NBC Sports Network isn't going to be ESPN ... and shouldn't try (at least not now)

The NBC Sports Network (the artist formerly known as Versus) starts today, and Matt Yoder of Awful Announcing provides this from the Philadelphia Inquirer in his take on the launch.

"Programming this first year will lean heavily on the Olympics, 38 regular-season Major League Soccer games, 13 IndyCar Series races, 14 hours a day of Tour de France coverage for most of July, 90 regular-season NHL games along with 50 NHL playoff games, 20 hours of horse-racing coverage around the Triple Crown, and 40 college football, basketball, and hockey games."

Writes Yoder:

"That lineup should worry NBC execs because it's not exactly the NFL and the NBA.  However, there's enough of a live sports portfolio to at least get off the ground.  The Olympics (and all of the trials that go along with it) will be a huge boost in this first year with the 2012 summer games in London.  NBC is also putting a lot of stock in MLS numbers growing in the same way NHL numbers have risen in their time on Versus/NBC.  Soccer is a growing television power, but MLS has not received the same impressive ratings that international soccer and the EPL have experienced."

On the other hand:

"You can bet the folks in Bristol will also be watching the NBC Sports Network debut closely.  For sports fans generally, this is a good day because competition breeds quality.  NBC stepping up to challenge ESPN will push both networks to be better.  Whichever way the competition breaks, it'll be fascinating to see just how much of a challenge NBC Sports Network can provide ESPN in 2012 and beyond."

The folks at ESPN probably will be paying attention, but it would be a mistake for NBC Sports Network to think it can go head-to-head with The Worldwide Leader right away because it doesn't have the programming heft. However, there is room for an alternative, and NBC is in position to be just that.

One effective thing they've already done is the "NBC Sports: A Storied History" show, which I watched last night. While it's a complete infomercial, it is a good reminder that NBC Sports has shown a lot of great sports programming over the years and carries with it the implication that the network will do the same on its new sports network.

At a minimum, whatever NBC Sports Network does, they'll have to do it well, and even then, it is going to be an uphill battle to let people know there's another sports channel out there. For example, the "Cold War on Ice: Summit Series '72" documentary today looks really interesting.


Too bad it's on opposite the Rose Bowl.

Maybe they'll show it again?