When was USA Network founded and what was its original name?
USA Network was founded on the 22nd of September 1977, as the Madison Square Garden Sports Network. It was relaunched under the name USA Network on the 9th of April 1980.
Questions about USA Network
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who was Kay Koplovitz and what was her role at USA Network?
Kay Koplovitz served as chairwoman and CEO of USA Network for its first two decades. Under her leadership, USA became the first basic cable channel to rely greatly on advertising revenue. She oversaw the network's transformation from a sports-focused outlet into a broader entertainment channel.
What was the Characters Welcome programming era on USA Network?
Characters Welcome was USA Network's marketing campaign and programming strategy, introduced in 2005. It emphasized comedic, optimistic action and drama series, producing hits such as Psych in 2006, Burn Notice in 2007, and Royal Pains in 2009. The campaign gave way to the We the Bold rebrand in April 2016.
How long has WWE programming aired on USA Network?
WWE and its predecessor the World Wrestling Federation have had a presence on USA Network since 1977. The flagship program Raw aired on USA from its January 1993 debut, moved to TNN in September 2000, and returned to USA in October 2005.
Why did USA Network take on more sports coverage in 2022?
NBC Sports Network shut down on the 31st of December 2021, and USA Network assumed most of its remaining sports schedule beginning in 2022. The Premier League, NASCAR, and select Olympic events all moved to USA at that time.
Who currently owns USA Network?
USA Network is owned by Versant, a public company formed when Comcast spun off most of NBCUniversal's cable properties. Comcast had owned USA Network as part of NBCUniversal from 2004 and announced the spinoff in November 2024.