<P> In June 2017, NBCUniversal announced that Universal HD would be shut down on July 14, 2017, and replaced by Olympic Channel (marketed as Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA). Universal HD was the third NBCU cable network to cease operations in 2017, after Cloo and Esquire Network (Chiller would be the fourth when it shuts down at the end of the year). These discontinuations came in response to changing market conditions in the U.S. television industry, including the growth of "skinny" over-the - top linear television services delivered over the internet (such as DirecTV Now and Sling TV), and an overall decline in "niche" channels that originate little to no original programming . </P> <P> The U.S. version of Olympic Channel is a franchise of the IOC's Olympic Channel network operated in conjunction with NBC Sports and the United States Olympic Committee . The channel carries coverage of competitions in Olympic sports that take place outside of the Olympic Games (such as world championships), and other programming focusing on Olympic athletes . It draws from programming commissioned for the international version of Olympic Channel, original programming produced by the USOC, and the archives of NBC . The network will carry news and highlights during the 2018 Winter Olympics (full event coverage will be delegated to other NBCUniversal networks), including OBS - produced programs and the Jimmy Roberts - hosted Winter Olympics Daily . </P> <P> Olympic Channel was formally launched on the morning of July 15, 2017; its launch weekend programming included coverage of events in the 2017 World Aquatics Championships, the 2017 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix, the 2017 World Para Athletics Championships and the 2017 IAAF Diamond League . Besides Xfinity, providers who carried the channel at launch included Altice, AT&T U-verse, DirecTV, Dish Network, Spectrum, and Verizon Fios, along with Hulu's live TV service; NBC stated that it would be available in 35 million households at launch . </P> <P> Most of the programs broadcast by Universal HD were first aired by one of NBCUniversal's cable networks, including Bravo, USA Network, Syfy and Chiller before their HD simulcast networks were launched . In its early years, it carried sports coverage from USA in the HD format, including its rights to The Masters, tennis's US Open, and the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show . Early in the high - definition era it also acquired repeat rights of short - run early - to - mid 2000s network series such as CBS's Clubhouse and UPN's Sex, Love & Secrets (which it actually premiered episodes from due to an abrupt cancellation from UPN) to fill out its schedule before its library became sustainable to repeat series more often and high definition became all but expected from a network television series . </P>

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