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DeFrank

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Can't find the source now, but read somewhere that NBC claims viewership of Versus went up substantially after the name change was announced. I think they might actually make in-roads to becoming an alternative sports network to ESPN. Now if they could only develop a highlights show that actually showed mostly highlights and not stuff like Coors Lite Cold Hard Facts.

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Can't find the source now, but read somewhere that NBC claims viewership of Versus went up substantially after the name change was announced. I think they might actually make in-roads to becoming an alternative sports network to ESPN. Now if they could only develop a highlights show that actually showed mostly highlights and not stuff like Coors Lite Cold Hard Facts.

Once again, they are starting over.

A month into NBC Sports Network?s rebrand, and more than a year after the Peacock?s sports division took over Versus, the channel has seen viewership levels drop considerably.

Despite heavy promotion on the NBC broadcast network and a focus on higher-quality shows, viewership for NBC Sports Network is down 21 percent on a total-day basis from January 2011 to January 2012. In January 2011, Versus averaged 78,000 viewers. In January 2012, the first month of NBC Sports Network, that figure dropped to 62,000.

For example, the channel?s daily news show, ?NBC SportsTalk,? has averaged 27,000 viewers since it launched in September. By comparison, Versus? much-mocked daily news show ?The Daily Line? nearly doubled that audience, averaging 53,000 viewers during its run.

Another challenge NBC Sports Network faces comes with outdoors programming. In January, seven of the 10 most viewed shows on NBC Sports Network were from the outdoors genre ? shows like ?NAPA?s North to Alaska? and ?Bill Dance Outdoors.? This type of programming owes its roots to the historical foundation of the network, which launched in 1997 as the Outdoor Life Network. NBC executives have made no secret of the fact that they want to de-emphasize that programming genre, which, in turn, means de-emphasizing some of the channel?s most viewed, and most profitable, programming.

?Outdoor programming is a challenge for us,? Miller said. ?It?s been in the fabric of the channel since it was OLN and Versus. We think there?s a place for it on NBC Sports Network, but certainly not at the level that it?s been.?

Miller says he plans to be patient with his channel?s new shows, saying that it takes time for viewers to find the channel. He?s more focused on acquiring rights to live events, which he said is the surest way for the network to grow. In the past month, NBC Sports has made relatively small acquisitions for the Breeders? Cup and the Colonial Athletic Association conference. The channel will start its relationship with Major League Soccer next month. It expects to be aggressive as the rights to Major League Baseball, NASCAR and the Big East Conference are negotiated later this year.

?You grow by acquisition. You grow by bringing on more strong properties,? Miller said. ?We?ve shown that we?re willing to step up to the plate and take a big swing.?

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For example, the channel?s daily news show, ?NBC SportsTalk,? has averaged 27,000 viewers since it launched in September. By comparison, Versus? much-mocked daily news show ?The Daily Line? nearly doubled that audience, averaging 53,000 viewers during its run.

I'm sure we can all guess why the Daily Line had double the audience.

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For example, the channel?s daily news show, ?NBC SportsTalk,? has averaged 27,000 viewers since it launched in September. By comparison, Versus? much-mocked daily news show ?The Daily Line? nearly doubled that audience, averaging 53,000 viewers during its run.

I'm sure we can all guess why the Daily Line had double the audience.

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This is gonna sound like stuff that's been repeated, but NBCSN's ratings will grow as they're able to get more sports rights. Live content's gonna give you your biggest ratings, so I think they'll be helped greatly if they're able to snatch the MLB rights that will be on the block soon or be able to get the NFL to put some Thursday Night games on it, or apparently NASCAR rights too (I don't know how that would work seeing how NBC was not able to have NASCAR and the NFL on the same day at all in 2006 with all the conflicts that came up). Their college hockey ratings have been beating out some of their studio shows, so it does show that live games, no matter what it is, will help.

In terms of NHL ratings, NBCSN is seeing increases across the board, so a spring filled with the Stanley Cup Playoffs should help them. It's going to come down to being able to grab that MLB contract, though, to get the key summer programming they need. Also they could add in some more college sports games, such as having the hockey package through the season, maybe adding some more lacrosse games with ESPNU cutting back a little (coughSyracuse-Cornellcough :P ), and maybe even venturing into college baseball if ESPNU's not that iron-clad with those games to get their feet wet for a possible MLB package.

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For example, the channel's daily news show, "NBC SportsTalk," has averaged 27,000 viewers since it launched in September. By comparison, Versus' much-mocked daily news show "The Daily Line" nearly doubled that audience, averaging 53,000 viewers during its run.

I'm sure we can all guess why the Daily Line had double the audience.

jenn-sterger-jets_display_image.jpg

Thing is that in the initial version of the show, the "two things" which may keep a male interested were covered up by a laptop in front of her and she was not on the primary camera shot with the three guys. It also did not assist them that they started with an "internet gambler" making picks as part of the main staff. To those of us old enough, they cast the show as the old CBS "NFL Today": Broadcaster + Black Guy + Eye Candy + Bookie

When they quickly revamped, it was apparent that Sturger can't talk and the Black guy was her equal. It became a cable access show.

They also carried some NCAA lacrosse over the weekend.

NCAA LAX on a weekend will interest maybe 50K people. It is a process, but they have to do better...much better. Moe's Southwestern Grill got national marketing for a regional chain.

I watch it a fair share. It shows NHL and MLS, both of which I follow. Though I can't say I watch the network when there's not an event on.

The only MLS thing they have shown is a commercial since the MLS season has not started yet.

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For example, the channel's daily news show, "NBC SportsTalk," has averaged 27,000 viewers since it launched in September. By comparison, Versus' much-mocked daily news show "The Daily Line" nearly doubled that audience, averaging 53,000 viewers during its run.

I'm sure we can all guess why the Daily Line had double the audience.

jenn-sterger-jets_display_image.jpg

Thing is that in the initial version of the show, the "two things" which may keep a male interested were covered up by a laptop in front of her and she was not on the primary camera shot with the three guys. It also did not assist them that they started with an "internet gambler" making picks as part of the main staff. To those of us old enough, they cast the show as the old CBS "NFL Today": Broadcaster + Black Guy + Eye Candy + Bookie

When they quickly revamped, it was apparent that Sturger can't talk and the Black guy was her equal. It became a cable access show.

They also carried some NCAA lacrosse over the weekend.

NCAA LAX on a weekend will interest maybe 50K people. It is a process, but they have to do better...much better. Moe's Southwestern Grill got national marketing for a regional chain.

I watch it a fair share. It shows NHL and MLS, both of which I follow. Though I can't say I watch the network when there's not an event on.

The only MLS thing they have shown is a commercial since the MLS season has not started yet.

Well, yeah, I was speaking ahead of time. What I meant was that I'll be watching it quite a bit during the MLS season.

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Yes, I root for teams all over the place. And I apparently favor birds.

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