Versus' Jamie Davis Addresses Net's Availability, Future

Davis Discusses Versus' Availability During Appearance On "Monsters In The Morning"

Versus President Jamie Davis this morning on CSN Chicago's "Monsters in the Morning" discussed the network and its availability in the market. Davis: "I know there's been people saying they somehow can't find it, but when you look at the stats that really isn't the case." Davis said for Game Four of the Blackhawks-Canucks Western Conference Semifinal series on May 7, the net was the "number one cable network in Chicago among adults 18-49 and men and adults 25-54." Davis: "So people are finding Versus in Chicago." Meanwhile, Davis discussed why some games are broadcast exclusively on Versus while some are aired locally. Davis: "As we get into the postseason, we take a few exclusive games in the first round and mostly non-exclusive, meaning that in the local home markets [CSN] Chicago will carry your Blackhawks games. As it progresses, as the season goes on, more and more of those games go onto a national basis as there is less regionalized games, and thus the national broadcaster will start carrying those." Davis also said Versus has changed its graphic packages to be able to "get more information on the screen." Davis said the net is "all about super-serving the fan." Davis: "It’s about trying to find a way to take whatever sport we get behind and deep-dive behind it, and we really did that through this playoffs so far. We've done doubleheaders and tripleheaders in the quarterfinal rounds to be able to give you two games in a night and sometimes even a live look-in on a third game as well."

GOING THEIR OWN WAY: Davis, when asked about ESPN, said, "Look, that other network you're talking about does a great job, but we're not really trying to become the other network number 3. That's not what we want our network to become." Davis: "We want to do things to super-serve our fan and really take maybe less sports, not to be in every single one. But the ones we want to get in are the ones that have passionate fan bases, and what we really want to do is to get behind them and do extended coverage" ("Monsters in the Morning," CSN Chicago, 5/19).