Many of my colleagues are trumpeting the fact that Versus cable channel will be changing its moniker to NBC Sports Network
Jan. 2. NBC and Versus are both majority owned by Comcast Cable, so that makes perfect sense.
And while that’s wonderful, and should provide a little boost to the IndyCar Series—which airs most of its races
on Versus—it’s not the biggest news coming out of the network this week. Not by a long shot.
The NFL is in talks with Versus to bring a package of early season Thursday night games to the cable station, possibly as
early as 2012. That move would seriously legitimize Versus’ attempts to rival ESPN and put it on the map, and, more
importantly, make it more prominent on the cable dial for millions of sports fans nationwide.
That’s news that IndyCar officials and fans should be jumping up and down about. Since the early part of the NFL season
overlaps the last part of the IndyCar season, it could open serious cross-promotional opportunities for the series.
That kind of NFL-fueled cross promotion would give IndyCar Series CEO Randy Bernard a lot more juice to trumpet his season-ending
gala in Las Vegas, which is scheduled for Oct. 16 this year.
The potential Versus-NFL deal also shows the channel soon to be branded as NBC Sports Network is serious about growing, and
bolstering all of its properties.
The NFL package is worth about $700 million annually, according to sources familiar with the deal. Of course, the deal will
have a lot of other ramifications on the NFL, Indianapolis Colts and football fans, but that’s a topic for another blog
post.
But this isn’t a done deal yet. Turner Broadcasting, which aired NFL games from 1990-97, is also bidding for the eight-game
package. Turner wants to air the games on TBS, TNT or truTV.
Fox also is talking with the NFL, and has an interest in putting the games on FX. But there are hurdles for Fox that might
make it too expensive to put on FX.
ESPN and Spike TV also have an interest, but Versus and Turner have emerged as the clear front-runners.
And the roar from the IndyCar paddock is building.
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Welcome to The Score, your place for hard-hitting sports business news, fast-breaking updates and fuel-injected debate. Buckle up. I'm your host, Anthony Schoettle, IBJ sports reporter.
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Doug Henning!
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These guy were thugs — they grew up in freaking Haughville! Smh, sigh. If the mayor needs/wants "quality" Black Hoosiers who are NOT corrupt, give me a call — I know plenty. Land bank info here - http://www.kubepharm.com/indylandbank/IndyLandBank.html
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Magician and illusionist!
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The basic idea of nice apartments with parking and retail is a good one, but this design seems overwhelmingly big/tall for Broad Ripple. The size could be disguised a bit with lots of big trees/landscaping, but the complex is too massive to blend in easily. That section of canal between College and Westfield will also need to be upgraded on both sides. Nice apartments facing onto a nice promenade with shade trees/plantings could bring together the canal towpath/Monon recreation, the outdoor seating at existing restaurants, and this project into something that upgrades the whole area. A plan for the whole stretch makes more sense than facing nice new housing onto what looks like a ditch. Is there a plan? Does the public have input? Who pays? The apartment idea seems to be reasonable, but Whole Foods is not a good idea for appropriate retail. Besides the store being physically too big, there are already Fresh Market at 54xCollege and Whole Foods in Nora for fancy groceries. Good Earth and Kroger are within walking distance of the Shell site. There are at least 7 grocery stores within a safe bike ride. Whole Foods would add nothing but traffic congestion. This design is on the right track, but there needs to be more work done to ensure that it blends in with and enhances the existing community. A project that large will set a tone for that whole part of town. It could be a real asset, but only if done right.
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I did not move to Zionsville to live in Carmel. This and the subsequent developments to follow will ensure a vanilla uniformity of strip malls and apartment buildings as we seek to bring our town down to the least common denominator. We were warned before recent elections that pro-development council members would make sure their friends (landowners and developers) would be able to make their millions off of the exploitation of Zionsville. Why in God's name would we sell out the best preserved small town in the State of Indiana?
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My sources also tell me that there is serious bidding for the NFL contract and NBC/Versus is just one of several bidders. In other words, don't get yer hopes up Mr. North of $20M.
Also adds fuel to NBC taking all Indycar races.
New engines, new cars, new sponsors, new energy, all bode well
Nothing
Wow, that'll be great. VerSus and no Danika Patrick. Now the IRL will soar to new lows.
Stars and Cars". Indy will fold without Michael Andretti, Sam Hornish, Juan Pablo....fill in the blank driver. Now it is Danica, even though Indycar has several female drivers currently running who can do as well or better.
As Foyt said, "AJ did not make Indy, Indy made AJ". True then, true now.
Try keeping scattershot commentary confined to the actual topic. It is far less tedious.
Thats called cut backs. What gives you any reason to believe NBC will get the contract? Get back to me when they land the NFL.
I win.
Duh, so how do you apologize? By raising tix prices? Foist upon the sport the same unsuccessful droning by 8 year old chassis and engines by foreign lease? Yup, and if you don't like it, well, go play in the street.
See Chief, it's not all that hard to apologize, is it?
How devalued is the sport if the IRL 500 only fetches about $4M a year? Yep, NBC's gonna save the day now with a fractured home of IRLcarz all over the cable box.
This smells like failure to me....