TSN exclusivity not helping?

[argos1873]

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.

Sorry, I don't subscribe to cable so I'm ignorant to how you can only have TSN 4? Is it an option to have only one of the TSN channels (besides just TSN 1) and if so, how do you end up with only TSN 4?

[ArgoRavi]

Sorry, I don't subscribe to cable so I'm ignorant to how you can only have TSN 4? Is it an option to have only one of the TSN channels (besides just TSN 1) and if so, how do you end up with only TSN 4?

TSN4 is the default TSN feed for southern Ontario. So, if you don't subscribe to the other TSN feeds, all you get is TSN4 in southern Ontario.

[argos1873]

TSN4 is the default TSN feed for southern Ontario. So, if you don't subscribe to the other TSN feeds, all you get is TSN4 in southern Ontario.

I'll add that to another reason I don't subscribe to cable. Thanks for the explanation.

Thankfully I have a relative in the US and am able to get every CFL game in HD. I'd be more than willing to pay for just that, but I am not willing to pay and subsidize all the other garbage on TV.

[argofandave]

This is the first time since I became a TSN subscriber in 1994 that I haven't been able to watch a CFL game at home that TSN was televising (not including pre-season or blacked out games). The game was shown on TSN 1,3,5 but TSN2 had tennis and TSN4 had basketball. TSN1 covers BC, Alberta, and the Yukon. TSN3 covers Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the rest of northern Canada. TSN4 covers all of Ontario and TSN5 covers Quebec and Atlantic Canada. There are at least 3 more CFL games that TSN4 will not be showing this year.

[gee]

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.

or, at least require the partner to have a feature weekly game and grey cup on their other national station - CTV.

[R.J]

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

According to Rod Pederson, a year later they changed their minds, however due to TSN"s exclusive negotiating window which IIRC ended at the end of February 2013, it didn't really matter who was interested, as TSN and the CFL reached a new agreement before the end of the month.

http://www.argofans.com/showthread.p...ind-on-tv-deal

[Rocket]

Tsn has been a bad partner the last couple of years. Tsn radio is awful for anything cfl only mention I hear about the cfl is when they are putting down the league these clowns try to act like they are to big for the cfl. There coverage in game camera is terrible the announcers are god awful having rod black doing the commentary the last few years is a joke I could understand for one year they put him on and they finally realize how bad he is but to have him year in year out just shows how much attention they put into producing there coverage. Only good thing with tsn is the in studio panel which they just got lucky with getting Matt dunigan,Chris Shultz,milt Steagel, jock clime etc.

[Gill The Thrill]

This is the first time since I became a TSN subscriber in 1994 that I haven't been able to watch a CFL game at home that TSN was televising (not including pre-season or blacked out games). The game was shown on TSN 1,3,5 but TSN2 had tennis and TSN4 had basketball. TSN1 covers BC, Alberta, and the Yukon. TSN3 covers Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and the rest of northern Canada. TSN4 covers all of Ontario and TSN5 covers Quebec and Atlantic Canada. There are at least 3 more CFL games that TSN4 will not be showing this year.

Great...TSN is turning the CFL into a regional league...that's frigging great. Today's Winnipeg at Saskatchewan Labour Day weekend tradition that's always played on the sunday of the Labour Day weekend will not be seen by basic cable subscribers in Eastern Canada...Quebec, Atlantic Canada, and probably as far west as Ottawa as the Sens have regional broadcasts are on TSN5. Sure, if they have expanded coverage they can watch the game on TSN1,2,4 but is that exactly increasing league exposure. Everybody knows that the higher your station is numbered on TV remote, the less likely your station will be watched and this is where being on basic cable is still advantageous compared to being on expanded cable on digital channel 495.

Message it sends to potential fans in Atlantic Canada that may not have access...why bother following the league as TSN is not even broadcasting it on their main channel here?...I'll get ready for the Patriots season which begins next week as Bell gives me all those game on their main CTV network. As if this could be great for marketing the CFL and furthering interest in expansion to the Maritimes...I think not.

UPDATE....Argofandave, you must be going nuts. It`s just passed 3:30 and the Pregame show for Wpg at Sask is not on TSN4, the TSN station with the largest population including the Southern Ontario market which houses 2 CFL teams. They are showing US open Tennis, a Serena Williams match which is in it`s first set. If they`re going to follow this to conclusion then they won`t be showing Wpg at Sask despite the digital TV guide saying they will...What a fckin joke this TV contract is...like I said at the start of this thread, TSN treats the CFL the way Sportsnet treats Poker stars or lumberjack throwing. If I see another Cabbie presents program on TSN, I think I`m going to throw my TV out the window a`la SCTV style.

[jerrym]

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 agree with you ArgoRavi. However, the creation of TSN 1,2,3,4,5 has meant getting all broadcasts much more difficult pushing me more and more in the direction of favouring another network in addition to TSN, which would also result in more coverage.

[Gill The Thrill]

Even TSN`s website had misleading information regarding the Wpg-Saskatchewan game as did the digital TV guide.

Turns out TSN5 had the game televised while TSN4 did not. This means that anyone with just basic cable in Ontario west of the Ottawa viewing region has not had access to watching a televised CFL game this week, as the BC at Montreal game on Thursday was also not available on TSN4. I understand they may think the Blue Jays may be taking some viewers away in Ontario, but to concede and just throw in the towel in Ontario does not look like good marketing and promotion to me. Does TSN which is owned by ESPN actually view Tennis and FIBA Basketball as an easier sell to advertisers in ALL of Ontario than the CFL. I guess this brings new meaning to TSN equalling the Toronto Sports Network. (I feel bad for true Football fans in the rest of Ontario who have to be subjected to the Toronto Agenda when it comes to covering sports)

When TV personalities like Cabbie and Eric Smith are being given prime billing on the Toronto signal, you know the station sucks big time.

PS- Since when the shite was Olympic Basketball qualifying always televised, and since when were games not involving Canada televised on the default station (TSN36 would be more appropriate afaic). Can`t see too many viewers tuning in to watch Belize vs Puerto Rico over a CFL games but if that`s the case, then it`s obvious having TSN as the sole carrier of CFL games has been a failure.

Could somebody please tell me what the shite was the purpose of the Coors lite games was...glad that shite is over but TSN promoted the crap out of that garbage TV during many of their CFL telecasts. You call that programming meant for a national audience, Cabbie (who should be unknown) and that unknown airhead co-host shoulda been hosting that on a local Cable TV show. That was hideous TV considering we get no CIS football coverage and very minimal regular season or playoff jr hockey action on our supposedly national sports networks.

The CHL and CIS was just as stupid as the CFL was in giving their broadcasters monopoly rights to cover their games and all their leagues. The OUA has been shutout of what used to be a Saturday afternoon staple in the fall thanks to leaving OTA station CHCH and having the Score show their games. Rogers bought the Score network and has literally paid the CIS-OUA to not expose their product. That is shameful.

[argofandave]

Yes, Gill the Thrill, I am going nuts. I spent the day at Burlington Ribfest and recorded today's game only to find out that tennis was shown on TSN4 instead. I also just found out that tomorrow's 2nd game will not be shown on TSN4 which means 3 of the 4 Labour Day weekend games were not shown on TSN4. I have sent angry emails to both TSN and the CFL but have not had a reply yet. I'm also still upset from last year's decision by Rogers to not televise any regular season OUA football games and I just found out that I can't watch any Quebec university football games on CBC French since they're now shown on TVA. Very frustrated Canadian football fan here.

[argolio]

I just found out that I can't watch any Quebec university football games on CBC French since they're now shown on TVA.

Wow, that sucks.

[Gill The Thrill]

Yes, Gill the Thrill, I am going nuts. I spent the day at Burlington Ribfest and recorded today's game only to find out that tennis was shown on TSN4 instead. I also just found out that tomorrow's 2nd game will not be shown on TSN4 which means 3 of the 4 Labour Day weekend games were not shown on TSN4. I have sent angry emails to both TSN and the CFL but have not had a reply yet. I'm also still upset from last year's decision by Rogers to not televise any regular season OUA football games and I just found out that I can't watch any Quebec university football games on CBC French since they're now shown on TVA. Very frustrated Canadian football fan here.

The Calgary-Edmonton game will be on TSN4 so basic cable subscribers in most of Ontario will have access to that game on their default TSN station. TSN5 which is the default channel for basic cable subscribers in Eastern Ontario and the Atlantic Provinces will not be able to see this game...perhaps they may be able to catch a French broadcast on RDS as Ottawa and Quebec get a ton of French language channels on cable but I'm not sure.

[R.J]

TSN's plan to grow the CFL = limit the exposure. I sure am glad that the CFL signed the new deal then on top of that signed an extension to it. Funny though, because they seem to spend a lot of money promoting the NFL and the TSN NFL fantasy league.

[Gill The Thrill]

TSN's plan to grow the CFL = limit the exposure. I sure am glad that the CFL signed the new deal then on top of that signed an extension to it. Funny though, because they seem to spend a lot of money promoting the NFL and the TSN NFL fantasy league.

No kidding, TSN will be showing their first advertised NFL game on all their default basic cable networks on TSN1,3,4,5 as TSN2 was always the alternate.

[ArgoRavi]

TSN4 has tennis currently instead of the Labour Day game from Alberta.

[R.J]

TSN4 has tennis currently instead of the Labour Day game from Alberta.

I guess Ontario cares more about tennis then Labour Day weekend.

[Rocket]

TSN4 has tennis currently instead of the Labour Day game from Alberta.

That is pathetic tsn is an always was a awful network with terrible programming. As bad as Rogers has been with regards to the cfl the last few years I would seriously consider them then have tsn cover the cfl.

[Gill The Thrill]

That is pathetic tsn is an always was a awful network with terrible programming. As bad as Rogers has been with regards to the cfl the last few years I would seriously consider them then have tsn cover the cfl.

It's disgraceful, the Stamps/Esks 2nd half of the Labour Day doubleheader was even advertised as being on TSN1,3,4 during the Ticat/Argo game. Even the Digital guide had TSN5 as the station that would not show that game (not that they should not). I was channel juggling to see how they would leave the Post game, or pre game to go to Calgary and they show a ticker at 4:25 pm explaining that US Open tennis will begin at 4:30pm on TSN4 and that the CFL will be on TSN1,3,5. Even Scott Fergusen on TSN1050 radio during an update after the Argos Post game show at 5 pm said, "The Stamps and Esks were tied at 0-0 on TSN4."

When the station's radio broadcaster can't get the right station, how can you expect you're viewers to not be upset and feel that TSN is marginalizing the product. Orridge better get on the horn and not put up with this, I've seen nothing to suggest that this commissioner has any backbone. He has not talked about the potential Argo scheduling conflict but has just flown to Winnipeg to announce that they were reducing capacity for the Grey Cup while putting spin on that by discussing where they wanted the stage for the halftime. Do you think if the tickets were already sold, they'd be reducing capacity and putting the stage at an endzone, or would they have put at the 55 yd line at the centre of the stadium as per usual?

[Argocister]

Just came back from eating at a pub after the game ..... And now I'm double bummed as I couldn't watch the stamps esks game .... The bar only got the other TSN stations.

If the numbers watching the CFL games are down ... it's probably because the games are restricted. Major BS!

Have to find tsn's fax number ..... Let's jam it with complaints!