2023 Schedule

[SkalbaniasGhost]

After all of the (slight) momentum in an increase in bums in the seats during the 2022 season, whose bright idea was it to schedule two Sunday night games starting at 7:00pm? And just in case we didn't need a further kick to the teeth, let's schedule the first game of the season (home opener where the championship banner will be raised) to be one of those Sunday night games. All I can do is shake my head.

It's F1 weekend in Montreal.If you notice the Alouettes are off that weekend.TSN also has to schedule the MLS game of the week on Saturday Night.MLS is scheduling a majority of their games on Saturday nights between 7:00 and 10:00.Apple TV is dictating the schedule change.You need to accept the CFL is not the priority.Take a number and wait to be served.

[Scooter McCray]

It's F1 weekend in Montreal.If you notice the Alouettes are off that weekend.TSN also has to schedule the MLS game of the week on Saturday Night.MLS is scheduling a majority of their games on Saturday nights between 7:00 and 10:00.Apple TV is dictating the schedule change.You need to accept the CFL is not the priority.Take a number and wait to be served.

TSN prioritizes MLS over CFL? Your $hitting me, right? 50,000 viewers for MLS versus 5-10 times that number for CFL. It would be refreshing for a media outlet, traditional or otherwise to approach the CFL and say...you know what you guys pull alot of eyeballs to your product, and have an absolute goldmine with your title game here's what we can do for you. And we think that you have been neglected so badly, that with just a little attention we can double those numbers in a few years.

[SkalbaniasGhost]

TSN prioritizes MLS over CFL? Your $hitting me, right? 50,000 viewers for MLS versus 5-10 times that number for CFL.

The MLS games are being produced by the league itself. It's now a money maker to sell advertising only.It's the priority.

It would be refreshing for a media outlet, traditional or otherwise to approach the CFL and say...you know what you guys pull alot of eyeballs to your product, and have an absolute goldmine with your title game here's what we can do for you. And we think that you have been neglected so badly, that with just a little attention we can double those numbers in a few years.

It's possible.

[ArgoRavi]

It's F1 weekend in Montreal.If you notice the Alouettes are off that weekend.TSN also has to schedule the MLS game of the week on Saturday Night.MLS is scheduling a majority of their games on Saturday nights between 7:00 and 10:00.Apple TV is dictating the schedule change.You need to accept the CFL is not the priority.Take a number and wait to be served.

TSN isn't showing any MLS games in 2023, correct?

[AngeloV]

TSN isn't showing any MLS games in 2023, correct?

I can't see this being true.

[ArgoRavi]

I can't see this being true.

I don't know. Apple has the rights to the MLS beginning in 2023 but will they sell any games to TSN/Bell? I have no idea. I realize this is off-topic though.

As for the 2023 CFL season, the positive is that we will get CFL games on four days of the week for most of the summer. Apparently, the Sunday night games will appeal to both TSN and US broadcasters. It's also interesting that we won't see any late night games until the fall. The BC Lions must have asked for 4 pm local starts in the summer because they are getting several of those.

[paulwoods13]

As for the 2023 CFL season, the positive is that we will get CFL games on four days of the week for most of the summer. Apparently, the Sunday night games will appeal to both TSN and US broadcasters. It's also interesting that we won't see any late night games until the fall. The BC Lions must have asked for 4 pm local starts in the summer because they are getting several of those.

For all the usual weirdness of CFL scheduling from a game-attendance and competitive standpoint, from a purely TV viewing standpoint (at least in the Eastern time zone) this is a good schedule. Very few doubleheaders (which means not having to sit in front of a TV for six hours, something I'm increasingly unwilling to do), very few day games on summer weekends when people would prefer to be outside, and very few late start times. And I love watching football on Sunday nights at the end of a summer weekend.

[shayman]

Dave Naylor on Twitter -

look at all the night games on Sat & Sun. Look at the consistency of Sunday 7 pm ET starts. Look at the games being played on separate days until Labour Day. This is to accommodate US TV. The league has been targeting this area for revenue growth

I'm sad that this sounds like accommodating US TV is more important than accommodating CFL fans.

In a followup tweet someone asked "shouldn't it be about getting butts in seats?" and he said

In this day and age … cart before horse. There’s an entire US pro league that has no fans but is on TV.

Geez, I hope we're not heading THAT way.

[gilthethrill]

Dave Naylor on Twitter -


I'm sad that this sounds like accommodating US TV is more important than accommodating CFL fans.

In a followup tweet someone asked "shouldn't it be about getting butts in seats?" and he said


Geez, I hope we're not heading THAT way.

I hope all the CFL fans in Mud Lick Kentucky enjoy the schedule.

[AngeloV]

Dave Naylor on Twitter -


I'm sad that this sounds like accommodating US TV is more important than accommodating CFL fans.

In a followup tweet someone asked "shouldn't it be about getting butts in seats?" and he said


Geez, I hope we're not heading THAT way.

Naylor being a TSN employee will never admit that TSN calls the shots here. US tv IMO is BS. Unless they plan on expanding to the US again, US tv money will never be enough to justify catering to them.

[paulwoods13]

I'm sad that this sounds like accommodating US TV is more important than accommodating CFL fans.

The thing is, there is no potential source of revenue growth in sight, other than possible TV/streaming money from the U.S. The CFL is not going to get more franchises in Canada, and has maxed out TV/streaming revenue potential in Canada at least until the Bell/TSN contract expires in 2026 or whenever. The league is basically in a downward spiral, with attendance declining for several years and TV viewership steadily declining as well. If the league does not find new sources of revenue, how long can it survive? If it can get money from U.S. TV (or streaming) that it's not getting at the moment, shouldn't it try to do that? If this schedule drives so many fans away from attending games that the ticket-sales loss outweighs whatever gains the league makes on the TV/streaming side, it will have proven to be a mistake. But status quo isn't exactly working, either. I get that many (if not most) ticket buyers would like all games to be played on Friday nights and Saturdays (altho there appears to be a major difference of opinion on the merits of Saturday afternoon vs. evening), but TV provides a significant portion of league revenues, and it needs to maximize viewership potential. That means Thursdays in summer, and now it also means Sunday evenings in summer. Speaking only for myself, I expect to watch more games on TV next season than I did this year, when lots of games ended well past my bedtime, and there were lots of double/triple-headers requiring a six- to nine-hour commitment.

[SkalbaniasGhost]

TSN isn't showing any MLS games in 2023, correct?

https://www.tsn.ca/soccer/mls-announces-new-multi-year-broadcast-agreement-with-tsn-1.1892629



It's just the linear broadcast rights.They don't produce the games themselves.

Apple takes the training wheels off in 2027.

The Saturday playoff games are going to be interesting.The league is really playing with fire with the potential scheduling playoff conflicts
with TFC/Vancouver. Wiggles 2.0 can't wait.

[AngeloV]

https://www.tsn.ca/soccer/mls-announces-new-multi-year-broadcast-agreement-with-tsn-1.1892629



It's just the linear broadcast rights.They don't produce the games themselves.

Apple takes the training wheels off in 2027.

The Saturday playoff games are going to be interesting.The league is really playing with fire with the potential scheduling playoff conflicts
with TFC/Vancouver. Wiggles 2.0 can't wait.

Western semi final and final also goes head to head with HNIC. I don't see a TV ratings bonanza for those games.