Duhamel, Nikki Cox and James Lesure appear in the mini-movie, produced by The NBC Agency.

In addition, a director's cut of Rumble in the Montecito will be released as a bonus feature on the Las Vegas: Season 1 DVD, which contains all 23 episodes including new uncut and uncensored footage.

The mini-movie will also run in January in United Airlines' NBC-In-Flight programming and will be featured in a broadband promotion, including an exclusive "making of" segment, in partnership with Comcast.net. Additionally, the trailer will be cut down into 20- and 30-second spots to be used by AFL teams in their local markets beginning next month.

The movie is also part of the AFL's marketing and promotion plan for ArenaBowl XIX, which will be held in Las Vegas on June 12.

In other league news, ANC Sports Enterprises, Purchase, NY, has been named to assist the AFL in the areas of ticket sales, team services and on-site presence for the ArenaBowl and special events surrounding game. The partnership will continue through the 2006 season.