• Reuters via Yahoo, Tuesday, August 14, 2007 10:31 AM

ESPN may be far better known, but Versus, a Stamford, Conn.-based sports channel once called the Outdoor Life Network, is carving out its niche. Around for more than a decade, it was known mostly for hunting and fishing programs, along with marginal sports properties, like the Boston Marathon and Professional Bull Riding. But more recently, the Comcast-owned channel has put together a more interesting mix of programming.

It is now the long-term cable home of the NHL and has added Mountain West college football. It also aired the America's Cup yacht races this year, will run the rugby World Cup in September and has track and field's world championships. "We may not be the biggest network, but we think the competition on our network is just as dramatic," says Gavin Harvey, president of Versus.

It has gone from 55 million homes to 72 million today. One down spot has been its Tour de France coverage; ratings slumped after American Lance Armstrong gave up cycling. Still, Harbey sees good times ahead; it recently inked a deal with the owner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship to run more mixed martial arts, probably the fastest growing spectator sport in the world. But it is not abandoning hunting and fishing enthusiasts -- it's building a new HD studio to produce its hunting and fishing shows.

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