Does Vs. really need to be rebranded again

[Roomtemperature]

Its not like its OLN and I don't know if NBC is really that big a name among sports fans.

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[Drake1588]

OLN to Versus was sort of arbitrary, but Versus to NBC whatever (probably simply NBC Sports) will make a real difference in terms of the perceptions, in terms of legitimacy in broad viewing circles.

 

[mucker*]

Oh I don't think there is any doubt this helps.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

OLN to Versus was sort of arbitrary, but Versus to NBC whatever (probably simply NBC Sports) will make a real difference in terms of the perceptions, in terms of legitimacy in broad viewing circles.

This.


OLN to Versus was a fairly latteral move...they wanted to get away from being known as 'that fishing and hunting channel' and it worked for the most part, though the name sucked and it didn't really do much but distance themselves from Jimbo & Ned's Huntin' and Killin' style shows.

Versus to NBC? Are you kidding me? You're taking an also-ran cable sports channel and giving it one of the biggest brand names in the country. This will be a huge boom to the network, in name recognition and channel availability (I live in an area where it's still a digital channel only...once the NBC re-branding happens I fully expect it to be added to the line-up within a couple months). Don't underestimate name recognition and it's importance in marketing.



Bigger question: Does it hurt in any way, shape, or form?

 

[Kane One]

What actual re-branding are they really going to do? Can someone give me a link?

 

[Big McLargehuge]

What actual re-branding are they really going to do? Can someone give me a link?

Dick Ebersole, head of NBC Sports, said that a re-branding will take place within 90 days with today's announcements. It's been assumed that with Comcast buying NBC that a re-branding to NBC Sports was inevitable, now we know a re-branding will happen and it's assumed that it will be under that moniker.


It could well be something different...but that just isn't likely...name recognition of NBC is too big and NBC's other major sister networks keep the NBC branding as well (CNBC & MSNBC).

I definitely expect the 22 year-old logo of NBC Sports to be updated, though...finally...

Just screams 1989, don't it?

 

[Kane One]

Don't you mean Comcast (not Cablevision) buying NBC? And thanks for the info on that.

 

[rabi]

most likely will be called NBC Sports Network or NBCSN

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Don't you mean Comcast (not Cablevision) buying NBC? And thanks for the info on that.

Yeah, sorry. Cablevision just bought Bresnan, my cable company. Cablevision on the mind...

 

[kombayn]

most likely will be called NBC Sports Network or NBCSN

I'll say they'll go with NBC Sports Network just like CBS College Sports recently changing their name to CBS Sports Network. I'm kind of curious if they'll change the name of Comcast SportsNet to be re-branded under the NBC Sports moniker, an example would be renaming CSN Philadelphia to NBC Sports Philadelphia.

We'll see though, good for the NHL, they're allowing competition and ESPN will have to work for what they want in sports media. I fully expect the NBC Sports Cable Group (if you Google will show that it's a group of Comcast & NBC Sports execs together now) to go after MLB TV rights, NASCAR rights, Major League Soccer, World Cup and Olympics.

Honestly, it's an exciting time as companies want to challenge Disney's sports monopoly named ESPN.

 

[dabid]

I heard that it could be called "CSNBC" (Comcast Sports NBC), although I'd prefer just "NBC Sports"

 

[DarkHorse]

I heard that it could be called "CSNBC" (Comcast Sports NBC), although I'd prefer just "NBC Sports"

That would be terrible. Alphabet soup today just doesn't work when it comes to gaining traction.

I'm expecting NBC Sportsnet (combining NBC Sports and Comcast SportsNet) or the vanilla NBC Sports, though I think Universal Sports could be a possibility.

 

[Kitsune]

I'll say they'll go with NBC Sports Network just like CBS College Sports recently changing their name to CBS Sports Network. I'm kind of curious if they'll change the name of Comcast SportsNet to be re-branded under the NBC Sports moniker, an example would be renaming CSN Philadelphia to NBC Sports Philadelphia.

We'll see though, good for the NHL, they're allowing competition and ESPN will have to work for what they want in sports media. I fully expect the NBC Sports Cable Group (if you Google will show that it's a group of Comcast & NBC Sports execs together now) to go after MLB TV rights, NASCAR rights, Major League Soccer, World Cup and Olympics.

Honestly, it's an exciting time as companies want to challenge Disney's sports monopoly named ESPN.

Lots of talk that NBC doesnt want the Olympics the next go around though... and that could leave a lot of money for MLB, MLS etc.

 

[DarkHorse]

Lots of talk that NBC doesnt want the Olympics the next go around though... and that could leave a lot of money for MLB, MLS etc.

I keep waiting for a TV network to look at sports as the money suck they are rather than the loss leader they sell it as, especially when it comes to the Olympics.

I won't be holding my breath.

 

[jkrdevil]

That would be terrible. Alphabet soup today just doesn't work when it comes to gaining traction.

I'm expecting NBC Sportsnet (combining NBC Sports and Comcast SportsNet) or the vanilla NBC Sports, though I think Universal Sports could be a possibility.

I don't think it would be terrible. Not really different than say MSNBC.

I could see CSNBC or NBC Sportsnet as both combine the national and the regional networks, both of which are strong brands. I think they will go with CSNBC just because it is also in line with their news channels (CNBC and MSNBC). Logo will probably feature peacock in the CSN arches. Also with CBS renaming their college sports channel just CBS Sports Network, Sportsnet or full NBC Sports Network might seem to generic. There is also Fox Sportsnet, those name they might fear confusion.

I think this rebranding will be more effective than the Versus, because it will probably tie the channel in with existing tv brands and give it that instant credibility.

I think Universal Sports is a no go as it already exist and I think Ebersole wants NBC in the name.

 

[GKJ]

Its not like its OLN and I don't know if NBC is really that big a name among sports fans.

NBC is that big of a name among living people though.

 

[DarkHorse]

I don't think it would be terrible. Not really different than say MSNBC.

And how well is MSNBC doing?

I think Universal Sports is a no go as it already exist and I think Ebersole wants NBC in the name.

I had thought it was Universal HD that just showed sports, but I see it's a whole other channel now. It's possible though they could turn the current Universal Sports into Universal World Sports or Universal Sports International (its focus is really on sports that aren't big in America) and shift Universal Sports to take over Versus. Then it would be on its way to an ESPN-style franchise branding.

I was wondering if the value of the NBC name is really that great (especially since it's now essentially the fifth network ratings-wise, behind CBS, FOX, ABC and Univision.)

 

[Spydey629]

I'd lay a wager it'll end up as NBC Sports Net or something very similar.

NBC already has ShopNBC hidden in the netherworld of cable and satellite, so I'm thinking they avoid putting another *S*NBC channel out there.

What I'm wondering is if NBC Sports Group will follow ESPN's lead and make everything uniform. Since ESPN officially obsorbed ABC Sports, you can't tell the difference from one broadcast to the other.

NBC is already re-branding their golf coverage as "The Golf Channel on NBC" and using TGC's graphics. The Notre Dame spring game on Versus used NBC Sports' graphics even though Versus has their own. Possible sign of things to come?

 

[TheMoreYouKnow]

It seems pretty probable that they'd go for a unified identity of sports on NBC and the NBC sportschannel whatever it might end up being called.

 

[Bittco]

I'd lay a wager it'll end up as NBC Sports Net or something very similar.

NBC already has ShopNBC hidden in the netherworld of cable and satellite, so I'm thinking they avoid putting another *S*NBC channel out there.

What I'm wondering is if NBC Sports Group will follow ESPN's lead and make everything uniform. Since ESPN officially obsorbed ABC Sports, you can't tell the difference from one broadcast to the other.

NBC is already re-branding their golf coverage as "The Golf Channel on NBC" and using TGC's graphics. The Notre Dame spring game on Versus used NBC Sports' graphics even though Versus has their own. Possible sign of things to come?

THIS

Plus I feel like I have heard rumors somewhere along the line comcast would be changing the name of its local sports channels (currently Comcast Sportsnet XYZ location) due to having the NBC name and the fact the word 'comcast' makes 95% of the countries blood boil. NBC SportsNet ties the national network with the local ones which could be NBC SportsNet Philly. Maybe they add an extra word after the national network to clearly diferentiate it from the local ones but I can easily see this being the overall theme of the rebrand.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Its not like its OLN and I don't know if NBC is really that big a name among sports fans.

I'm not sure quite what you mean here. NBC is a big name among, well, everybody.

NBC might not have a huge reputation in the narrowly-niched market of people who only watch sports channels to the exclusion of everything else, but that's the purpose of branding Versus as an NBC channel.

The question of whether Versus really needs to be rebranded is legit, as they have built something of an identity for themselves around "manly" sports shows, but there's no question whatsoever that the NBC brand is much much stronger.

 

[seanlinden]

Not being an american, I think it's a definite step forward and something that needed to be done in two stages, despite the cost to change a brand every time you do it.

As others have mentioned, OLN used to be known as the hunting and fishing channel. You really can't be associating the NBC Sports name with something that is the hunting and fishing channel, so you change the name to something geared more towards big time sports.

Once you've built the perception as a legitimate sports network, it becomes appropriate to name it NBC sports.

 

[Unstable]

Not being an american, I think it's a definite step forward and something that needed to be done in two stages, despite the cost to change a brand every time you do it.

As others have mentioned, OLN used to be known as the hunting and fishing channel. You really can't be associating the NBC Sports name with something that is the hunting and fishing channel, so you change the name to something geared more towards big time sports.

Once you've built the perception as a legitimate sports network, it becomes appropriate to name it NBC sports.

Ah, but is there a perception that Versus is a legitimate sports network?

Anyway, Comcast only acquired NBC this year, so I don't think the first rebrand was with an eye towards the second.

 

[richo]

I just hope whatever name they go with can convince Dish Network to move the channel to a more accessible package. Right now, you have to buy one of the high end channels (Americas Top 250) and get hundreds of channels which don't interest me. Could the NBC name force Dish to move it down to a lower tier package, like ESPN?

 

[Unstable]

I just hope whatever name they go with can convince Dish Network to move the channel to a more accessible package. Right now, you have to buy one of the high end channels (Americas Top 250) and get hundreds of channels which don't interest me. Could the NBC name force Dish to move it down to a lower tier package, like ESPN?

See my rant in comment # 297 in http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=905454&page=12

One line version: Comcast doesn't want to force Dish to let you have Versus for cheap. Comcast wants to force YOU to pay IT for Versus, either directly or at an arm-and-a-leg price through Dish.