One of the biggest names in sports broadcasting has given a vote of confidence to Versus.
Dick Ebersol, chairman of NHL television partner NBC Sports, had kind words for the oft-criticized Versus in an interview with the Chicago Tribune. Ebersol praised Versus, the NHL’s cable home for the past four seasons, as “treat[ing] hockey the right way, not second fiddle as it was on ESPN.”
Though Versus is in 20 million fewer homes than ESPN, “the holes are tightening,” Ebersol noted. “And don’t forget, Versus is owned by Comcast. I like that strength.”
While Versus is locked into its NHL deal through 2011, NBC’s deal with the league expires at the end of the current season.
