TSN exclusivity not helping?

[Gill The Thrill]

You know this has been brought up before, but I've just about had it with TSN exclusivity of CFL broadcasts and exposure. As far as I'm concerned the network uses the CFL the way Rogers Sportsnet uses Poker, as filler Canadian content programming between Pro Tennis, Golf and selling CTV's NFL coverage and their Sunday night NFL game.

I went to the TSN 1050 webpage and was flabbergasted, but not surprised to see how far down they rank the Argos among Toronto teams. No surprise the Leafs are furthest to the left side, then comes the Raptors, which in my mind should be the Blue Jays, but since Bell has no stake in the Jays, but do in the Raptors they stick them 2nd behind the Leafs. They have the Jays 3rd (fair enough as they do have a strong following even before the Tulo and Price signing). What really appalls me is that they have TFC 4th ahead of the Argos....Is this damn company kidding me. They mention TFC, a team that can barely get 100,000 viewers for their games ahead of the Argos who make news for not having enough ratings and risk losing sponsors if they're below 500,000 viewers. That's total BS. Talking about Bell taking it up the u know where from Rogers in their MLSE partnership.

Furthermore, I saw that the TSN webpage was publicizing coverage of the Saskatchewan Roughriders News Conference at 1 pm, so I clicked the link, and could you believe to receive access, I had to put in my cable tv password to receive the live signal on the internet, and not just from Bell, but even Rogers, Shaw and etc. Could you believe it? Figuring they wanted to protect their TV audience I turned on the tube to see if I could see the Live news conference on 1 of their 5 stations. To my amazement, US Open Tennis (THE SAME FRIGGIN MATCH) was on TSN1,2,3 and FIBA Basketball (Same FRIGGIN match) was on TSN4,5. Why have the 5 stations if your going to show the same duplicate crap on all of them? Isn't the CFL the most followed sports league in Canada after the NHL, especially in the Prairies? Would it not have made sense and garnered more viewers if the TSN signal that is local in Saskatchewan, TSN2 or TSN3 shown the live press conference regarding the GM and coach change? This is why I'm peeved off enough to start this thread?

The CFL was foolish for giving TSN exclusive rights to broadcast ALL their games and the reasons I've outlined above are why. They should've kept a terrestrial over-the-air station like CBC or Global in the loop because it would have been another outlet to promote and expose the league to a wider audience. The MLB and NFL sell different broadcast rights to different networks. Why couldn't the CFL be smart enough to have done the same? Did they have to give to give TSN Thursday night? Could they not have given an over-the-air network a prime time Saturday night game with a consistent time? TSN presently puts weekend games all over the place. The Bombers played a Saturday home game at the unusual time of 5pm local (6 Eastern) because TSN had a scheduled MLS game starting at 9pm Eastern. I guess satisfying those 100,000 MLS viewers on prime time was more important than satisfying the much larger CFL TV audience. I wonder how they spin that with their advertisers??? How could the perception of being treated as filler content in between US tournaments and even the MLS be good for the league? Didn't CBC offer as much for CFL broadcast rights and did Global also not express interest in broadcasting rights to the CFL. Could the CFL not have used one of these over-the-air networks for the consistency of one national telecast a week, rather than just leave all the games to TSN to squeeze in between their other programming...perhaps they could have had another pre-game and post-game show on one of the terrestrial networks...what a concept? Not original I know, but it works for the NHL in Canada and the NFL in the states.

[R.J]

I'll say the same thing I stated when the CFL re-upped with TSN in 2013 and extended the deal a couple of months ago. The league made a big mistake staying exclusive, yes TSN has been a good partner(more so early on in 08-10) and yes the league needed TSN 2007, but the League now needs maximum exposure and honestly I don't think TSN will ever provide that.

[ArgoRavi]

I am torn on this topic. The CFL probably maxes out their TV revenues due to the exclusivity of the TSN deal but I too think that the CFL would benefit greatly by being on a second network, even for just one game per week, as that network would then be promoting the league. If you don't happen to watch TSN, you really don't hear much about the CFL on any other national outlet.

With Shaw being the Grey Cup sponsor though, maybe we will see more CFL content on Global. That is what I am holding out hope for anyway.

[Gill The Thrill]

I am torn on this topic. The CFL probably maxes out their TV revenues due to the exclusivity of the TSN deal but I too think that the CFL would benefit greatly by being on a second network, even for just one game per week, as that network would then be promoting the league. If you don't happen to watch TSN, you really don't hear much about the CFL on any other national outlet.

With Shaw being the Grey Cup sponsor though, maybe we will see more CFL content on Global. That is what I am holding out hope for anyway.

I happened to catch the Shaw owned Global Toronto sportscast last night and they did have a recorded segment talking about the Shaw 3 CFL players of the week as presented by Derek Myers. Don't know who he is, but could be a personality from one of Global's western Canadian stations. It's the first time I've heard of this segment, but I don't always catch the Global sportscast. CTV Toronto with Joe Tilley tonight mentioned that the Argos are getting ready for their Labour Day contest in Hamilton. I notice they always mention the Argos next game days before it happens (in this case 6) as a bumper story, but it would be nice if they sent someone in the field to get an ENG report. (They sometimes do) I believe the team may have been off since getting back from Edmonton, but I think they're on the practice field Wednesday.

[LLB997]

2/3 of your complaint was the running order of TO teams on a webpage.............really? A Big WHO CARES on that one brother. That's like No Names fans worried about the seat colours at BMO. Don't stress about that kind of stuff, TSN knows which links are getting the hits regardless of their order.

Overall I am happy with TSNs content especially during playoffs as they gave the Grey Cup the coverage it finally deserved. TSN TV is okay to me, its the Radio side of things that are pathetic.


One thing worth complaining about is the online feed. TSN go is an awful CHOPPY video feed and unwatchable. Lucky for me I found an easier , better quality FREE feed.

[Gill The Thrill]

2/3 of your complaint was the running order of TO teams on a webpage.............really? A Big WHO CARES on that one brother. That's like No Names fans worried about the seat colours at BMO. Don't stress about that kind of stuff, TSN knows which links are getting the hits regardless of their order.

Overall I am happy with TSNs content especially during playoffs as they gave the Grey Cup the coverage it finally deserved. TSN TV is okay to me, its the Radio side of things that are pathetic.


One thing worth complaining about is the online feed. TSN go is an awful CHOPPY video feed and unwatchable. Lucky for me I found an easier , better quality FREE feed.

Talking about the lack of showing of a live press conference on TV is not discussing the running order of Toronto teams so I don't know where you get the 2/3rds from. The problem with giving TSN exclusivity is that they are the only network that gives information, and sometimes it's not enough as they know the other stations are not as compelled to promote and hype the game since they have the rights to not even one game. Rogers sportsnet has actually covered as much CFL in their sportscasts as TSN has at times this season. TSN's website has been shit since ESPN bought them and basically overhauled the logo and station colours to match ESPN's. Their comment and messageboards were the best as it allowed fans an open discussion and allowed them to identify where they were from to give fans a true indication of how popular and wide reaching a game was. Now it's all attached to Facebook, Google and Disqus with no mention of where someone is commenting from so that you could have a perspective of why a fan may feel the way they do...I can't be bothered.

[T-Bone]

Rogers sportsnet has actually covered as much CFL in their sportscasts as TSN has at times this season.

Sportsnet also had a chance to get in on the CFL TV rights but this what they had to say back in 2011: Sportsnet taking a pass on Canadian Football League

[argonaut11xx]

I wonder if the CFL could package the regular season and semi finals as one, the divisional finals as one entity, and the grey cup as a stand alone.

Have bidders on 3 packages? Maybe now?, maybe not until the league is more popular in TO, MTL, and Van?

[AngeloV]

Despite my hate for Rogers, I would like to see TSN take a page from Rogers NHL package, and continue to produce all the games, but partner with CBC (or Global) to show a game per week, as well as playoffs.

[1argoholic]

I'm getting pretty pissed of by TSN at this point. I've been calling it another US based channel for months now. Who gives a rats ass about all of those US based shows, golf etc. Five channels mostly filled with CRAP. Not big on their on air personalities pushing baseball highlights, basketball and all excited for the NFL. Sick of the NFL and it's deflate gate. Unreal with the amount of criminal activity by it's players that they drag this dumb topic out making one of it's biggest stars look like a jackwagon.

[doubleblue]

I'm getting pretty pissed of by TSN at this point. I've been calling it another US based channel for months now. Who gives a rats ass about all of those US based shows, golf etc. Five channels mostly filled with CRAP. Not big on their on air personalities pushing baseball highlights, basketball and all excited for the NFL. Sick of the NFL and it's deflate gate. Unreal with the amount of criminal activity by it's players that they drag this dumb topic out making one of it's biggest stars look like a jackwagon.

A lot of truth to that 1A

[gilthethrill]

I'm getting pretty pissed of by TSN at this point. I've been calling it another US based channel for months now. Who gives a rats ass about all of those US based shows, golf etc. Five channels mostly filled with CRAP. Not big on their on air personalities pushing baseball highlights, basketball and all excited for the NFL. Sick of the NFL and it's deflate gate. Unreal with the amount of criminal activity by it's players that they drag this dumb topic out making one of it's biggest stars look like a jackwagon.

Now now....we can't have too much of deflategate!

[ArgoRavi]

And now Tom Brady is hanging around with Ben Affleck and his nanny and Brady's wife is none too happy about it so I am sure we will be hearing much more about that in addition to Deflategate. The CFL pales in comparison to all of that.

[argofandave]

I just noticed that tomorrow night's CFL game is not available on TSN4 which is the only TSN channel that I get. They're showing the Canada vs. Cuba basketball game instead.

[Argo57]

I just noticed that tomorrow night's CFL game is not available on TSN4 which is the only TSN channel that I get. They're showing the Canada vs. Cuba basketball game instead.

Hey Dave
Can you post updates for that Canada vs Cuba game??

[argofandave]

Hey Dave
Can you post updates for that Canada vs Cuba game??

Actually, the game is against Venezuela. The game against Cuba was today. I'll be watching it as closely as I watch a Raptors game so I won't have time to post updates (hahaha).

[Argo57]

Despite my hate for Rogers, I would like to see TSN take a page from Rogers NHL package, and continue to produce all the games, but partner with CBC (or Global) to show a game per week, as well as playoffs.

TSN for the most part does a good job (particularly the in studio panel).
I used to enjoy the stylistic variation between CTV and CBC back in the day, kept things interesting.
One other benefit to having more than one network would be less exposure to Rod Black.....case closed!!

[AngeloV]

TSN for the most part does a good job (particularly the in studio panel).
I used to enjoy the stylistic variation between CTV and CBC back in the day, kept things interesting.
One other benefit to having more than one network would be less exposure to Rod Black.....case closed!!

LOL. I can live with Black as a host of some sort, just not as a PBP guy.

[Argo57]

Perhaps Rod Black and Chris Berman host a pre-game show kind of like Sammy Maudlin (Berman) and William B William (Black), that would work for me.

[argofandave]

Actually, the game is against Venezuela. The game against Cuba was today. I'll be watching it as closely as I watch a Raptors game so I won't have time to post updates (hahaha).

The basketball game ended at 9pm (don't know who won) so instead of having TSN4 switch to the second half of the CFL game, they're showing a Top Ten List.