NEW YORK—NBCUniversal has announced that it will be launching NBC Sports Network (NBCSN), a 24/7 linear network featuring a wide range of marquee sporting events and programming from NBC Sports, on Monday, November 17.
The launch brings back the NBC Sports Network that the company shut down in 2021 with the same name but a different, expanded programming mix and a new business strategy that aims to strengthen pay TV revenues.
The company plans to distribute NBCSN exclusively through participating pay-tv distributors. NBCU said the network will feature live games across major sports, giving pay-TV customers a way to enjoy much of NBCUniversal’s extensive sports portfolio that also streams on Peacock.
YouTube TV will be first to carry the network. It will soon be available on Comcast’s Xfinity, with other distributors to be announced at a later date.
This could provide pay TV operators with a way to attract sports fans from Peacock and boost pay TV carriage revenue. But it could also hurt ongoing efforts to expand the streaming services subscriber base.
“NBCUniversal delivers the biggest moments in sports, and the new NBC Sports Network gives pay-tv customers a seamless way to enjoy the wide range of sports in our portfolio, adding an important pillar in our linear and streaming strategy,” said Matt Schnaars, president, platform distribution and partnerships, NBCUniversal. “NBCSN is a win across the board – driving value for fans and distributors who prefer an aggregated experience, league and conference partners seeking broad reach, and advertisers targeting engaged sports audiences – while also creating a new monetization path for some of our most premium programming and supporting NBCU’s commitment to serving viewers wherever they watch, whether on Peacock, pay-tv, or both.”
NBCU said that events and programming on the new network will include:
- Monday Night NBA games and NBA Playoffs
- Expected to include dozens of MLB regular-season and select post-season games in a soon-to-be-announced agreement
- Premier League soccer matches
- "Gold Zone" hosted by Scott Hanson (daily whip-around coverage for Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games in February 2026)
- WNBA Regular Season and Playoff games
- Big Ten and Notre Dame Football
- Big Ten, Big East and Big 12 Men’s and Women’s Basketball
- Golf Majors (includes select coverage of U.S. Open and The Open Championship)
- Cycling (Tour de France, Tour de France Femmes; Vuelta a España, and more)
- Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks undercard races
- Olympic Sports (e.g., Figure Skating, Ski & Snowboard, Gymnastics, Swimming, Track & Field)
- Popular shows, including "PFT Live", "The Dan Patrick Show", "The Dan Le Batard Show", and "Fantasy Football Happy Hour" with Matthew Berry.
