Comcast to kill off Versus brand

NBC Sports is a stronger brand than Versus, which is why Comcast, in the first couple of months after regulatory approval, is expected to rename Versus to something like the NBC Sports Channel or NBC Sports Network. Golf Channel and Universal Sports will not be renamed. For Comcast, a national cable network that shares a name with a broadcast network will help the two share programming and talent.

We expect the new NBC Sports Channel to carry one or two Notre Dame football games each season. We can see it telecast early round coverage of NBC’s PGA Tour golf events (like The Players Championship) rather than Golf Channel. And I wouldn’t be surprised to see on-air talent working across all the channels as Comcast tries to set up the ESPN competitor that leagues have been seeking for the past several years.