NBCUniversal announced today that their ratings-challenged 24-hour cable sports channel Versus will be renamed NBC Sports Network.

The Hollywood Reporter quotes NBC Sports Group chairman Mark Lazarus as saying the switch is more than just a name change for the channel. "It's a complete repositioning of the brand," he said. "We want anyone who comes into contact with any of our assets to immediately connect with the NBC Sports brand promise."

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the changes will include NBC's on-air style and presentation, which emphasizes storytelling and profiles of athletes. They say the goal of the rebranding is to increase the channel's popularity so that they can charge higher per-subscriber fees.

Versus airs a lot of NHL hockey and is a big part of NBC's Olympics coverage. Versus broadcast the 2010 NHL All-Star game, which was hosted by Raleigh.

The change will take place on January 2. 

Versus released information today on the ratings for this past weekend's NHL All-Star game, which was played at the RBC Center in Raleigh. According to the network, it was the most-watched NHL All-Star game since Versus began airing the game in 2007.

The broadcast averaged 1.5 million viewers and peaked at nearly 2 million viewers from 6:45 p.m. to 7 p.m., the final minutes of the game.

Interesting tidbit in today's NHL release about increases in Versus' viewership during the first round: Raleigh up 100 percent from last year.

Six of the eight U.S. markets not in the playoffs that saw an increase, but Raleigh saw the biggest improvement of all of them. Sounds impressive, but a few caveats:

The Carolina Hurricanes, fighting for the playoffs, are facing the rival Washington Capitals, who lead the Southeast Division, tonight in a good late-season matchup on the road — one Canes fans would definitely want to see. Alas, this is one of the 16 this season not being televised locally. Fox Sports Carolinas is carrying two ACC basketball games. Still, you'd think this kind of NHL game would be on TV in the local franchise's market. Only two Caps games aren't being televised in their market.

Just daydreaming: Maybe next time, the Canes let MASN compete for their TV rights, which greases the wheels for an end to the MASN-Time Warner Cable dispute, and local sports fans get not only more hockey on TV, they get a lot more major-league baseball.