Network showcases Olympic-style sports online - Los Angeles Times

Network showcases Olympic-style sports online - Los Angeles Times: "Talk about big shoes to fill.

If its name — the World Championship Sports Network — isn't grand enough, consider the small, Los Angeles-based company's goal of becoming a 21st century version of Roone Arledge's revered 'Wide World of Sports' program.

It's too early to tell whether WCSN is heading toward the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat. But executives at the start-up company are confident that they can turn a profit by showcasing the Rodney Dangerfields of Olympic-style sports — think skiing, fencing, badminton and gymnastics — when the actual Olympic Games aren't in session.

So far, WCSN has signed up about 10,000 subscribers, who pay $4.95 per month or $49.95 per year, to watch events streamed via the Internet. But WCSN Chairman Claude Ruibal will have to produce dramatic subscription growth before advertisers take notice."