Versus is a
sportA Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...
s-oriented
cable televisionCable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
channel in the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was previously known as
Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports. By September 2006, the network had become increasingly focused on mainstream sportsresulting in its re-launch as Versus.
ComcastComcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
, the owner of Versus, acquired a majority stake in
NBC UniversalNBCUniversal Media, LLC is a media and entertainment company engaged in the production and marketing of entertainment, news, and information products and services to a global customer base...
in 2011. As a result of the merger, the operations of all of Comcast's national sports networks were folded into the
NBC SportsNBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
division. As a further result of its new alliance, Versus will be re-launched as the
NBC Sports Network on January 2, 2012.
Outdoor Life Network
The channel originally started as the Outdoor Life Network (or OLN) on July 1, 1995; the name was licensed from
Outdoor LifeOutdoor Life is an outdoors magazine about hunting, fishing, survival and camping. It is a sister magazine of Field & Stream. Together with Sports Afield, they are considered the Big Three of American outdoor publishing. Outdoor Life launched in Denver, Colorado in January 1898. Founder and...
magazine. For almost a decade, the channel consisted of hunting and fishing shows. In 2004, they capitalized on the popularity of
Lance ArmstrongLance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
during the
Tour de FranceThe Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
, showing virtually nothing but Tour-related coverage for over three weeks, including additional Tour-related reality programming focusing on Armstrong and his fans.
In July 2005, OLN revamped its image, focusing on more extreme outdoor sporting events. In conjunction with the revamp, their
logoA logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
and American website were completely redesigned as well. As part of the revamp, they acquired the rights from
NBC UniversalNBCUniversal Media, LLC is a media and entertainment company engaged in the production and marketing of entertainment, news, and information products and services to a global customer base...
of the
X GamesThe X Games is a commercial annual sports event, controlled and arranged by US sports broadcaster ESPN, which focuses on action sports. The inaugural X Games was held in the summer of 1995 in Rhode Island....
-type
Gravity GamesThe Gravity Games were a multi-sport competition originating from Providence, Rhode Island that is broken down into Winter and Summer adaptations...
as well as the rebroadcast rights to the
CBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
reality seriesReality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
Survivor, and began airing the series from the beginning of season one on July 24, 2005.
In August 2005, they acquired the cable television rights to air the
National Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
. The NHL's deal with OLN parent
ComcastComcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
also gave company part ownership of a U.S. version of
NHL NetworkNHL Network is a television specialty channel devoted to the National Hockey League and the sport of ice hockey that launched in the United States in 2007. The channel is also available in 1080i HD as NHL Network HD.-Development:...
, and distribution on all of its cable systems.
Early in 2006, they broadcast some games during the Arena Football League's
20th Anniversary seasonThe 2006 Arena Football League season was the 20th season of the Arena Football League. The league champions were the Chicago Rush, who defeated the Orlando Predators in ArenaBowl XX....
. They televised a weekly regular-season game for 11 weeks as well as a wild card playoff game. However, the agreement was not renewed and was later picked up by ESPN.
Versus
As a result of its increased focus on mainstream sports programming, the network was officially re-launched as
Versus on September 25, 2006 (however, its Canadian counterpart maintained its original format, and still uses the OLN name to this date). The renamed Versus covered
boxingBoxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
with a series of fight programs promoted by
Bob ArumRobert "Bob" Arum is the founder and CEO of Top Rank, a professional boxing promotion company based in Las Vegas. He also worked for the US Attorney's Office for the southern district of New York in the tax division....
's Top Rank group. They also began televising
Chuck NorrisCarlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...
's
World Combat LeagueThe World Combat League is a defunct full contact, team-based kickboxing promotion. It was founded by movie star and martial artist Chuck Norris.- Rules :The rules are typical of other full contact striking competitions, with some minor variation....
, a
kickboxingKickboxing refers to a group of martial arts and stand-up combat sports based on kicking and punching, historically developed from karate, Muay Thai and western boxing....
promotion where fights are contested in a unique round ring without ropes. Versus entered into a partnership with
World Extreme CagefightingWorld Extreme Cagefighting was an American mixed martial arts promotion. It was purchased by Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of Ultimate Fighting Championship , in 2006. In its final incarnation, it was made up of 3 weight classes: 135, 145 and 155 lbs. To accommodate the smaller...
(WEC) to bring
mixed martial artsMixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
events to the channel, with the first being broadcast live on June 3, 2007. They aired all the WEC events, except for
WEC 48UFC Presents: Aldo vs. Faber, also referred to as WEC 48: Aldo vs. Faber was a mixed martial arts event held by World Extreme Cagefighting that took place on April 24, 2010 at ARCO Arena in Sacramento, California...
, which aired on pay-per-view, with live preliminary fights being aired on
Spike TVSpike is an American cable television channel. It launched on March 7, 1983 as The Nashville Network , a joint venture of WSM, Inc...
.
They also added a variety of sports events as part of the rebranding, including men's and women's college basketball, high school basketball, a weekly "game of the week" for the
National Lacrosse LeagueThe National Lacrosse League is a men's professional indoor lacrosse league in North America. It currently has nine teams; three in Canada and six in the United States. Unlike other lacrosse leagues which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter and spring. Each year, the playoff...
, darts competitions, the Major Indoor Soccer League, and the
USA SevensThe USA Sevens is an annual rugby sevens tournament held in the United States. A part of the IRB Sevens World Series, it currently takes place on Saturday and Sunday during the second weekend of February...
, one of the nine tournaments (then eight) that make up the
IRB Sevens World SeriesThe IRB Sevens World Series, known officially as the HSBC Sevens World Series as of the 2010-11 season, through sponsorship from banking group HSBC, and also sometimes called the World Sevens Series, is a series of international rugby union sevens tournaments organised for the first time in the...
, the top annual circuit in the
sevensRugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
version of
rugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
. Versus is also home to many Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and
bull ridingBull riding refers to rodeo sports that involve a rider getting on a large bull and attempting to stay mounted while the animal attempts to buck off the rider....
events.
In addition to the above, they acquired the college football rights to games from the
Mountain West ConferenceThe Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...
, Pac-10 and Big 12 conferences. totaling 19 scheduled college football games on Versus during 2007. Additional details on the college football broadcasts can be found at
College Football on VersusThe television channel Versus currently aired college football games from various college football conferences. At the time this program began, the channel was known as OLN but, in 2006, it was renamed Versus...
.
They secured coverage for the
2007 America's CupThe 2007 America's Cup was the thirty-second challenge for the America's Cup and was won by Alinghi in the 7th race. The Cup is the most famous and most prestigious regatta and Match Race in the sport of sailing....
, which was also a staple on ESPN and ESPN2 for years. They began to show qualifying regattas in late 2005. They also aired the
Louis Vuitton CupThe Louis Vuitton Cup is a yachting competition connected with the America's Cup. The Louis Vuitton Cup was used as the selection series to select the team to sail as the challenger in the America's Cup...
for challengers in 2007, and the America's Cup match between the Louis Vuitton winner and current champions, won by
AlinghiAlinghi is the syndicate set up by Ernesto Bertarelli, racing under the colors of the Société Nautique de Genève, to challenge for the America's Cup. Bertarelli had raced several smaller yachts named Alinghi previously, but 2003 was his first attempt at the America's Cup...
of
SwitzerlandSwitzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
in Valencia, Spain. In 2006, they picked up American broadcast rights (in conjunction with
The Tennis ChannelTennis Channel is an American speciality channel with programming devoted to the game of tennis. Founded in 2003, the network is owned by a group of investors including sports marketing firm IMG. Well known tennis professionals Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi are two of the many investors in this...
) of
Davis CupThe Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
events.
Versus, with
NBC SportsNBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
and the World Championship Sports Network (now
Universal SportsUniversal Sports is an American television network that airs various sports, primarily those contested in the Olympic Games, including swimming, gymnastics, cycling, track and field, figure skating, skiing, bobsledding and triathlon.-Programming:...
), broadcast coverage of the
2007 World Championships in AthleticsThe 11th World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations , were held at Nagai Stadium in Osaka, Japan from 24 August to 2 September 2007...
from Osaka, Japan, as well as the
2009 World Championships in AthleticsThe 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics were held in Berlin, Germany from 15–23 August 2009. The majority of events took place in the Olympiastadion, while the marathon and racewalking events started and finished at the Brandenburg Gate....
from Berlin, Germany.
On January 28, 2008, Versus and the NHL extended the deal through the 2010-11 season.
In June 2008, they moved its operations from
Stamford, ConnecticutStamford is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population of the city is 122,643, making it the fourth largest city in the state and the eighth largest city in New England...
, to Comcast's headquarters in Philadelphia,
PennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
On August 7, 2008, they announced a 10-year deal with the Indy Racing League to broadcast at least 13
IndyCar SeriesThe IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
events a year in HD, beginning in 2009.
Bob JenkinsBob Jenkins is an American television and radio sports announcer with NBC Sports Network, also known for his work at ABC and ESPN calling IndyCar and NASCAR telecasts. He is currently the lead commentator for the IndyCar Series on NBC Sports Network.-ESPN and ABC:Bob Jenkins was born in Richmond,...
,
Jon BeekhuisJon Beekhuis is a former race car driver from Zurich, Switzerland. The 1988 Indy Lights champion, he drove in 9 CART races in 1990 and a handful more in 1989, 1991, and 1992. His best finish was an 8th at Michigan International Speedway...
, and
Robbie BuhlRobbie Buhl is a former Indy Racing League competitor and current team-owner, with the Dreyer & Reinbold Racing team in the IRL's IndyCar Series...
are on the broadcast team along with
Jack AruteJack Arute, Jr. currently covers the NFL and college sports for Sirius XM Radio. He is the president of the Stafford Motor Speedway in Connecticut...
, Robbie Floyd, and Lindy Thackston in the pits. Terry Linger is the producer. The channel would also broadcast various motorsports series on its Lucas Oil Motorsports Hour program such as
USACThe United States Auto Club is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, the USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500...
and
Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt SeriesLucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series is a racing championship series for dirt late model stock cars, founded in 2005. It is one of two such touring series' on dirt ovals in the United States...
.
The channel aired the
96th Grey CupThe 96th Grey Cup was held in Montreal, Quebec at Olympic Stadium on November 23, 2008. The Eastern Division Champion Montreal Alouettes hosted the Western Division Champion Calgary Stampeders. The Stampeders won the game 22-14, with quarterback Henry Burris winning the MVP award...
, the championship game of the
Canadian Football LeagueThe Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
in 2008.
2009 also saw Versus begin airing games from the United Football League. The first season Championship aired on November 27, 2009. The UFL would return to Versus for a second season in 2010.
On April 5, 2010, Versus debuted
The Daily Line. The show consisted of a four-person panel (host Liam McHugh, handicapper Rob DeAngelis, comedian Reese Waters, and
Jenn StergerJennifer "Jenn" Lynette Sterger is a model and television personality, and former online columnist for Sports Illustrated...
) which discussed, often with heavy satire, sports-related topics that were popular that day. After seven months on the air, they cancelled
The Daily Line as of November 4, 2010 as a result of low
ratingsNielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship would air two live events on the channel due to the new contract agreement with UFC sister promotion World Extreme Cagefighting. The first edition of
UFC on Versus aired on March 21, 2010 headlined by
Brandon VeraBrandon Michael Vera is an American mixed martial artist. He competes as a light heavyweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He is the winner of the WEC 13 Heavyweight Tournament and currently resides in San Diego, California. He holds notable victories over Frank Mir, Assuerio Silva,...
vs.
Jon JonesJonathan Dwight Jones is an American mixed martial artist from Endicott, New York. He is the current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion....
in the Light Heavyweight division. The second event aired on August 1 with
Jon JonesJonathan Dwight Jones is an American mixed martial artist from Endicott, New York. He is the current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion....
facing
Vladimir MatyushenkoVladimir Vladimirovich Matyushenko is a Belarusian mixed martial artist and the first and only International Fight League light heavyweight champion...
. Also as part of the agreement with the UFC, several UFC Countdown shows would air. There was a countdown show the week of a PPV, usually lasting for one hour, and covering 2-3 of the biggest fights on the card.
They air many Mountain West, Pac-10, Big-12 and Sun Belt baseball games. They also broadcasts the Sun Belt, Big-12, and Pac-10 championship games.
They had also struck a deal with the NBA to air 10 regular season
NBA Development LeagueThe NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
games as well as 6 playoff games a year. Games will air Saturday nights. In total, they would air 16
NBA Development LeagueThe NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
games in addition to 25 hours of NBA programming specials. They also aired five NBA games, men's and women's Mountain West and Sun Belt games.
On August 3, 2010, they began airing
Greatest MLB Rivalries, a one-hour show that focused on some of the biggest
rivalries in baseballRivalries in Major League Baseball , like in other sports, have occurred between many teams and cities. Rivalries have arisen for many different reasons, the primary ones include geographic proximity, familiarity with opponents, violence, and cultural, linguistic, or national pride.Interleague...
. Five episodes were filmed with a new show every Tuesday. The American League vs. National League, Dodgers vs. Giants, Yankees vs. Red Sox, Mets vs. Phillies and Cubs vs. Cardinals were the rivalries featured.
Starting in August 2010, they aired nine races of the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour and NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour, Wednesdays at 7 p.m. The races originated from a variety of locations, including
Stafford Motor SpeedwayStafford Motor Speedway is a semi-banked 1/2 mile paved oval located in Stafford Springs, Connecticut. It is part of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series. It hosts four events on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in 2010....
, Tri-County Speedway, and Thompson Motor Speedway.
NBC Sports Network
In February 2011, Comcast acquired a majority share in
NBC UniversalNBCUniversal Media, LLC is a media and entertainment company engaged in the production and marketing of entertainment, news, and information products and services to a global customer base...
, and merged its content operations into the company. As part of the acquisition, Versus (and Comcast's other sports channels) began to be integrated into the
NBC SportsNBC Sports is the sports division of the NBC television network. Formerly "a service of NBC News," it broadcasts a diverse array of programs, including the Olympic Games, the NFL, the NHL, MLS, Notre Dame football, the PGA Tour, the Triple Crown, and the French Open, among others...
division. Coinciding with the merger, President Jamie Davis was replaced by Comcast Sports Group President Jon Litner. Litner will now oversee the channel, in addition to his other duties following the Comcast takeover.
With World Extreme Cagefighting's merger into the Ultimate Fighting Championship, there will be no further WEC events aired on Versus, although they will air four additional UFC events in 2011.
The network also announced that they would be airing
National Lacrosse LeagueThe National Lacrosse League is a men's professional indoor lacrosse league in North America. It currently has nine teams; three in Canada and six in the United States. Unlike other lacrosse leagues which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter and spring. Each year, the playoff...
games, starting with the 2011 All-Star Game and culminating with the
Champion's CupThe Champion's Cup is the trophy awarded to the playoff winners in the National Lacrosse League.-Winners:-Most Valuable Players:-Champion's Cup appearances:Only currently active teams are listed.-All-time Champion's Cup wins:...
final. The network will air nine games total in the 2011 season.
They are also airing re-broadcasts of
Notre Dame footballNotre Dame Football on NBC is a presentation of the Notre Dame football television package on NBC. The television network broadcasts all Notre Dame home games.-History:...
games from previous years, as well as the annual spring football "Blue-Gold" intramural game, effectively taking over from the HD-exclusive
Universal HDUniversal HD is an HDTV cable television network owned by NBCUniversal. The channel was known as Bravo HD+ until December 1, 2004. The network exclusively broadcasts in high definition 1080i...
(which formerly held cable rerun rights) as the cable home of Notre Dame football events.
In April 2011, NBC Sports and Versus announced they had reached a ten year extension to the television contract with the National Hockey League worth nearly 2 billion dollars over the life of the contract. As part of the announcement, the former chairman of NBC Sports,
Dick EbersolDuncan "Dick" Ebersol is an American television executive and a senior adviser for . He had previously been the chairman of NBC Sports, producing large scale television events such as the Olympic Games and National Football League broadcasts....
announced that Versus would be re-named "within 90 days", in order to reflect the synergy of the two networks after the Universal-Comcast merger. However, no announcement of a new name would come until August 1, 2011.
On June 6, 2011, it was revealed that NBCUniversal would be extending their rights to the
Olympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
through 2020, outbidding competing bids by
Fox SportsFox Sports is a division of the Fox Broadcasting Company . It was formed in 1994 with Fox's acquisition of broadcast rights to National Football League games...
and
ESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
in a $4.38 billion contract. It is expected that Versus will participate in NBC's overall coverage beginning in 2012.
On August 1, 2011, Comcast officially announced that Versus would be re-launched as the
NBC Sports Network on January 2, 2012. Personnel from NBC Sports will be shared between the two channels, and the network's telecasts will be produced in a similar style to those aired by NBC. This is the reverse of the arrangement between
ABC SportsESPN on ABC is the brand used for sports programming on the ABC television network. Officially the broadcast network retains its own sports division; however, for all practical purposes, ABC's sports division has been merged with ESPN, a sports cable network majority-owned by ABC's parent, The...
and
ESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, both of which are controlled by Disney. The re-launch will coincide with multiple major events to be aired on NBC at the beginning of the year (such as the
NHL Winter ClassicThe NHL Winter Classic is an annual event held by the National Hockey League on New Year's Day where regular-season games are played outdoors, in areas hosted by NHL teams. Though largely derived from the Heritage Classic outdoor game held in Edmonton in 2003, the Winter Classic has so far only...
, the NFL post-season, and
Super Bowl XLVISuper Bowl XLVI will be the 46th annual edition of the Super Bowl in American football, and the 42nd annual championship game of the modern-era National Football League . It will be held on February 5, 2012 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. This will be the first Super Bowl to be...
), which will be used to promote the network. Comcast also reported that Versus's primetime viewership had doubled since the merger with NBC.
Additionally, NBC Sports also announced a new broadcasting contract with
Major League SoccerMajor League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
to produce games for the 2012 season on NBC and the NBC Sports Network. There will be 2 regular season games, 2 playoff games, and 2 national team matches on NBC and 38 regular season games, 3 playoff games, and 2 national team matches on the NBC Sports Network. On the same day, the UFL announced it had not reached a deal with Versus to continue carrying its games, and that the league would instead give those games to
regional sports networkIn the United States of America and Canada, a regional sports network, or RSN, is a cable television station that presents sports programming to a local market. The most important programming on an RSN consists of live broadcasts of professional and college sporting events, as those games generate...
s.
In September 2011, the channel premiered a new batch of daily programming. College Football Talk and Pro Football Talk airs every Monday recapping the weekend in sports. NBC Sports Talk airs Tuesdays-Fridays. CNBC Sports Biz: Game on, hosted by
Darren RovellDarren Rovell is a sports business reporter who joined the financial news channel CNBC in 2006.- Education :Rovell graduated from Roslyn High School in Roslyn Heights, NY in 1996....
, airs on Fridays.
Distribution
In October 2005, they elected not to provide its NHL coverage to a number of distributors, including EchoStar (
Dish NetworkDish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...
) and Cablevision, which both refused Comcast's request to place Versus on a much higher-penetration package. During this time, they blacked out NHL coverage on these systems, replacing them with other programming. It was believed that the reason behind these blackouts had to do with a penalty fee that Comcast would have had to pay the NHL if they did not significantly increase their distribution.
While Cablevision eventually came to an agreement making OLN/Versus available to any customer with digital cable, EchoStar retaliated by pulling OLN from its service; it was Dish Network's stance that few of its customers would be willing to have the channel if it meant raising rates. On April 24, 2006, the same date that OLN announced the late-September name change to Versus, Dish Network and OLN reached a long term agreement to restore the channel.
On August 18, 2009,
DirecTVDirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...
informed its customers that it may drop the channel after August 31, 2009 if a new carriage agreement wasn't made with the network's owners
ComcastComcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
.
DirecTV dropped the channel at midnight on September 1, replacing it with the message "Versus is no longer available on this channel. Comcast, which owns Versus, has forced us to take down the channel because we will not submit to their unfair and outrageous demands. For more information go to directv.com/versus."
On March 15, 2010 an agreement was reached between the sides and Versus returned to DirecTV's lineup. The channel was returned to its original package on the service, Choice Xtra.
High definition
A
1080i1080i is the shorthand name for a high-definition television mode. The i means interlaced video; 1080i differs from 1080p, in which the p stands for progressive scan. The term 1080i assumes a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9, implying a frame size of 1920×1080 pixels...
high definitionHigh-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
simulcast was launched in January 2007. Initially, they shared an HD feed with its sister network Golf Channel, marketed as
Versus/Golf HD, airing Golf Channel programming during the daytime hours, and Versus programming at night. The shared channel were replaced by individual HD feeds for both networks in December 2008.
Prior to the launch of the channel's HD feed, some Versus programming in the HD format was seen on the defunct INHD channels.
When Versus becomes the NBC Sports Network, the channel is expected to take on the 16:9 widescreen letterbox format for its standard definition feed just as
ESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, Fox Sports, Fox News,
CNNCable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, and other cable networks have done.
Programming
- NHL on Versus
The NHL on Versus was the former branding used for National Hockey League games broadcast on Versus. Versus became the NHL's cable partner in the United States beginning in the 2005-06 season from previous partner ESPN, providing coverage of regular season games, playoff games, and select games...
- IndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
- College Football on Versus
The television channel Versus currently aired college football games from various college football conferences. At the time this program began, the channel was known as OLN but, in 2006, it was renamed Versus...
- College Basketball on Versus
- Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
Tennis
- PBR on Versus
- WEC WrekCage
- Americas Cup on Versus
- WEC
World Extreme Cagefighting was an American mixed martial arts promotion. It was purchased by Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of Ultimate Fighting Championship , in 2006. In its final incarnation, it was made up of 3 weight classes: 135, 145 and 155 lbs. To accommodate the smaller...
on Versus
- World Combat League on Versus
- Fight Night on Versus
- UFC Countdown (2010-2011)
- USSA on Versus
- Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
on Versus
- SCCA World Challenge
- SlamBall
Slamball is a form of basketball played with 4 trampolines in front of each net. It is played "full contact" and has boards around the court....
on Versus
- United Football League on Versus (2009-2010)
- UFC
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
on Versus (2010-2011)
- IIHF Men's Ice Hockey World Championship
- Triple Crown Preliminary Races
- NLL ON Versus
- NBA D-League on Versus
- Fight Night Boxing Series
- College Hockey and Hockey East
- Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
(2012-)
They have also aired several sports movies, like
Rocky IIIRocky III is a 1982 American film that is the third installment in the Rocky film series. It is written and directed by and stars Sylvester Stallone as the title character, with Carl Weathers as former boxing rival Apollo Creed, Burgess Meredith as Rocky's trainer Mickey, and Talia Shire as Rocky's...
,
The Big LebowskiThe Big Lebowski is a 1998 comedy film written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Jeff Bridges stars as Jeff Lebowski, an unemployed Los Angeles slacker and avid bowler, who is referred to as "The Dude". After a case of mistaken identity, The Dude is introduced to a millionaire also named...
and
MiracleMiracle is a 2004 American biographical sports film about the United States men's hockey team, led by head coach Herb Brooks, that won the gold medal in the 1980 Winter Olympics. The USA team's victory over the heavily favored Soviet team in the medal round was dubbed the Miracle on Ice...
, as well as
rerunA rerun or repeat is a re-airing of an episode of a radio or television broadcast. The invention of the rerun is generally credited to Desi Arnaz. There are two types of reruns—those that occur during a hiatus, and those that occur when a program is syndicated. Reruns can also be, as the...
s of
Survivor. and original programming shows like
Sports SoupSports Soup was a weekly series airing in the U.S. on Versus. The show , hosted by Matt Iseman, satirizes recent events in sports and the stations that cover them in similar fashion to sister network E! Entertainment Television's series The Soup...
,
TapOut,
The Contender,
Holy @$%*!,
Sports Unfiltered with Dennis MillerDennis Miller is an American stand-up comedian, political commentator, actor, sports commentator, and television and radio personality. He is known for his critical assessments laced with pop culture references...
, and
Fanarchy.
Versus, continuing a tradition started when the channel was still known as the Outdoor Life Network, devotes most of its daytime and weekend programming to programs of interest to outdoorsmen, with most of its shows pertaining to hunting and fishing; Bill Dance, Mike Iaconelli,
Babe WinkelmanBabe Winkelman is a world-renowned Minnesota-based professional fisherman, first coming into the national spotlight with "Babe Winkelman's Good Fishing" television program, which was first syndicated nationwide in the mid-1980s...
, and
Tred BartaTred Barta is an American hunter, fisherman, and outdoorsman, who hosts The Best and Worst of Tred Barta on the Versus Channel. As a fisherman, Barta has amassed several world records, some still current.-Hunting:...
are among the numerous hosts seen during the outdoor programming.
External links
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