OLN is Now in More than 70 Million Homes

[Stevedude530]

From OLN PR...

STAMFORD, CT (AUGUST 31, 2006) – OLN, which will be changing its name to VERSUS on September 25, today announced that the network’s distribution has surpassed 70 million homes. The network, which features competition in the field and on the field, is the national cable home of the NHL and best-in-class events like the Tour de France, the Professional Bull Riders and the America’s Cup. It also includes the finest field sports programming on television, with shows like Whitetail Revolution, TRCP’s Life in the Open and The World of Beretta highlighting a robust field sports schedule. Shows like The Barbeque Championship Series and Soul of a Champion round out the network’s competition-laden original programming.

The network has added 7.2 million homes since January, making it the third-fastest growing cable network in 2006 and the fastest growing network in the sports category. Some notable additions to this year’s schedule have included Fight Night, a collaboration with leading boxing promoters Top Rank to televise twelve live signature boxing matches as well as classic fights from Top Rank’s vast library; and the NHL playoffs, which helped boost network ratings by 169% during that period, as compared to year ago figures. VERSUS will begin televising college football games from the Mountain West Conference in September and the games of the National Lacrosse League in 2007.

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[GKJ]

Steve, will NLL and MWC games be produced by Versus?

 

[Stevedude530]

Yes, I think OLN is trying to create it's own primetime sports brand. Have you seen their boxing coverage or their Cal Ripken World Series coverage (With PBP from Philly's own Jim Jackson)? It's the same graphics (Scoreboards, lineups, statistics) that The NHL On OLN uses, instead of the ugly blockish graphics they use for other sports. The MWC and NLL will further enhance that.

In fact OLN has hired it's MWC Football team:

STAMFORD, CT (August 29, 2006) – OLN, home to the NHL, the Tour de France and the Professional Bull Riders, today announced that longtime sports broadcaster Gary Bender and NFL veteran Glenn Parker will announce the Mountain West Conference college football games on the network. OLN, which will change its name to Versus September 25, will air eight Mountain West Conference games in the 2006 season with the first game featuring two teams ranked in the top 25 of the USA Today Pre-season Coaches’ Poll, Texas Tech (#25) at TCU (#21) on Saturday, September 16 at 5:30 p.m. ET.

 

[vbet*]

It would be nice if OLN in canada actually carried games. But then again it would make me miss all those repeats of Amazing Race, Don't forget your passport and those gripping specials on "Badgers"

 

[GKJ]

It would be nice if OLN in canada actually carried games. But then again it would make me miss all those repeats of Amazing Race, Don't forget your passport and those gripping specials on "Badgers"

That's not OLN's fault. That's the NHL's for signing an exclusive agreement with TSN that they sure as hell aren't regretting

 

[vbet*]

That's not OLN's fault. That's the NHL's for signing an exclusive agreement with TSN that they sure as hell aren't regretting

True I guess. I would just like to watch some different american teams once in a while. You know I don't think I have ever seen a Florida or Atlanta game?

 

[Stevedude530]

Do you really need more hockey? I don't, even with OLN. With it, I'll be spending 5-6 nights a week watching hockey courtesy of the Isles, Rags and my Devs.

You're Canadian, so you have a local team, plus at least 2 games a week on TSN, plus Hockey night in Canada, which is branching out into tripleheaders this season.

 

[vbet*]

Do you really need more hockey? I don't, even with OLN. With it, I'll be spending 5-6 nights a week watching hockey courtesy of the Isles, Rags and my Devs.

You're Canadian, so you have a local team, plus at least 2 games a week on TSN, plus Hockey night in Canada, which is branching out into tripleheaders this season.

It's not that I need more hockey, a change from edm playing calgary, vancouver, colorado, minn every 2nd day would be a nice.

Screw the new schedule.

 

[GKJ]

True I guess. I would just like to watch some different american teams once in a while. You know I don't think I have ever seen a Florida or Atlanta game?

Get Center Ice you won't be sorry

 

[Stevedude530]

Why would you want to see Florida-Atlanta?

I've never seen Columbus play Chicago, I haven't regretted it.

 

[vbet*]

Get Center Ice you won't be sorry

My condo faces north, can't use a dish.

 

[XX]

VERSUS should focus on getting on the major cable providers basic cable package. Only then will they truely stand a chance against ESPN.

 

[DaBadGuy7]

VERSUS should focus on getting on the major cable providers basic cable package. Only then will they truely stand a chance against ESPN.

there still a MLB package that they still get and if they get it they'll be a basic channel

 

[sandman441]

I don't have a major cable system provider but on mine they are changing OLN from 74 to I believe 37. All they need to do now is add Center Ice which they are talking about. Hopefully they will get it done before the season.

 

[ColoradoHockeyFan]

OLN, which will change its name to Versus September 25, will air eight Mountain West Conference games in the 2006 season with the first game featuring two teams ranked in the top 25 of the USA Today Pre-season Coaches’ Poll, Texas Tech (#25) at TCU (#21) on Saturday, September 16 at 5:30 p.m. ET.

Will these eight MWC games be exclusively on Versus, or will they also be available on CSTV or The Mountain? I'm hoping these eight are exclusively on Versus, so that more people are driven toward the network, especially with the top-25 matchup mentioned.

 

[Stevedude530]

Exclusively on Versus.

 

[Guy Legend]

70 million and it isn't in my home yet....

 

[Spydey629]

Yes, I think OLN is trying to create it's own primetime sports brand. Have you seen their boxing coverage or their Cal Ripken World Series coverage (With PBP from Philly's own Jim Jackson)? It's the same graphics (Scoreboards, lineups, statistics) that The NHL On OLN uses, instead of the ugly blockish graphics they use for other sports. The MWC and NLL will further enhance that.

In fact OLN has hired it's MWC Football team:

STAMFORD, CT (August 29, 2006) – OLN, home to the NHL, the Tour de France and the Professional Bull Riders, today announced that longtime sports broadcaster Gary Bender and NFL veteran Glenn Parker will announce the Mountain West Conference college football games on the network. OLN, which will change its name to Versus September 25, will air eight Mountain West Conference games in the 2006 season with the first game featuring two teams ranked in the top 25 of the USA Today Pre-season Coaches’ Poll, Texas Tech (#25) at TCU (#21) on Saturday, September 16 at 5:30 p.m. ET.

Gonna take a shot in the dark that OLN has hired their MWC basketball announcer then as well. Bender used to do both NFL and NBA games for TNT...

 

[Weary]

From OLN PR...

The network has added 7.2 million homes since January, making it the third-fastest growing cable network in 2006 and the fastest growing network in the sports category.

I wonder how many of those 7.2 million are DISH Network subscribers they regained.

 

[Old Hickory]

I wonder how many of those 7.2 million are DISH Network subscribers they regained.

I heard they are negotitating pretty hard to get off the lower tier on cable systems (Off the digitial on to to normal)

That should help them tremendously

 

[Evil Genius]

You're Canadian, so you have a local team, plus at least 2 games a week on TSN, plus Hockey night in Canada, which is branching out into tripleheaders this season.

Man that's sweet. Plus usually there's some noon or 1pm Saturday game start time from Boston or New Jersey or somewhere on the satellite and that's a heck of a Saturday of doing nothing but watching hockey until my wife leaves me.

 

[Evil Genius]

Why would you want to see Florida-Atlanta?

Actually Florida-Atlanta is typically a rather entertaining tilt. Both are pretty aggressive up-and-coming teams. Generally not a disappointing matchup if you like hard hitting back and forth hockey.

 

[Hemsky4PM]

Actually Florida-Atlanta is typically a rather entertaining tilt. Both are pretty aggressive up-and-coming teams. Generally not a disappointing matchup if you like hard hitting back and forth hockey.

Not to mention the conferences don't play each other nearly as often. Viewers in the west hardly ever get to see Kovalchuk, Jokinen, Crosby, Ovechkin, Staal, Jagr and so on. And it goes the other way. At least Florida and Atlanta wouldn't be teams I've seen a million times already.

As for the network, I guess they'd did OK considering the limited number of homes they reached last year. Hockey will never be able to challenge football in the U.S. but there's no reason they can't be the best of the "niche" sports. Here's an idea for Versus: get the UFC as soon as possible. That's the fastest growing sport in terms of fan interest in North America.

Reason's the NHL failed on ESPN: the game became torture to watch, star players didn't exist because of the defensive style and systems, ESPN employed mind-numbing analysts like Melrose (the last mullet on TV) and the NHL couldn't make Sportscenter to save their lives.

Whichever network/cable channel has the NHL needs to Ovechkin, Crosby, Staal, Spezza, Kovalchuk, Heatley and Malkin the crap out of viewers. I see better highlight reels on YouTube than hockey producers themselves deliver.

 

[OG6ix]

The problem is that they can't market Ovechkin, Kovalchuk and Malkin because of their english barrier. Sure they can market em, but only hockey fans will be drawn to them. It's one of the reasons why the NBA doesn't promote stars like Andrea Kiraleno or other europeans as much as they do Americans/Canadians (Nash).

I thought they would be able to market Phil Kessel until he opened his mouth and I heard his voice.

 

[Hasbro]

The problem is that they can't market Ovechkin, Kovalchuk and Malkin because of their english barrier. Sure they can market em, but only hockey fans will be drawn to them. It's one of the reasons why the NBA doesn't promote stars like Andrea Kiraleno or other europeans as much as they do Americans/Canadians (Nash).

I thought they would be able to market Phil Kessel until he opened his mouth and I heard his voice.

The language barrier wouldn't keep them out of office.