Comcast-NBCU Wants To Expand Sports, Could Challenge ESPN

The joint Comcast-NBC Universal media conglomerate "sees a unique opportunity to compete head to head with ESPN for sports programming," according to a cover story by Andrew Wallenstein of the Hollywood Reporter. Once the Comcast-NBCU merger goes through, the combination of the two companies "will shake the playing field in the multibillion-dollar world of televised sports rights." SNL Kagan analyst Derek Baine said, "They really want to take Versus and do something dramatic with it. They've lost a lot of money on that channel. They've invested heavily in programming that hasn't gotten a lot of ratings." Wallenstein reports even before Comcast "decides what it wants to do to expand its sports business, the mere commingling of the two companies' assets will establish a new power player." With NBC Sports & Olympics Chair Dick Ebersol "likely in the driver's seat, it's certain Comcast will look for NBC Uni to extend its Olympics rights into 2014 and 2016" when bidding begins next year, though "ESPN-led Disney and other conglomerates will attempt to put an end to that streak before the year is out." Wallenstein notes Golf Channel and Versus "could share in the Olympics coverage (golf again becomes an Olympic sport in 2016); NBC and Versus will bring the entirety of NHL rights under one company; and Comcast's most underestimated sports asset — its 11 regional sports networks — will be a handy bargaining chip for reeling in the lowest-hanging fruit in sports rights: college football conferences." If Comcast-NBC "fails to secure the next two Olympics, look for the focus to switch to year-round sports." Comcast "surely will try to wrest TV rights to at least one major sports league." While rights "to the NBA (out until 2016) and NCAA basketball (ditto until 2024) are out of reach in the short term, the company is sitting on enough cash — even if NBC Uni holds onto the Olympics — to make a run at the likes of baseball or the NFL, both of which are divvied among a handful of networks" until '13 or '14. This expanded sports focus could help IndyCar as well. HOLLYWOOD REPORTER