USA Network

What USA Network does

USA Network is a US cable and streaming television network operated as a brand of Versant Media, LLC, a private media company headquartered in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey that owns a portfolio of seven networks (CNBC, E!, Golf Channel, MS NOW, Oxygen, SYFY, and USA). The network serves a broad general entertainment and sports audience in the United States, anchored by WWE Friday Night SmackDown as a flagship property now in its twenty-eighth season and spanning more than 1,200 episodes, supplemented by an expanding sports rights portfolio that includes NASCAR, WNBA (beginning May 2026), PGA Tour, Premier League, and League One Volleyball (LOVB). The programming mix also includes crime dramas (Law & Order franchise, Chicago series), true-crime docuseries (Dateline, Snapped, Cold Justice), and original series such as "Everything on the Menu With Braun Strowman" (renewed for Season 2 in 2026).

The technical stack is a conventional, third-party-built streaming and authentication layer rather than a proprietary technology platform. Content is delivered through traditional MVPD carriage on Comcast, Charter, Cox, DirecTV, and DISH, complemented by a ViewLift-powered live TV and on-demand streaming surface and a dedicated USA App on iOS and Android, gated by TV Everywhere authentication that requires a linked pay-TV subscriber account. USA Network additionally serves as the front door for a unified multi-network hub under which all seven Versant networks can be accessed.

The business model combines subscription recurring revenue (per-subscriber carriage fees from cable and satellite operators, plus bundled streaming access through pay-TV subscriptions), advertising revenue (linear and streaming pre-roll, mid-roll, and display), with no direct consumer pricing disclosed. Distribution is MVPD-channel-driven (cable and satellite) plus self-serve streaming via the USA App; marketing relies on USA Insider (blog), social channels (Facebook, X, YouTube, Instagram), and email. Geographic scope is the United States, with no international expansion signals disclosed.

Name

USA Network

Legal name

Versant Media, LLC

Website

https://usanetwork.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

USA Network is a Versant Media-owned US cable television network offering live sports including WWE Friday Night SmackDown, WNBA, and PGA Tour, plus original scripted and reality series. Programming reaches general audiences via cable and satellite distributors and the USA App streaming platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cable Television Network

NAICS

Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162)

SIC

Cable & Other Pay Television Services (4841)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPABAFAA

General Entertainment Cable Networks

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Broadcasting (TV & Radio)/Cable & Satellite Television Networks

SECONDARYMPABAFAD

Sports Cable Networks

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Broadcasting (TV & Radio)/Cable & Satellite Television Networks

SECONDARYMPABAJAA

National & Regional Sports TV Networks (Linear)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Broadcasting (TV & Radio)/Sports Broadcasting & Rights Networks

Keywords

• Cable television network
• Live sports broadcasting
• Entertainment programming
• Streaming television platform
• Scripted original series

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Cable/Satellite Carriage Fees: Monthly fees paid by cable and satellite TV providers to carry the USA Network channel, typically based on subscriber counts per household
2. Advertising Revenue: Traditional broadcast advertising during programming, including pre-roll, mid-roll, and display ads across streaming and linear TV
3. Streaming Subscription Access: Revenue generated through TV provider subscriptions that include streaming access to USA Network content

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

USA Network is a multi-platform cable television channel that broadcasts live sports (WWE Friday Night SmackDown, PGA Tour, WNBA, NASCAR, Premier League), original scripted drama series, reality programming, true crime docuseries, and on-demand entertainment. Content is distributed to consumers through cable/satellite TV provider carriage agreements and authenticated streaming via the USA App and website.

Product overview

USA Network, owned by Versant Media, operates as a multi-platform television network offering live sports broadcasting, original scripted and reality series, and on-demand entertainment. The network features WWE Friday Night SmackDown as its flagship sports entertainment property, original travel series like Everything on the Menu With Braun Strowman, and extensive sports rights including NASCAR, WNBA, and PGA Tour events. Programming is delivered through traditional cable distribution, live TV streaming, and the USA App for connected devices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• USA Network Channel A cable television network offering live sports programming, original series, and on-demand entertainment content including WWE Friday Night SmackDown, reality shows, dramas, and comedy films, accessible via cable/satellite providers and the USA App.
• WWE Friday Night SmackDown Wrestling program spanning over 20 years and 1,200+ episodes featuring WWE Superstars in championship showdowns and action-packed battles, currently in Season 28. Targeted at WWE/wrestling fans and general sports entertainment viewers.
• Everything on the Menu With Braun Strowman A travel and cooking series featuring WWE legend Braun Strowman visiting American restaurants from greasy spoons to Michelin-starred establishments, consuming and reviewing regional cuisine across different cities.
• USA Sports Programming Sports broadcast rights and programming including NASCAR, WNBA, PGA Tour, Premier League, and various golf tournaments (3M Open, ISPS HANDA Women's Scottish Open, ISPS HANDA Senior Open). Targeted at sports enthusiasts across multiple disciplines.

Quantifiable outcome

• WWE Friday Night SmackDown: 20+ years on air with 1,200+ episodes
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Versant MediacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSA Network is owned and operated by Versant Media (formerly part of NBCUniversal). Versant Media acquired the network as part of a broader portfolio including CNBC, E!, Golf Channel, MS NOW, Oxygen, and SYFY. The company manages all aspects of programming, distribution, and operations for USA Network.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• DAZN: DAZN is a global sports streaming service that increasingly competes for premium live sports rights traditionally held by cable networks like USA. Its direct-to-consumer model bypasses pay-TV distribution, positioning it as an emerging competitive threat to USA's sports-rights economics.
• Peacock (NBCUniversal): Peacock is NBCUniversal's direct-to-consumer streaming service that hosts live sports (Premier League, NFL) previously held by cable networks. Although historically a sister property to USA Network, it represents the streaming-native model that competes with USA's TV-Everywhere-only streaming distribution.

Direct peers

• BET (Paramount Global): BET is a cable entertainment network offering a mix of scripted series, reality programming, and live sports content, mirroring USA's general-entertainment-plus-sports positioning and competing for similar carriage and ad slots in pay-TV bundles.
• Paramount Network: Paramount Network is a general-entertainment cable channel carrying scripted dramas, reality, and select sports — closely mirroring USA Network's content mix. Both compete for the same cable distribution tier and ad-buy dollars in unscripted entertainment.
• ESPN (Disney): ESPN is the leading U.S. sports cable network and the most direct competitor to USA Network's expanding sports programming (WWE, PGA Tour, WNBA). Both operate premium linear sports channels with similar carriage-fee and advertising revenue models, and ESPN has been USA's primary rival for marquee sports rights.
• FS1 (Fox Sports): FS1 is a national sports cable network that competes directly with USA Network for premium live sports rights (including WWE SmackDown rights before USA's acquisition). It shares USA's model of live sports-driven linear cable advertising and carriage fees.
• TBS (Warner Bros. Discovery): TBS is a general-entertainment cable network that also carries live sports (MLB, NCAA March Madness). It competes with USA Network for the same distributor shelf space and advertiser budgets targeting cable sports audiences.
• TNT (Warner Bros. Discovery): TNT is a general-entertainment cable network that has historically carried major live sports including NBA games and MLB playoffs, mirroring USA Network's strategy of layering premium live sports over a scripted/reality base. Both networks share similar pay-TV distribution economics and sports-rights positioning.

Broad incumbents

• AMC Networks: AMC Networks operates a portfolio of cable networks (AMC, BBC America, IFC, SundanceTV) under a similar multi-channel operating structure to Versant Media's 7-network portfolio. Comparable as a focused cable-network holding company competing for carriage and advertising in the same pay-TV ecosystem.
• A&E Networks: A&E Networks operates a portfolio of cable channels (A&E, History, Lifetime) with overlapping programming categories including reality, true crime (Lifetime mirrors USA's Dateline/Snapped slate), and unscripted entertainment, making it a broad-incumbent peer in the same pay-TV distribution market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/USANetwork
• YouTubeyoutube.com/usanetwork
• Facebookfacebook.com/USANetwork
• Instagraminstagram.com/usanetwork
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/usa-network-inc

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about USA Network