US Cable Support > Comcast Cable TV > Comcast owned UniversalSports wants you to switch to DIRECTV

reply to mikedz4

Re: Comcast owned UniversalSports wants you to switch to DIRECTV

They're working on transitioning to a full-fledged cable network.

The link about demanding it from your network is obviously not really directed at Comcast.

»communityvoices.sites.post-gazet···0-tv-qaa

The only response I got from Universal Sports Network was this statement: “Universal Sports Network is transitioning to a multi-platform, high definition, cable, satellite and telco platform beginning January 1, 2012. DIRECTV is currently the only provider who will carry Universal Sports in 2012, but we expect to announce additional providers in the coming weeks. Let your provider know that you do not want to lose access to the network by calling 1-800-55-GET-US or by visiting www.IWantUniversalSports.com.”

reply to mikedz4
Yeah they've been doing that for months, im guessing its just a formality of changing the name and graphics over.

and more from Multichannel News with some excellent background...

»www.multichannel.com/article/478···ders.php

Universal Sports Transitions From Multicast Distribution, Inking Deals with Six Providers
CEO Sternberg: Network Nearing Major Pacts

Mike Reynolds -- Multichannel News, 1/3/2012 4:18:09 PM
Universal Sports Network has signed carriage deals with a number of providers as it has transitioned from multicast distribution.

The Olympic-style sports network, which inked its first license fee deal with DirecTV in 2011, had been carried as multicast service in many of the top DMAs. However, the network announced last summer that it would move to become a traditional cable channel upon the expiration of the multicast contracts with the broadcasters on Dec. 31, 2011.

Universal Sports CEO David Sternberg said the network recently reached carriage agreements with Alaskan cable operator GCI, Hiawatha Broadband Communications in Minnesota, Cascade Communications in Oregon, Waitsfield Cable in Vermont, MTC Cable in New York and IPTV distributor SkyAngel. He said the service previously had been offered on a multicast basis through some of those providers.

Asked about the expectation that Universal Sports would lose homes during this transition period, Sternberg replied: "We acknowledged that six months ago. It was a turning point, the decision that we would no longer give the service away, and that we needed our distribution partners to step up and start paying license fees. We had hoped to have a few more large deals in place by now, but our timing was challenging."

Sternberg pointed to many distributors facing retransmission-consent deals and other business issues at the close of 2011, but he remains hopeful that those executives will now have the "bandwidth, figuratively speaking," to address Universal Sports. "We are still very committed to our position and confident that we'll get deals done."

To that end, Universal Sports may announce a carriage pact with a major distributor, as early as this week. Sternberg also said the network was "pretty far along" with two or three others and "we could get to the finish by the end of the month."

He declined to comment on where things stood with Comcast, saying he preferred not to discuss individual distributors. Comcast's NBC Sports Group owns a minority stake in Universal Sports, the joint venture with Leo Hindery's InterMedia Partners.

Sternberg said Universal Sports, which is on DirecTV Sports Pack and teh DBS leader's international platforms, is being flexible relative to positioning and is open to sports and variety tier placement. He said the multicast positioning of the past was tantamount to "a three-year preview" of sorts. "I think we've shown there is a meaningful audience out there and are offering an economic package that is extremely attractive," he said, without disclosing rate-card specifics.

Universal Sports, which controls digital rights to much of its event coverage and other content, is offering video-on-demand, "TV Everywhere" and other authentication platforms as part of its offerings.

hmm well that explains why it disappeared from my channel lineup...

»www.philly.com/philly/business/2···nel.html

Universal Sports is owned by the media-investment fund InterMedia Partners L.P. and NBCUniversal, which is jointly owned by Comcast and General Electric Co....

NBCUniversal says it has a minority, noncontrolling ownership in the Universal Sports Network.

i always take that statement with a grain of salt and butter

reply to Dan A
Here in Portland, Universal Sports was broadcast over the air as a sub-channel to NBC. Comcast simply rebroadcasts OTA stations here and the loss of Universal Sports had nothing to do with Comcast. The OTA broadcast just stopped.

In Portland it was on KRCW dt3 the CW affiliate

reply to Dan A
The left arm doesn't know what the right arm is doing. Not uncommon across a variety of large corporations.

Some sections had to be spun off because of the merger. I'm sure if you google it will show what sections had to be sold or spun off.

reply to Dan A
I just noticed that channel 732 NBC Sports HD was added to my line up. I have no idea how long it has been there. Is it the same as the defunct Universal Sports?

NBC Sports Channel aka VS?

that's what I'm guessing. Versus is now the NBC Sports Network.

Not the same thing....

reply to Dan A
Comcast uses Nielson ratings and statistics when selecting channels for their local lineup. If the Nielson ratings don't support carrying the channel, then they drop it so they can free up bandwidth.

I have done those Nielson surveys in the past. They have you keep a diary of your TV viewing habits for a week. Then they use the statistics to judge TV programming, advertising rates, channel/program offerings, etc.

Maybe the Nielson ratings in your area don't support keeping the above mentioned channel on your lineup.
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All of my CPE (including my EMTA) is customer owned. The only Comcast owned equipment in my house is the CableCards in the two TiVO boxes I own.

reply to mikedz4
On the UNIVERSAL SPORTS web page
UNIVERSAL SPORTS IS NOT NBC SPORTS NETWORK. DEMAND UNIVERSAL SPORTS.

reply to Joe12345678
Ahhh. I looked on Wikipedia and the name has changed a couple of times, now. Outdoor Life Network->Versus->NBC Sports.

»en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBC_Sports_Network

That article has link to Universal Sports which should appear on on cable in February.

»en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universal_Sports