The NBC Sports Network will be shutting down by the end of 2021.
According to the Wall Street Journal, NBC Universal plans to close down NBCSN and move it’s programming over to the USA Network, another NBC property.
“We’re absolutely committed more than ever to live sports as a company, and having such a huge platform like USA Network airing some of our key sports content is great for our partners, distributors, viewers and advertisers alike,” said NBC Sports Group Chairman Pete Bevacqua.
Wall Street Journal
NBC will begin to move some of its bigger assets such as NHL, NASCAR, and the English Premier League over to USA at some points during the year while also transitioning content to their streaming service the Peacock Network which was launched in 2019. Meanwhile, the NBCSN will continue to broadcast content on the channel up until the lights go out some time at the end of 2021.
“At the conclusion of 2021, we have decided that the best strategic next step for our Sports Group and the entire Company is to wind down NBCSN completely, with key elements of NBCSN’s programming moving to USA Network and, in some cases, Peacock for 2022 and beyond,” NBC Sports president Pete Bevacqua said in a memo on Friday. “This will make USA Network an extraordinarily powerful platform in the media marketplace, and gives our sports programming a significant audience boost. We believe that the power of this offering is the best long-term strategy for our Sports Group, our partners, and our company.”
The Wrap
This announcement from NBC comes in the final year of their deals with the NHL and EPL. It also comes as networks across the United States begin to consolidate their offshoot and sister channels as customers begin to flee the pay TV-bundle and navigate through lost income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Likewise, the announcement also comes amid sports beginning to transition to streaming services something NBC can take fully take advantage of with their Peacock Network.
Whether or not this model is enough to satisfy a league like the NHL who has made it clear they want to split its U.S. television rights between two networks is still yet to be seen. Currently, NBC has mentioned they would make time available for the NHL on both USA and Peacock ahead of their presumed negotiations.
NBC’s Golf and Olympic channels will reportedly stick around, however, programming like dog shows, motorsports events not NASCAR, and other smaller-scale sports programming will likely need to find a new home come 2022.
Nonetheless, NBCSN will end after nine years of being on the air. Established to go head-to-head with ESPN and Fox Sports the Network was never able to grab a foothold on the market in terms of ratings and will now fade off into the sunset.
