Versant has completed its 2026 distribution renewal cycle, striking a multi-year agreement with Verizon that keeps its portfolio of cable networks available to Fios customers.
The deal closes out Versant’s first round of distribution renewals since becoming a standalone public company earlier this year, as subscriber losses continue to pressure the traditional pay-TV business. Versant’s linear distribution revenue fell 6.3% year over year in the second quarter, primarily due to subscriber declines, though contractual rate increases partially offset the losses.
Under the agreement, USA Network, MS NOW, CNBC, Golf Channel, Oxygen True Crime, E! and SYFY will remain available to Verizon customers. Financial terms were not disclosed.
“Verizon is a valued distribution partner, and this long-term renewal reflects the clear value our portfolio delivers to distributors and audiences,” Versant chief revenue and business officer Dave Pietrycha said in a statement. “We are pleased to continue bringing Verizon customers the premium live news, sports and entertainment programming they value.”
The Verizon pact follows two other multi-year renewals with large pay-TV distributors, one in the U.S. and one in Canada, that Versant CEO Mark Lazarus disclosed during the company’s second-quarter earnings call.
With the latest deal, Versant has renewed every distribution partnership that was set to expire in 2026. The company completed its spinoff from Comcast in January, taking control of a collection of cable networks at a time when cord-cutting continues to shrink the traditional television bundle.
“Versant offers an iconic portfolio of brands and we’re pleased to continue bringing their popular lineup of news, sports and entertainment to Verizon customers,” Verizon SVP of consumer growth Matt Coakley said. “We look forward to continuing our partnership alongside a diverse array of premium programming available to Fios customers.”
Completing those renewals gives Versant some stability as it confronts the broader decline of the cable bundle. Lazarus acknowledged that pressure during the company’s second-quarter earnings call, saying Versant was “not blind to the normal headwinds that everyone in the industry is facing.”
