Its Official: VERSUS to become NBC Sports Network

[Mets82]

Well it is now official. Versus will become NBC Sports Network as of Jan.2, 2012. Heres the story from the USA Today.



Versus set to become the NBC Sports Network - USATODAY.com

 

[Juan]

The local Comcast sports networks are supposed to rebrand too (eventually)

 

[riffjim4069]

Does this mean Versus will be last in the ratings after taking the NBC moniker? I was actually just starting to enjoy Versus NHL coverage - they have come a long way. I just hope they don't screw-it-up NBC style.

 

[Jimbo]

Does this mean Versus will be last in the ratings after taking the NBC moniker? I was actually just starting to enjoy Versus NHL coverage - they have come a long way. I just hope they don't screw-it-up NBC style.

But of course they will ....afterall, it's NBC !

Wonder if Leno will have anythng to say about it ?

 

[skysurfer]

Versus will become NBC Sports Network as of Jan.2, 2012.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz........... figures it would be such a simple name that a 3-year old could name it. They should have named it "Not-ESPN Sports". Maybe you'd confuse enough people to watch it thinking it was ESPN 8 or something. I know one sports channel that will not be renamed - ESPN! Way too much money paid on branding and recognition to name it the ABC Sports Network.

 

[AntAltMike]

I'm going to have to defer to the experts here, but I thought that NBC's ratings tanked in the late 1980s or early 1990s when they dropped a lot of major league sports. I remember that the Boston affiliate (WBZ) was paying their sports anchor, Bob Lobel, big bucks because his popularity pulled up the evening news shows, and when NBC announced it wouldn't even be bidding on some of the pro sports contracts, Lobel was left to make a lot of deflecting remarks about how he was going to become a figure skating expert.

Having one more major outlet bid on network pro sports coverage doesn't get us anything that we don't already have, but it means that the cost goes up and so the subscription cost subsequently goes up.

 

[SamCdbs]

I would recommend "Desperate Networks" by Bill Carter for a detailed analysis, but IMHO, NBC's problem begins and ends with Jeff Zucker, probably the worst executive in the history of television. First, he, to get a bonus for himself, paid the "Friends" more than the network could posibably make back from the aging show. His bonus was based on ratings, not the fact that NBC lost money on every episode and wasted its time on these thirtysomethings playing twentysomethings, rather than develop new shows. This, of course, stripped NBC sports of the money to get quality sports rights. Then he reversed course and made the idiot decision to put Leno on at 10, where nobody watched.

 

[isaacmorseMI]

Yawn. Why would you want such a simple name? Versus just fits the network well.

Sent from my iPad 2 using the SatelliteGuys App

 

[Derwin0]

Yawn. Why would you want such a simple name? Versus just fits the network well.

NBC Sports has a longer better known name that verses. Everyone knows what NBC Sports is, few know what Versus is.

 

[SamCdbs]

NBC Sports has a longer better known name that verses. Everyone knows what NBC Sports is, few know what Versus is.

100% true. But, the issue is more "how many people know what CBS Sports Network is, contrasted to their local CBS station"? Same deal applies to NBC and this venture.

 

[Tampa8]

The name means nothing. It will always be the content, and the proof? Versus itself. When it was renamed to that many thought the name was terrible. But given time, and content - as in the NHL - it became more watched. Naming it NBC sports works at least for one reason. The Olympics. It will be easy to find for those who don't always watch sports but do watch the Olympics. If they can get some more compelling sports on there, it could do ok.

 

[cosmo_kramer]

100% true. But, the issue is more "how many people know what CBS Sports Network is, contrasted to their local CBS station"?

They would if there was any "must see" content there...