Versus.com no longer exists...

Mantha Poodoo

Playoff Beard
Jun 5, 2008
4,109
0
Indication the network as a whole is going to be rebranded "NBC Sports", or are they going to stick with the Versus name for the TV stuff?
 

Mantha Poodoo

Playoff Beard
Jun 5, 2008
4,109
0
Really hoping it's NBC Sports. That's a much stronger brand than Versus.

What are they versing us in, anyhow?

Seriously though, from a web development point of view it'd be... unusual... and probably not a good move to have a website that doesn't roughly match up with the name of the TV product, so I'm guessing it'll be rebranded NBC Sports soon. Of course, NBC's track record lately hasn't been brilliant either, so I'm hardly calling that a firm conclusion.
 

Roomtemperature

Registered User
Apr 8, 2008
5,846
683
New Jersey
Am I the only one who liked the name Vs. and thinks that the rebranding is unnecessary. Hell it might take a few months to get people to know that VS. = NBC sports but its not really going to make it any better or more respected.
 

Morris Wanchuk

.......
Feb 10, 2006
16,173
1,149
War Memorial Arena
What are they versing us in, anyhow?

Seriously though, from a web development point of view it'd be... unusual... and probably not a good move to have a website that doesn't roughly match up with the name of the TV product, so I'm guessing it'll be rebranded NBC Sports soon. Of course, NBC's track record lately hasn't been brilliant either, so I'm hardly calling that a firm conclusion.

My guess is in the offseason the name will change.
 

Butch 19

Go cart Mozart
May 12, 2006
16,526
2,831
Geographical Oddity
Am I the only one who liked the name Vs. and thinks that the rebranding is unnecessary. Hell it might take a few months to get people to know that VS. = NBC sports but its not really going to make it any better or more respected.

Not sure if I really liked the name VS, but going to NBC sports seems a bit too broad. I can see hockey getting lost in the shuffle of a big website and programming. ??? VS = NHL, and that's fine with me.

But on the positive, people know who NBC is - I imagine there's still a lot of Americans who do not know who VS is.
 

Mantha Poodoo

Playoff Beard
Jun 5, 2008
4,109
0
Maybe they'll end up calling it the "NBC Versus network" or something like that. Keeps the 'character' of the Versus name while at the same time the familiarity of the NBC tag cold help loads. Its not like they can't blanket DNS names to an extent, with things like versus.com (as it presently does), nbcsports.com, nbcversus.com, etc etc all directing to nbcsports.msnbc.com -- However, my guess is that since the actual address is nbcsports.msnbc.com, NBC will be somewhere in the network's name no matter what they do with it.
 

azrok22

Registered User
Mar 8, 2006
9,551
47
As far as national hockey coverage and catching a casual audience goes:

NBC Sports >>> Versus >>> OLN (Outdoor Life Network?)

I guess, I'm just thankful they abandoned the OLN brand. I will never forget the Onion article about the NHL moving to the Food Network making fun of hockey when they signed on with OLN.

"In all my years as commissioner, I have learned that our diverse group of fans and players all enjoy food of some sort. Italian, French, barbecue, quick-and-easy 30-minute meals—you name it, one or more of them eat it," said Bettman, adding that Iron Chef French host Hiroyuki Sakai will join play-by-play announcer Mike "Doc" Emrick and analyst Brian Engblom to form a new lead announcing team for all Food Network games. "This partnership has been a long time coming. If the Food Network would have been around in 1991, we would have left ESPN in a heartbeat."

"We also thought the lead-in programs on Versus, especially those that focused on bull-riding, bass fishing, and violent contact sports, were not entirely compatible with the image of the league," Bettman said. "Now, hockey games will follow Emeril Live, Feasting On Asphalt, and The Hungry Detective, which, as you can plainly see, are a better fit. Also, we are paying the Food Network much less money to broadcast our games."

http://www.onionsportsnetwork.com/articles/nhl-signs-broadcast-deal-with-food-network,2164/

:laugh:

:cry:
 

Fleuryoutside29

Registered User
Nov 3, 2009
583
0
Coverage

I really hope the tv coverage becomes better after NBC renames the network. How am I supposed to enjoy watching the pens when the feed cuts out every couple of minutes. Does anyone else have problems with the coverage?
 

tarheelhockey

Offside Review Specialist
Feb 12, 2010
84,982
137,355
Bojangles Parking Lot
Am I the only one who liked the name Vs. and thinks that the rebranding is unnecessary. Hell it might take a few months to get people to know that VS. = NBC sports but its not really going to make it any better or more respected.

I liked the Versus name (especially compared to OLN) but NBC is unquestionably the stronger brand. Most people still don't seem to know Versus exists.
 

azrok22

Registered User
Mar 8, 2006
9,551
47
Article out today that all the local CSN channels will be re-branded to NBC Sports as well. I.E. NBC Sports Philadelphia, NBC Sports Chicago ect.

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=149913&nid=126425

Makes me think Versus will be renamed NBC Sports National, or NBC Sports America to go along and tie the two together.

Your link essentially confirms that Versus will be renamed. Just not clear what moniker it will take.

Ebersol said the aim is to "give viewers everywhere a much better sense of just who we are, wherever they go."

Ebersol spoke about the re-branding while appearing last month on NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman's radio show on Sirius XM.

The NBC Sports brand will soon get more national awareness, too, as the Versus network takes that moniker in some form later this year.

Versus is "one of the more unfortunate names possible chosen for a channel because what does it mean?" Ebersol said.

Ebersol is the head of NBC Sports. Even he has no freaking idea what they were thinking with the Versus name. Yeah, it was an improvement over OLN, but then again, so was every other perceivable name option.
 

Jonas1235

Registered User
Jan 8, 2008
4,611
90
Calgary
Don't know where to post this, doesn't deserve a thread. But EJ Hradek is leaving ESPN for the NHL Network and NHL.com

My guess is that he'll also do some work for Versus as an insider.
 

Whiplash27

Quattro!!
Jan 25, 2007
17,343
66
Westchester, NY
Ahh the good old days waiting for the Rangers game and instead getting a frozen picture of this guy for the first 15 minutes.

oln.jpg
 

Tinalera

Registered User
Feb 3, 2007
6,522
50
The Known Universe
Nice to see my thinking was right-I don't often get a chance to be smug (or desire to) but this is redemption for me, a LONG while ago, I had mentioned somewhere on these boards that Versus would probably eventually NBC Sports-I was almost rudely told(I do not remember the poster, that's not important-and I'm paraphrasing) "Get a Life, it's NOT going to be called NBC Sports. Sheesh"


Do I get to say I was right? ;)
 

IU Hawks fan

They call me IU
Dec 30, 2008
28,516
2,813
NW Burbs
Don't know where to post this, doesn't deserve a thread. But EJ Hradek is leaving ESPN for the NHL Network and NHL.com

My guess is that he'll also do some work for Versus as an insider.

:handclap:

Just as I said in the new TV contract thread, moving the NHL Network studios to the US is huge in stealing names like this who wouldn't want to have to move to Canada. Hopefully Buccigross is next (although highly doubtful now that he's a daytime SportsCenter guy).
 

mrCoffea*

Guest
I think this can only be a good thing. Much better branding, and it could have much more legitimacy in the eyes of the public. They just need to move up on the cable channels and they are set
 

XX

Waiting for Ishbia
Dec 10, 2002
54,886
14,502
PHX
Any word on if it will move to a new channel listing instead of being rather high up on channels number wise? I would think NBC has considerable clout when negotiating something like that.
 

Bizz

2023 LTIR Loophole* Cup Champions
Oct 17, 2007
10,931
6,571
San Jose
My guess is in the offseason the name will change.

If they were smart they'd do it right before the start of the Stanley Cup final.

If they were really smart they'll do what Comcast has failed to do and get into more basic tier Cable and Satellite packages.
 

danishh

Registered User
Dec 9, 2006
33,018
53
YOW
Any word on if it will move to a new channel listing instead of being rather high up on channels number wise? I would think NBC has considerable clout when negotiating something like that.

it'll take time, but i'd expect developments on this either late summer or sometime next season. Obviously expect comcast to be first though.
 

sh724

Registered User
Jun 2, 2009
2,823
603
Missouri
If they were smart they'd do it right before the start of the Stanley Cup final.

If they were really smart they'll do what Comcast has failed to do and get into more basic tier Cable and Satellite packages.

Why would they change it right before the finals? the SCF is the biggest event versus has by far you use that to advertise your new product and then in their down time introduce it. If they switch before the finals ppl will get pissed off bc they cant find vs on their tv even though its the exact same channel.

If who were really smart? Its still owned by Comcast, for all we know comcast could be happy with having VS on a higher tier because that is more subscription money they make. They have probably found about the right price to charge for the channel to make the most money. More homes does not mean more money. Comcast has also lost a lot of power in negotiating new contracts because of the limits the government placed on them for becoming too big and having too much power.
 

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