U.S. Olympic Network Will Not Debut Until After Beijing Games

The USOC's U.S. Olympic Network, which will feature news updates, archival footage and live coverage of events such as national championships, world championships and Olympic trials, "won't debut before the Beijing Games in August," according to Brian Gomez of the Colorado Springs GAZETTE. The cable channel will be "similar to NBA TV and the NFL Network" and probably will be "part of a sports package for subscribers of Comcast, DirecTV, Dish Network or Time Warner Cable." N.Y.-based Allen & Co. Managing Dir Steve Greenberg, who co-founded ESPN Classic and served as CSTV Chair, will aid the USOC in the project. For the net to "become a reality, the USOC must reach an agreement with NBC, which holds broadcast rights through the 2012 London Games." The net also needs support from its corporate sponsors, who "would be the channel's primary advertisers" (Colorado Springs GAZETTE, 5/10).