Comcast-NBC merger expected to be approved today

The Washington Post this morning is reporting that the FCC is expected to approve the Comcast-NBC merger today.

In my opinion, this is big news for the fledgling VERSUS channel that is owned by Comcast. Several years ago when Comcast rebranded the then OLN (Outdoor Life Network) into VERSUS, it was the hope of Comcast that VERSUS would become a direct competitor to ESPN. With the FCC giving the go ahead to the Comcast-NBC merger, Comcasts's dreams of VERSUS becoming a direct competitor to ESPN may come true.

When the Comcast-NBC merger becomes complete, Comcast will have full access to NBC Sports and along with the Comcast owned RSN's which are in several of the nation's largest media markets (including Houston beginning next year) and along with the Comcast owned Golf Channel, I think this will give Comcast enough firepower to once again rebrand VERSUS into a national Comcast SportsNet/NBC Sports hybrid and finally go head to head with ESPN.

Sure several have tried to take on ESPN and several have failed (the regional sports reports on FSN and CNN/SI come to mind), but the marriage between Comcast & NBC is different.

Four or 5 years ago, Comcast made a serious effort to land the late season package of Thursday Night NFL games that eventually went to the NFL Network. If an 18 game NFL regular season becomes a reality, the NFL could easily carve out an additional TV package and if that happens, Comcast would certainly be a major player to win those rights and if NBC retains the U.S. TV rights for the Olympics, that would further legitimize a national Comcast SportsNet as being the cable home for Olympic news and highlights.

Link to the Washington Post article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/17/AR2011011704099.html