Comcast "did not reveal any production plans" after securing the rights to the '14-20 Olympics yesterday, but "one addition to the lineup of networks, probably in time for London next year, will be Versus," according to Richard Sandomir of the N.Y. TIMES. Comcast's "hope is to use the Olympics as a way to raise" Versus' number of subscribers and the "monthly fees they pay." Pilson Communications President Neal Pilson said, "If you can add 20 or 30 million subscribers and raise fees by 30 or 40 cents a sub, that's significant money" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/8). In N.Y., Claire Atkinson reports Comcast Chair & CEO Brian Roberts is "expected to use the Olympics, beginning in 2014, to ramp up advertising and increase subscriber fees for NBCU's broadcast and cable networks." The Olympics win may have the "most direct benefit" on Versus, which according to SNL Kagan commands $0.30 a subscriber per month (N.Y. POST, 6/8). The HOLLYWOOD REPORTER's Marisa Guthrie notes execs "did not offer a breakdown of which events will go to which networks in the combined companies' lineup." But Versus, which is "due to be renamed and rebranded in the coming weeks, is expected to play a major role in Olympic coverage" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 6/8). Miller Tabak analyst David Joyce said that the Olympics deal could make Versus a "more powerful player." GMR Marketing Exec VP Greg Busch: "Versus now goes from zero to 60 as a viable sports focused channel with retaining the NHL rights, picking up NBC programming like Notre Dame football and the Olympics" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 6/8). Former CBS Sports Exec Producer Rick Gentile said Versus "will finally now become a big-time national sports network" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 6/8). Meanwhile, former USOC Exec Dir Harvey Schiller said that Comcast's winning bid "will benefit NBC's owned-and-operated stations and its affiliates and also prevents the network from being a lame duck as it tries to sell advertising" for the '12 London Games (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 6/8).
