NBC Sports Network set for return under new carriage deal

NBCUniversal plans to relaunch NBC Sports Network as part of its new multi-year distribution agreement with YouTube TV, marking the return of a linear cable channel that was shut down at the end of 2021.

The revived network, also referred to as NBCSN, will carry a broad range of NBCUniversal’s sports programming and will be included in the base package on YouTube TV. Specific programming details and additional distribution partners have not been announced.

NBC Sports Network originally began in 1995 as Outdoor Life Network. It was rebranded as NBC Sports Network in 2012 following Comcast’s acquisition of NBC. The network was shuttered in December 2021, with NBC shifting much of its sports content to the USA Network and Peacock, its streaming platform.

The decision to relaunch the channel comes amid growing investment by NBCUniversal in sports rights and a continuing effort to serve the estimated 65 million households still subscribed to traditional pay-TV bundles.

According to NBCUniversal, the new NBC Sports Network will complement existing sports coverage on NBC’s broadcast network and its streaming offerings. The company has secured rights in recent years to the Big Ten, the Premier League, the Olympics, and the NBA, with an MLB deal reportedly in development.

Initial reports suggested NBC intended to distribute the revived channel through genre-specific pay-TV bundles. However, its inclusion in YouTube TV — which does not use genre-based packaging — may indicate a broader distribution strategy.

NBC previously used NBCSN to carry secondary sports programming such as Premier League matches and Olympic coverage. While no programming schedule has been released, the new iteration of NBCSN is expected to serve a similar function, particularly for sports content that NBCUniversal deems valuable but not essential for driving standalone subscriptions to Peacock.

The move also follows structural changes within NBCUniversal. Many of its cable networks, including USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC, Syfy and Golf Channel, are in the process of being spun off into Versant. Relaunching NBC Sports Network may allow NBC to preserve some carriage-related revenue as its existing portfolio shifts ownership.

Advertisement

The timing and scope of the NBCSN relaunch were not disclosed. NBCUniversal confirmed only that the network will be part of its new agreement with YouTube TV and will feature a wide range of sports content.