TSN & the NFL season opener

[OV Argo]

On tonight - NFL kick-off special - one hour pre-game show to open TSN's coverage of the NFL season - Cowboys vs. Giants to follow; interesting.

[Will]

TSN covering the NFL is nothing new.

[ArgoRavi]

Did TSN do their own pregame show or did they just pick up ESPN's?

[argolio]

Did TSN do their own pregame show or did they just pick up ESPN's?

Didn't see it, but it was an NBC game, and I assume TSN used their feed for the pregame show as well.

[OV Argo]

The point is - they dedicated an hour of air time to cover/hype the NFL season opener; and they did NOT have the time to do so for the CFL season opener; Canada's sporrt leader and the HOME of the CFL - yep.

[Will]

TSN had a preview special for the CFL that aired on a separate day from the actual games. The game between Saskatchewan and Hamilton started at 7:00 ET while the Giants and Cowboys started at 8:30 ET. The pre-game stuff is part of the coverage between 7:00 PM at 8:30 PM, the questions that need to be answered are as follows:

(i) Was the coverage between 7:00 and 8:30 run by TSN or was it a simulcast of whatever NBC or ESPN was airing at the time.
(ii) Did TSN pre-empt any of their OTR or SportsCentre to air the NFL Preview?

What are we all concerned about anyways? The CFL ratings on TSN are much better than the NFL.

[1argoholic]

How many crap singers do they have to haul out on these specials. The NFL needs the extra hype because if it came down to just the game, yawn. I was going to watch but man it was boring. I don't care what anyone says the game drags. Every year I have issues getting into NFL ball until the CFL season starts to get towards the end. I do watch the Vikes if they're on though.

[paulwoods13]

This has been hashed out before. If the NFL game started at 7 and TSN ran a U.S.-based pregame show from 6 to 7, there would be legitimate grounds for complaining that they do more to promote the NFL than the CFL. But since the NFL game started at 8:30, it's an apples-to-oranges comparison. TSN will, IMO, always stick with SportsCentre from 6 to 7 over a pregame show because SportsCentre draws big ratings and TSN does not want to surrender general sportscast viewers to Rogers in favour of viewers of a single sport. I don't think TSN showing a pregame show at 7:30 on opening night proves anything other than they are trying to maximize ratings from 7:30 to 8:30. And again, it's pretty tough to criticize TSN for failing to promote the CFL. Their preseason package this year was massive -- three hours in total (two-hour season preview and two other half-hour shows), if I'm not mistaken. The fact that it all had to be shown a night or two before the season started (with a doubleheader starting at 7p ET/4p PT) is not a negative but a positive, IMO.

[argofandave]

I was at Burlington Ribfest on Sunday so I taped the Winnipeg at Saskatchewan game and watched it on Wednesday night.

[1argoholic]

That rib feast is right along the waterfront isn't it Dave? That area just keeps becoming nicer and nicer as we noticed while visiting my aunt in Burlington last summer.

[argofandave]

It's called "Canada's Largest Ribfest" and is held at Spencer Smith Park which is right on the lake at Lakeshore and Brant. I've gone every year since 2005. I usually go for just 1 day but this year I went on Friday, Sunday, and after the game on Monday. I don't even bother buying ribs since the lineups for every booth is so long. There's this great brewpub (Pepperwood)across the street so I walk over there for a beer instead of buying beer at ribfest.

[DanTheFan]

I watched the NBC version as it was in HD and I don't have the TV package that offers TSN in HD. Jumped in at 8:30 and missed the pre-game. Well... most of it as those cringe-worthy over-the-top anthem performances definitely lack importance for this football fan.