According to reports from the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg, NBC Sports Group President Pete Bevacqua told employees in a memo that the cable channel NBC Sports Network is closing later this year. While it is unclear what will happen with some of the content currently airing, things like NHL games and NASCAR races will be transferred to the USA Network channel, and they plan to double some of them before the channel goes offline. .
This may also bring some content to NBCUniversal’s Peacock streaming platform, but the focus immediately appears to be strengthening the USA Network as an option against channels like Warner’s TNT / TBS. Peacock already carries some football, and Sports Business Daily notes that it recently announced plans to broadcast speed skating. NBCU also has the Golf Channel and Olympic Channel, which will continue to broadcast.