OLN to be renamed "VERSUS"

OG6ix

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Seamus O' Toole said:
that's the best the marketing dept. can come up with? "VERSUS"? ... geez

It is not up to the marketing dept to come up with names and slogans. It is the advertising department. Marketing is all PR. Sorry but this is one of my pet peves.
 

Snap Wilson

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I am Jack's Fish said:
So your choice for a National Sports Channel would be the name of a corporation followed by the word "sports".

Hmmm, lots of branding opportunities there...

Thank you, Rob Frankel. Are you seeing endless possibilities with "Versus" or does the Net at the end make all the difference?

How about the Comcast Google Sportscast?
 
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I am Jack's Fish

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I wonder how many hockey fans are going to refuse to watch the games on Versus because they don't like the name of the channel?
 

OG6ix

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I am Jack's Fish said:
I wonder how many hockey fans are going to refuse to watch the games on Versus because they don't like the name of the channel?

I don't mind the name actually. If you look up versus in the dictionary and what this channel has done so far it makes sense.
 

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PortlandRanger said:
I don't mind the name actually. If you look up versus in the dictionary and what this channel has done so far it makes sense.

Bingo...

But for now, I am going to make fun of women who watch E!'s coverage of the Oscars for the two old ladies who make fun of the stars fashion choices...

Cause that makes as much sense as the incessant complaining from "hockey fans"
 

GKJ

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Oh Good Lord....



Well, I was right on one thing...whatever they were going to rename themsleves...would be stupid
 

OG6ix

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go kim johnsson 514 said:
Oh Good Lord....



Well, I was right on one thing...whatever they were going to rename themsleves...would be stupid

It isn't stupid, but rather cunning.

Ver-sus : 'As the alternative to or in contrast with'

It is pretty clear they want to be an alternative to something out there. I cannot put my hands on it, but I think it is an acronym that starts with an E and ends with N. :sarcasm:
 

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PortlandRanger said:
It is pretty clear they want to be an alternative to something out there. I cannot put my hands on it, but I think it is an acronym that starts with an E and ends with N. :sarcasm:

Well, they should be just like ESPN though...cause people didnt complain enough about ESPN's coverage of hockey...
 

OG6ix

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I am Jack's Fish said:
Well, they should be just like ESPN though...cause people didnt complain enough about ESPN's coverage of hockey...

Honestly I don't even remember ESPN's coverage. I don't really like ESPN for any sport. The NBA on ESPN blows I wish they were back on NBC. ESPN baseball is damn near impossible to watch. Now monday night football, yuck.
 

Snap Wilson

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I am Jack's Fish said:
I wonder how many hockey fans are going to refuse to watch the games on Versus because they don't like the name of the channel?

The same amount that wouldn't watch Comcast Sports or Google Sportscast or Outdoor Life Network, or my personal choice, Pud.

Nobody will care what the network is called. But "Versus" is lamer than something generic.

It isn't stupid, but rather cunning.

Ver-sus : 'As the alternative to or in contrast with'

It is pretty clear they want to be an alternative to something out there. I cannot put my hands on it, but I think it is an acronym that starts with an E and ends with N. :sarcasm:

That's even worse. Why not ICN then? The Inferiority Complex Network.

Their motto shouldn't be "an alternative to ESPN" it should be "ESPN who?"
 

OG6ix

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moneyp said:
That's even worse. Why not ICN then? The Inferiority Complex Network.

Their motto shouldn't be "an alternative to ESPN" it should be "ESPN who?"

I am just speculating the meaning of their name. Last I checked, Comcast has more money than ESPN does, so shouldn't they feel superior? :dunno:
 

StevenintheATL

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Figgles said:
Why not Comcast Sportsnet? Sometimes the simplest solution is the best.

Considering that the network is shown on non-Comcast owned cable and satellite providers, that wouldn't fly too well with the folks at Charter, Time-Warner Cable, Adelphia, and so on. The Comcast sports channel here in Atlanta is called CSS, which has two different meanings. It's Comcast Sports Southeast for Comcast subscribers, but is called Charter Sports Southeast for Charter Subscribers, as the network is available on Charter Cable in the same area.

I guess they can have multiple channels and call them V1, V2, V3, etc.... And we call it "The V".......
 

OG6ix

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Here is the full article.

OLN Selects Versus As New Moniker, Will Make Change In Fall
OLN has selected Versus as its new name, to take effect in September in time for the ’06-07 NHL season, according to SportsBusiness Journal’s Eric Fisher. The new name caps a two-year repositioning effort for the net and arrives after a search process lasting more than a year. OLN President Gavin Harvey said, “It’s provocative, and obviously gets directly into the competition that’s central to all of our programming. We didn’t want something that was going to be wallpaper in six months. In all of our studies, this is the one that kept rising to the top.†Other names considered by OLN included Sports Country Channel, Sports Nation Channel and Victory TV. Network officials are now preparing a multimillion-dollar rebranding effort, led by the rollout of a new logo. Harvey: “Some of our consultants suggested we go to the big reveal campaign, and that just didn’t feel right. We’ve put our viewers through a lot over the last couple of years with all the changes we’ve made. They’ve stayed loyal, thankfully, but we need to hammer away over the next few months, not mess around, and make sure people are aware of the Versus name†(THE DAILY). MULTICHANNEL NEWS’ Steve Donohue notes Hollywood-based Bird Design is “currently working on the logo, and an off-air consumer branding campaign will commence at the end of summer†(MULTICHANNEL NEWS, 4/24 issue).

MOVING FORWARD: The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER’s Paul Gough notes OLN has “a strong brand name among outdoors enthusiasts for its hunting and fishing programming,†and the net said that it “isn’t about to give that up.†Harvey declined comment on rumors that the net “would be interested in a cable deal†with MLB, but he said that the name “Versus†would “give the channel a new identity that is more than what it has done in the past.†Harvey: “This new positioning that we have allows us to be opportunistic. We want to pursue great sporting events wherever they lead us†(HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 4/24).

HOCKEY: Harvey, on the net’s relationship with the NHL: “It’s a turning point in the history of the network in terms of getting on the radar and being talked about by sports writers and fans. Absolutely, we need to get more viewers. (But) that franchise put us on the map. Our confidence in the franchise is stronger than ever.†Meanwhile, CABLEFAX DAILY reports Dish Network and OLN are “making progress†on a carriage deal (CABLEFAX DAILY, 4/24). NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman discussed the league’s OLN deal when he appeared on Friday’s edition of WFAN-AM’s “Mike and the Mad Dog.†Bettman: on OLN reaching about 20 million less homes than ESPN: “OLN plans to grow over time. They took a run, apparently, at the NFL. They’re going to take a run at other sports, and the hope is that by next season they’ll be in the 70 million (households) and that this is a long-term project for both them and us. But I love te treatment and the attention and the importance they’re giving us, and that’s why we made the move (from ESPN)†(YES, 4/21)
 

Michael Morbid

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Might as well call it DOESNOTEXIST, because until it's carried on every cable provider including basic cable (cough, like ESPN or FSN, etc.) it might as well be imaginary.
 

Snap Wilson

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PortlandRanger said:
I am just speculating the meaning of their name. Last I checked, Comcast has more money than ESPN does, so shouldn't they feel superior? :dunno:

Definitely! Being better than everyone else is the principle that America was founded on!
 

rekrul

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First its was the beginnging of a new sports network, the NHL followed by the NFL thursady package, the NBA, NASCAR and MLB. Sounds like the NHL followed the same cable pioneers like "sportschannel" and got fed a line of bull.

and Gary B your sports leauge is on " Versus".....

as said just give me my hockey damn it, the OLN supermarket logo or silly Ted's adventure doesn't bother me as long as there is a good game.
 

I am Jack's Fish

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PortlandRanger said:
Honestly I don't even remember ESPN's coverage. I don't really like ESPN for any sport. The NBA on ESPN blows I wish they were back on NBC. ESPN baseball is damn near impossible to watch. Now monday night football, yuck.

Wanna know what the attitude of the whiners was toward ESPN?

Same amount of *****ing, different channel
 

OG6ix

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rekrul said:
First its was the beginnging of a new sports network, the NHL followed by the NFL thursady package, the NBA, NASCAR and MLB. Sounds like the NHL followed the same cable pioneers like "sportschannel" and got fed a line of bull.

and Gary B your sports leauge is on " Versus".....

as said just give me my hockey damn it, the OLN supermarket logo or silly Ted's adventure doesn't bother me as long as there is a good game.

LOL!! Sportschannel america :biglaugh:

They aren't comcast though :shakehead
 

Michael Morbid

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I am Jack's Fish said:
Wanna know what the attitude of the whiners was toward ESPN?

Same amount of *****ing, different channel
Well some of us would prefer ESPN to have the coverage just because more providers carry ESPN than OLN. I'd watch hockey on Lifetime if they showed it.
 

I am Jack's Fish

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John Vanbiesbrouck said:
Well some of us would prefer ESPN to have the coverage just because more providers carry ESPN than OLN. I'd watch hockey on Lifetime if they showed it.

Call your cable company to demand OLN.
 

I am Jack's Fish

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PortlandRanger said:
LOL!! Sportschannel america :biglaugh:

They aren't comcast though :shakehead
We should go back to the days of sportschannel America, you know...

Hockey fans want coverage on TV, they want a network to provide us with a ton of coverage...

Yet, when we get exactly that, we pick it apart and whine incessantly.
 

OG6ix

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I am Jack's Fish said:
We should go back to the days of sportschannel America, you know...

Hockey fans want coverage on TV, they want a network to provide us with a ton of coverage...

Yet, when we get exactly that, we pick it apart and whine incessantly.

I think it will be fine. I mean if they really want to know why Bettman chose OLN I think the conversation in the backroom went something like this.

Bettman with ESPN:
Espn: So gary I heard you have a revenue sharing deal with NBC, Our contract is going to be up and we want the same deal too.

Bettman: You guys want it for free? You guys don't even do a good job when you are paying for our product, what will you do when the product is free? Put it on ESPN U?

ESPN: Espn news actually, but that isn't a bad idea.

Bettman: Well we'll look around and come back to you...

ESPN: good luck finding someone gary.

Bettman with Comcast:
Comcast: You know gary, if you come to our network and just give us some credibility for you guys to lead us to an MLB/NFL contract so we can build our network, we'll give you more exposure and we'll even give you 200 million dollars to start it off, just sign on the dot.

Bettman: I don't think it is right to have hockey on the Outdoor life network.

Comcast: Gary, don't be an idiot, we will rebrand our channel in the efforts to land another major league contract.

Bettman: Really? when?

Comcast: In the next two years or so, Disney didn't sell us ESPN so I guess we'll just have to make our own network.

Bettman: Where do I sign?


something like that I would think.
 

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