Golf Channel to keep name after Versant unveils new brand for former NBC sports properties
Nick Stavas- Comcast's new arm, Versant, is rebranding its sports division to USA Sports.
- The Golf Channel will keep its name but will feature new branding, removing NBC logos.
- USA Sports will continue to broadcast major golf events, including the PGA Tour and U.S. Open.
The Golf Channel will undergo a rebrand... sort of.
Versant — the new arm of Comcast that will take over most of NBC's cable networks — unveiled the branding for its sports division on Wednesday: USA Sports. A press release from Versant says the new brand will feature more than 10,000 hours of live sports in 2026 across its three channels: USA Network, Golf Channel and CNBC.
But fear not, golf fans. In the age of nauseating and pointless rebrands, Versant isn't jumping off the deep end with this one, like we've seen many companies do in recent years (remember when the internet ruthlessly bullied Cracker Barrel for a whole week?). The Golf Channel will remain the Golf Channel. Viewers can expect a different look — NBC logos and colors will be removed — but nothing else will change as a result of the new USA Sports brand being introduced, according to a report from Josh Carpenter with Sports Business Journal.
Golf Channel, which was cofounded by Arnold Palmer in 1995, is celebrating its 30th year on the air. It was absorbed into the NBC Sports family of channels in 2011 when Comcast purchased a majority stake in NBC Universal.
Golf Channel first became the exclusive cable broadcasting partner of the PGA Tour in 2007 and that has yet to change. In 2021, the Tour re-upped with the Golf Channel through 2030. This past summer, Versant also renewed a deal with the USGA to maintain the rights to both the men's and women's U.S. Open Championships through 2032.
Under the umbrella of USA Sports, Versant will also broadcast events from the DP World Tour, PGA of America, R&A, LPGA, NASCAR, WWE and the Premier League. Other former NBC properties will also be rebranded, such as MSNBC, which is being renamed to "MS NOW."