CSN Bay Area, CSN California To Be Rebranded Under ‘NBC Sports’ Moniker
Northern California-based networks will be the first of NBC's nine RSNs to incorporate the Peacock; rebrand for others is currently in exploration
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NBC Sports Regional Networks will rename CSN Bay Area and CSN California to NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California, respectively, on April 2, in conjunction with the start of the San Francisco Giants’ 2017 MLB season. The two Northern California-based networks will be the first of NBC Sports Group’s nine regional networks to incorporate the “NBC Sports” brand. A re-brand for the remaining RSNs is currently in exploration, given the unique partnerships with team partners across the RSN markets.
“From a consumer and business standpoint, it’s ideal for fans to engage with one brand, regionally and nationally,” says David Preschlack, President, NBC Sports Regional Networks and NBC Sports Group Platform and Content Strategy. “The re-branded name allows us to better associate the prestigious NBC Sports legacy with the strength of our Comcast Sports Networks’ local sports coverage in Northern California. The re-brand will not affect our coverage, however, as fans should expect to continue to receive the most compelling news and content on their favorite local teams in our markets on the platform of their choosing.”
The re-branded RSNs will utilize new logos and graphics, most of which already include the NBC Peacock and other NBC-related branding. Starting Monday, March 27, NBC Sports Bay Area and California will tease the re-brand through on-air promos, graphics and social media content.
Many NBC Sports production, programming elements and talent have already been incorporated on the CSNs since the Comcast-NBCUniversal acquisition in 2011, much like NBCSN and Golf Channel. In addition, the CSNs first added the NBC Peacock into their logo in 2012. Last summer, Comcast SportsNet changed to CSN. The RSNs also work closely with the NBC stations in most markets, with several RSNs producing sports content for the NBC stations.
