Because it’s hard to cram “outdoor life” into a hockey rink, the former Outdoor Life Network OLN is rebranding itself one more time, this time to “vs.” (that’s “versus” to you abbreviationally-challenged).

“vs. is a word that perfectly captures the essence of our brand. It is immediate shorthand for competition and has a range that can suit everything from stick and ball sports, to bull riding, to field sports,” network president Gavin Harvey said. “We felt it was a slam dunk, and sports fans we talked to all agreed.”

The network, which began soliciting suggestions for a new name about a year ago, said vs. was chosen “not only for its bold nature, but because it universally evokes competition.”

“Whether it is man vs. man, man vs. beast or team vs. team, the channel will celebrate sports at its best, where athletes and sportsmen compete at their highest levels with the greatest passion,” the network said in a statement.

Like anything, the requisite amount of marketing will make the new name sing. I’m pretty neutral on it; it’s vaguely goofy, but no more so than the names other channels are saddled with. And in a sports entertainment context, vs. certainly hints at plenty of creative promotional ideas. How it jibes with NHL games remains to be seen.

Presumably, network owner Comcast scouted out the online terrain before approving this new name. Because as of right now, vs.com, versus.com, and even versustv.com are all occupado. Some domain owner is in for a big payday.