Universal Sports Network bolsters US reach

US pay-television sports broadcaster Universal Sports Network has broadened its reach after three cable television operators agreed carriage deals for the platform.

Universal Sports is now available to customers of Buckeye CableSystem, Atlantic Broadband and Consolidated Communications.

The three operators have opted in to Universal Sports’ master agreement with the National Cable Television Cooperative. Under a multi-year deal agreed in September, the cooperative’s 900 members are able to opt in to carry Universal Sports Network’s multi-platform programming dedicated to Olympic, endurance and action sports.

The latest agreement means Buckeye CableSystem, Atlantic Broadband and Consolidated Communications subscribers will be able to access content including the 2015 Freestyle Ski and Snowboard World Championships, which take place in Kreischberg, Austria from January 15-25, and February’s Alpine World Ski Championships at Vail/Beaver Creek in Colorado.

The addition of the three operators pushes Universal Sports’ reach past 60 million homes in the US.