Versant CEO Mark Lazarus said that high prices for NFL and World Cup rights could “create an opening for Versant as other media companies reassess their sports portfolios and spending commitments.” Variety via Getty Images
Versant CEO Mark Lazarus said that high prices for NFL and World Cup rights could “create an opening for Versant as other media companies reassess their sports portfolios and spending commitments,” according to John Ourand of PUCK. Lazarus, on the company’s quarterly earnings call, said there will be “some rationalization of portfolios from some of our colleagues across various media companies and people like us, who are interested in finding the right quantity of sports at the right price that serves our distribution and advertiser needs.” Lazarus: “There will be opportunity for that.” Live sports are a “cornerstone” of Lazarus’ programming strategy. He said that sports and news are “obviously working really well for us.” He noted that Versant has “long-term rights deals with Bundesliga, the WNBA, Pac-12, the USGA, NASCAR, and the PGA Tour” ([_PUCK, 11/3_](https://puck.news/sports/2026/11/versants-sports-strategy-usopc-cashes-in?_gl=1*1fv2zd3*_up*MQ..*_ga*MzcyMDYyNzc1LjE3OTM4MDQ5MzE.*_ga_9FJ2V6JMVG*czE3OTM4MDQ5MzAkbzEkZzAkdDE3OTM4MDQ5MzAkajYwJGwwJGgw)).