DirecTV is offering a free trial of Universal Sports Network (USN) this month from November 4 – 14. The channel carries some niche sports such as skiing, triathlons, cycling and volleyball. If you’re a rugby fan, you might have caught some of the 2011 Rugby World Cup matches on USN during September in October. While the channel (an NBC network) is only available in standard-definition (SD), USN’s programming is geared towards sports outside of the mainstream, offering coverage of endurance sports and sports typically focused on during the Olympics — such as swimming and gymnastics.
We should note that while the “free” offer from DirecTV is welcomed with open arms, the reality that the channel is part of DirecTV’s Sports Pack add-on package is not. Folks might not know but USN can usually be found for free over-the-air on one of NBC’s sub-channels. Depending on your location, you might get this channel in clear digital SD — for free. You might then ask…why is DirecTV charging for it? You might want to ask DirecTV that same question.
Universal Sports Network can be found on DirecTV’s channel 625, and over-the-air courtesy NBC’s local broadcast stations.
