VERSUS To Launch Two NFL Shows and a Sports Business Show This Fall
August 11, 2011 4 Comments
From Stuart Levine at Variety:
Cabler, which recently announced a rebrand as NBC Sports Network effective Jan. 2, will go forward with an hourlong NFL roundup show featuring Mike Florio, editor of the popular pigskin website Pro Football Talk. He will offer analysis and assessment on an assortment of games, players and trends.
Florio, who had a very short stint at ESPN, is well-regarded in the sports community for his NFL insight and expertise, and many media use him as a news source on player movement throughout the league.
The still untitled show, set to run throughout the NFL season, will air from 6-7 p.m. That will be followed by a half-hour skein featuring CNBC reporter Darren Rovell, who covers sports for the business cabler.
Rovell, who also has blog titled “Sports Biz,” will look at the off-the-field financial aspects of sports. He has been at the net since 2006 handling sports news on a daily basis for CNBC as well anchoring several documentaries.
Versus is also developing a weeknight hourlong sports roundup show that will air at 6 p.m. Details are sketchy but sources say the cabler will use its Comcast affiliates to provide information on teams in specific cities around the country.
Realizing that the NFL is a tremendous ratings draw, Versus will tap into that fan base not only with Florio’s show but with a new Thursday studio program titled “NFL Turning Point” — an analysis of the previous week’s games. Net doesn’t have a start date but should is likely to begin in mid-September, soon after the season begins.
Puck The Media 
That’s even great news to that. With two NFL shows on VERSUS, it can easily take the NFL games on VERSUS for next year.
Steve, this comment has nothing to do with the information posted. That info is fine. What I find funny is the antiquated writing style of Variety. I haven’t read Variety in probably at least twenty years. “Cabler”, “skein”. It was awful then. And it ‘s 2011, now.
Hicks nix big pix deal in the sticks!
“Versus is also developing a weeknight hourlong sports roundup show that will air at 6 p.m.”
The NFL is huge, but that may be the biggest piece of all of this if it’s the start of trying to compete with SportsCenter. If Versus maintains low ratings expectations it could really cut into one of ESPN’s big advantages.