Comcast could rival ESPN

[hippie_hunter]

Yeah, Fox Sports already tried to unseat ESPN's Sportscenter, but they didn't succeed. And Fox Sports (as a brand) is more recognizable than Comcast's VS network, and at least as much if not more than NBC Sports. ESPN is the granddaddy of all the 24/7 sports network, and this is why their brand has endured over the decades. I don't think I'd watch Comcast/NBC sports over ESPN, by the way.

I think that Comcast and NBC Universal have a few advantages over what Fox and TBS had with FSN and CNNSI. In the case of CNNSI, it focused pretty much mostly on sports news. I think that people want to watch more than just sports news, they want to watch sports events as well. And for FSN, the biggest problem is that it's more of a collection of regional sports channels, than a single channel that ESPN presents.

With NBC Universal, Comcast can do a serious rebranding of Versus thanks to NBC holding the exclusive rights to the Olympic Games, rights to Sunday Night Football games, the Golf Channel, and NBC and Comcast's relationship with the NHL. NBC Universal has a bigger advantage than FSN and CNNSI.

 

[Raiden]

How can Comcast abuse their power? They bought a media conglomerate that has a movie studio that cannot make a hit, a television network that is in a dwindling 4th place, and the only cable channels that aren't junk channels in the new NBC Universal are MSNBC, CNBC, E!, the Weather Channel, and USA. With the takeover of NBC Universal, I think that Comcast really has an opportunity to take Vs. out of the junk channel status and really boost it up to a legitimate competitor to ESPN. And actually having competition with ESPN would be a great thing to lower cable bills because ESPN is one of the biggest reasons why cable/satellite bills are going dramatically up.

You are assuming that if Comcast's sports networks become successful, cable providers will ditch ESPN or at least say no to ESPN's demands when the contract is expiring. But I don't see that happening, even if the VS network poses a legitimate competitor against ESPN and its sister networks.

 

[BlackLantern]

The opportunity is there to at least give ESPN some competition

 

[Dr. Evil]

I think that Comcast and NBC Universal have a few advantages over what Fox and TBS had with FSN and CNNSI. In the case of CNNSI, it focused pretty much mostly on sports news. I think that people want to watch more than just sports news, they want to watch sports events as well. And for FSN, the biggest problem is that it's more of a collection of regional sports channels, than a single channel that ESPN presents.

With NBC Universal, Comcast can do a serious rebranding of Versus thanks to NBC holding the exclusive rights to the Olympic Games, rights to Sunday Night Football games, the Golf Channel, and NBC and Comcast's relationship with the NHL. NBC Universal has a bigger advantage than FSN and CNNSI.

NBC only has TV rights through next year's London Summer Olympics. Sochi in 2014 and Rio in 2016 are up for grabs.

 

[BlackLantern]

CBS is going to make a move

 

[hippie_hunter]

You are assuming that if Comcast's sports networks become successful, cable providers will ditch ESPN or at least say no to ESPN's demands when the contract is expiring. But I don't see that happening, even if the VS network poses a legitimate competitor against ESPN and its sister networks.

If Versus manages to become a legitimate competitor to ESPN, ESPN will no longer be in a position to demand such massive royalty fees. CNNSI failed because in the end, ESPNews delivered better sports news than SNNSI and they didn't focus on sports events the way ESPN does. FSN fails because it's just a collection of regional sports channels as opposed to the unified one that ESPN is. Yeah, ESPN is a big brand, but people turn to ESPN because in the end, there is nothing on par with ESPN to begin with. ESPN is the champion when it comes to sports news and sports content.

With Versus though, they have a big opportunity to be the ESPN rival that CNNSI and FSN wished to be because they have the content to rival them. They will have exclusive broadcast rights to the Olympics. Exclusive broadcast rights to the NHL. Like ESPN, be able to air NFL games. Superior coverage of the PGA thanks to the Golf Channel and NBC Sports having the rights to various golf tournaments. They are seriously courting the MLS. The content is there, all they really have to do is find the talent to cover sports news the way that ESPN does.

If Comcast manages to turn Versus into a legitimate competitor to ESPN, ESPN would be in a weakened position in negotiations because unlike before, viewers can now go to something else that is on par with ESPN.

 

[BlackLantern]

having golf hepls, and getting MLS, which I think may happen is a step in the right direction

 

[Dr. Evil]

CBS is going to make a move

Jim Nantz on Olympic coverage = Meh

Gus Johnson on Olympic coverage =

 

[BlackLantern]

Jim Nantz on Olympic coverage = Meh

Gus Johnson on Olympic coverage =

for Winter, Gus Johnson needs to do some of the skiing events, curling, bobsled, skeleton

for Summer, Basketball, Track and Field, Shot Put, Swimming

 

[Dr. Evil]

for Winter, Gus Johnson needs to do some of the skiing events, curling, bobsled, skeleton

for Summer, Basketball, Track and Field, Shot Put, Swimming

Gus calling one of Usain Bolt's record breaking runs would be great. I've started to change my mind about him in recent weeks. I hope he takes over for Verne Lundquist on College football when Verne retires. He should not be doing some NFL game with two crap teams every week.

CBS would have to acquire a lot of talent for them to do Olympics.

As for Comcast/ESPN rivalry.....there are some sports broadcasters in other sports that isn't football, baseball, basketball or hockey that work for both ESPN and NBC. Track and Field has broadcasters working for both networks.

 

[enterthemadness]

People in the know hate Comcast taking over NBCU. Mainly save the Internet. Word is comcast likes to block netflix online streaming. Hence, abuse of power. I think people are overreacting. And if they don't like it, there's other services out there.

 

[BlackLantern]

People in the know hate Comcast taking over NBCU. Mainly save the Internet. Word is comcast likes to block netflix online streaming. Hence, abuse of power. I think people are overreacting. And if they don't like it, there's other services out there.

do you have any legitimate source for this??

I have never heard of this, ever....i have Comcast and Ive had Netflix going on 3 years and have never had an issue with my Watch Instant

 

[enterthemadness]

The New York Times reported last night that the cable giant has threatened to block access to the popular online movie service Netflix unless the company that streams its films pays new and extortionate tolls. Earlier in the day, Comcast was caught red-handed trying to smother the marketplace for competitive Internet modems designed for use on its network -- a violation of fundamental Net Neutrality principles that allow you to choose what devices you want to use.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/timothy-karr/comcast-busted-new-tolls-_b_789786.html

 

[BlackLantern]

hmmm.....dick move, but a lot of the 'net neutrality' stuff is still being defined....Im fairly sure the FCC will handle it

 

[enterthemadness]

hmmm.....dick move, but a lot of the 'net neutrality' stuff is still being defined....Im fairly sure the FCC will handle it

In any case, I do hope Comcast fixes NBC, builds up Versus and Chiller. Chiller is alright as it is...the 9am-3pm marathon block is good..the rest they can change. As it is, it's home to reruns and dvd movies mostly.

 

[BlackLantern]

I would just ditch Chiller and dump everything onto FearNet.....I could see Versus and Universal Sports being rebranded into NBC Sports or maybe using Versus as "the flagship"

 

[TMC1982]

If Versus manages to become a legitimate competitor to ESPN, ESPN will no longer be in a position to demand such massive royalty fees. CNNSI failed because in the end, ESPNews delivered better sports news than SNNSI and they didn't focus on sports events the way ESPN does. FSN fails because it's just a collection of regional sports channels as opposed to the unified one that ESPN is. Yeah, ESPN is a big brand, but people turn to ESPN because in the end, there is nothing on par with ESPN to begin with. ESPN is the champion when it comes to sports news and sports content.

With Versus though, they have a big opportunity to be the ESPN rival that CNNSI and FSN wished to be because they have the content to rival them. They will have exclusive broadcast rights to the Olympics. Exclusive broadcast rights to the NHL. Like ESPN, be able to air NFL games. Superior coverage of the PGA thanks to the Golf Channel and NBC Sports having the rights to various golf tournaments. They are seriously courting the MLS. The content is there, all they really have to do is find the talent to cover sports news the way that ESPN does.

If Comcast manages to turn Versus into a legitimate competitor to ESPN, ESPN would be in a weakened position in negotiations because unlike before, viewers can now go to something else that is on par with ESPN.

What also killed CNN/SI was that they were only in about 20 million homes (which isn't enough to receive a rating by Nielsen Media Research, thus is killer to sponsors) in contrast to the over 86.5 million that ESPNews (who benefited from the leverage of ESPN Proper) had.

 

[TMC1982]

http://www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=294235

Now, NBC Sports Network, CBS Sports Network and FOX Sports Network are all competing against not only each other, but also, their main focus is to compete against The Worldwide Leader in Sports (and I'm talking about ESPN).

ESPN has been on cable television for more than 30 years and also, ESPN is owned by ABC and since 1996, ABC and ESPN have been owned by The Walt Disney Company.

But the question is this:

Who will be the #1 Sports Network in 2012?

Will ESPN continue to dominate, or will it be FOX Sports Network, CBS Sports Network or the NEW NBC Sports Network?

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

^ That article is a bit confusing as "Fox Sports Network" doesnt even really exist any more. There are a few local Fox Sports Nets in different areas but they dont really have a National presence any more.

 

[Poeman]

NBC Sports Network can give the ESPN a fight

I hate ESPN's coverage at times...But its all we got at the moment.

Rather then competing against everyone, some of these networks should team up and defeat the evil ESPN

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

Honestly, I don't even watch ESPN any more except if there's an NFL or MLB game on that I want to see. All of that info you'd want about sports can be gleaned elsewhere without the annoying on air personalities and hype.

They have Sportscenter on at my gym, and the other morning there was a segment with Emeril cooking up a "perfect team: in a crock pot with cutouts of people's heads. This further validated my feelings about them.

 

[StorminNorman]

With the talent NBC Sports has assembled with the ProFootballTalk group and Peter King, I am very excited to see what could come from them.

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

Profootballtalk has talent? I thought it was just Florio posting speculative BS on his website and then rehashing 6 hour old news on the Sunday Night post game show?

 

[StorminNorman]

Florio is the Matt Drudge of the NFL (and I love me some Matt Drudge). His reporting is substantially better than ESPN (and he actually has journalistic integrity). Some of his reporting is speculative, but speculation is 90% of sports coverage by very nature.

ProFootballTalk is the best NFL site on the web. It has the quantity of ESPN with far greater quality.

 

[Sith Scotti]

The best thing Espn did the last few years is get into films . I love the docs and want more of them and less of the on air clowns they have now , More docs and less Skip please.