Don’t call it a comeback. NBC Sports Network or something like it could be returning.
According to reporting by the Wall Street Journal, NBCUniversal is considering (re)launching a sports-dedicated cable channel. The television and entertainment subsidiary of Comcast previously shut down the past iteration of that concept (NBCSN) in 2021 as it followed the market trend toward streaming services.
NBCUniversal has not made such plans public but the reporting cites sources familiar with the early-stage internal discussions.
If the company decides to move forward, the venture wouldn’t be a standalone channel. Instead, the network would compliment NBCUniversal’s streaming platform, Peacock, by serving as a mirror for its exclusive live sports content.
However, the new channel wouldn’t necessarily be an off ramp for those looking to cancel their Peacock subscription – which is set to increase by three dollars this week. NBCUniversal does not plan to offer the new channel as part of broad cable packages like ESPN (Disney) and Fox Sports 1 (Fox Corp) currently are. The network would only be available as part of a specific cable bundle, similar to DirecTV’s “MySports.”
Based on NBCUniversal’s purported plan for the new network, there doesn’t appear to be room for any regional sports network (RSN) affiliations. At least for now.
Washington Capitals fans will remember the team used to have its games broadcast on NBC Sports Washington (previously Home Team Sports and then Comcast Sportsnet Mid-Atlantic), the local channel affiliated with the NBC Sports division via the Comcast umbrella.
Over the years, the NBC Sports division has acquired the rights to such events as a weekly primetime NFL game, the Olympics, college football, soccer and – soon to debut this fall – the NBA. Previously, NBC was the home of NHL coverage including the Stanley Cup Playoffs from 2006-21.
NBCSN originally launched as the Outdoor Life Network in 1995 before rebranding to Versus in 2006 after the NHL signed on the previous year. In 2012 the channel then molted into its final form after Comcast consolidated NBCUniversal’s channels under one umbrella.
