NBCUniversal is back in the game of operating a stand-alone sports network.
The Comcast-controlled media conglomerate said it would revive NBCSN, or NBC Sports Network, and devote it to sports programming that usually streams on the company’s Peacock service, including Monday-night NBA games and the “Gold Zone” Olympics whip-around show.
“NBCUniversal delivers the biggest moments in sports, and the new NBC Sports Network gives pay-tv customers a seamless way to enjoy the wide range of sports in our portfolio, adding an important pillar in our linear and streaming strategy,” said Matt Schnaars, president, platform distribution and partnerships at NBCUniversal, in a statement.
NBCU, which previously operated an NBCSN that first started as a small sports network called Outdoor Life Network, then Versus, shut the property down in 2021. Now it will return first on YouTube TV — giving Comcast a chance to tweak competitor Disney, whose ESPN and other properties are currently not available on the service due to a blackout and disagreement over carriage terms.
More to come…
