Versant has rolled out its new sports division that houses USA Network and Golf Channel, with the new brand officially being called “USA Sports.”
“It gives our division a name and an identity as opposed to say, referring to ourselves as the sports division of Versant or anything like that,” said Matt Hong, the president of USA Sports.
Versant CEO Mark Lazarus in a staff email hinted at the USA Sports name nearly three months ago.
USA Network already had plenty of brand identity dating back to when it first carried sports in 1979, Hong said, so it was an easy transition to incorporate that branding into the new logo. Golf Channel’s name will remain, but its look, which currently includes NBC colors and branding, will get a refresh ahead of the new year.
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USA Sports carried out the creative work internally, led by CMO/Sports & Entertainment Frank Tanki; SVP/Creative, Sports & Entertainment Amy Troiano; and Dir of Content Ray Worsdale.
Hong pointed to USA Sports’ strong portfolio of women’s sports that includes golf, League One Volleyball (LOVB) and its recent deal with the WNBA as the new division gets ramped up. “Those represent growth opportunities for us and for new fans,” Hong said. “We’re leaning into growth properties, many of which happen to be women’s sports from a programming standpoint.”
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Hong noted USA Network will have 1,400 hours of live sports in 2026, while Golf Channel will rack up another 3,200 hours — or an average of roughly nine hours per day. USA Sports properties overall include NASCAR, PGA Tour, DP World Tour, PGA of America, USGA, R&A, LPGA, WWE, Premier League, LOVB and the A-10.
