So I'm watching SportsCentre tonight on TSN. Thinking I may see a word or two on the CFL. Especially since Milt Stegall was going for the touchdown record.
So the intro to the show starts with the music. They mention hockey. They mention baseball. They mention golf. They mention the top 10. But nothing on the CFL game TSN is showing tonight?
The sportscast starts. They talk about hockey. No problem there. The CFL must be next I thought.
Wrong. They go to a story on the Toronto Blue Jays. Who aren't even playing today? Then they show who cares baseball highlights. And of course steroid cheat Barry Bond gets a mention. Even though TSN doesn't cover baseball. Then its golf.
Then they go to commercial mentioning basketball and tennis as the next stories. No mention of any CFL related stories. And I mean basketball? Ahead of the cFL? What is up with that?
So they come back. Mention the basketball story which five people in Canada might care about. Then mention Wimbeldon.
Theres about ten minutes left in the show, so I'm about to turn the channel in disgust, when low and behold the CFL insignia appears on the screen, and the announcer mentions the CFL? Then they go to the panel? What?
This is how TSN promotes the CFL? By ignoring it? My problem is why didn't Sportcentre promote at the start of the show, or during the show, that they were going to have the CFL panel on their sportscast? So that CFL fans would hang around?
Either the people running TSN are idiots, or they have total disregard for CFL fans. I mean why else would they not even mention that the CFL panel would be appearing on the bloody show?
I just have to shake my head in wonderment. And it makes you wonder where the people on Sportcentre place the CFL in terms of importance. Obviously down the list.
Which is why I always say the CFL must be a great league to continue to grow and thrive despite the total lack of respect it gets from the Canadain media.
They might have left the CFL out because that edition of SportsCentre is only 30 minutes long, and the pre-game show was coming up at 7:30.. all I can think of... but still I do agree they should have had something
It is "The Sports Network". Not the "CFL Network". I am a CFL fan, I have found that there have been many various improvments to the network. A couple weeks ago there was a 2 hour CFL Season Preview Show. That's new. Brought in new commentators, and are beginning to add new styles and formats to the programming. I for one don't like over drawn pre game shows, (ex. FOX NFL Sunday) give me a half hour of preview stuff, let me watch the game and think for myself. Don't tell me what to think about certain players or teams. TSN is obviously making changes to improve the telecasts and overall promotion of the CFL. But at the same time they need to do the same for other sports as well. You may not be a huge baseball fan, but I am. I wish there was more baseball coverage around the MLB. I know that's not gunna happen, and I'm okay with that. But in the end, I get all of my sports, and also have Holly Horton and Jennifer Hedger every other day feeding me my diet of steading highlights.
Holy man berezin, you got me beat no problem as a CFL fanatic. I'll side with TiCatB's version I suppose.
I'm thinking that there is more cross-over fans between hockey, baseball, basketball and NFL. When it comes to the CFL, maybe we are more in a class by ourselves and then treated a bit separately? Goes along with the uniqueness of the league perhaps? I don't know but I have thought that there is something different about crazy CFL fans. Who knows.
NO it's not The Sports Network and it pains me to say this with substance, it is the Toronto Sports Network.
Now most of you can appreciate what we CFL fans have been dealing with here in the "Center of the Universe" for years.
Yes Earl, the CFL is part of the package, but it is not promoted anywhere close in proportion to the overhyped NHL.
Meanwhile MLB and the NBA are non factors here in Canada and only barely have sufficient TV numbers to justify this coverage.
An arguement can be made for the BJ's who draw around 300,000 viewers per game, but for the Craptors and the NBA it's recent viewership has gone south of 100,000 and is basically infomercial territory.
The NFL around the same 300,000 figure is not prime time territory for TSN since getting MNF and Sunday night. But, tell me why is the Super Bore going onto the main CTV network and the CFL with its Grey Cup although it was rumoured would possibly be seen on the mother network with the playoffs in 08, is now "relegated" to TSN only.
The bottom line again is inspite of TSN and CBC the CFL grows upward.
I don't get TSN down here but their web site is terrific (other than the broken video links) and they have more CFL coverage than I've ever seen anywhere.
It seems to me that since Toronto is such a huge metropolis and the largest market by in Canada, it's only natural that it gets more play as long as they don't ignore everywhere else.
Though it does seem a bit odd to put CFL coverage at the end of the show and give it short shrift when they actually have a game coming up later. Maybe they do that to keep you watching all the filler crap such as men's wimbledon highlights.
Maybe they do that to keep you watching all the filler crap such as men's wimbledon highlights.
Now that does make sense I'd say. For me, once the CFL stuff is over, I change channels especially at this time of the year as I don't need to know most baseball except some Blue Jays, tennis, most golf except majors, some hockey free agent stuff is ok, draft in basketball who cares, soccer who cares...
That definitely does make sense... but still, why not include it in the preview? That way people actually know it's going to be covered, and people will stick around. If you don't tell people you're covering the CFL, and you wait until the very end, people may not stick around.
I forget who wrote that the CFL is unique, therefore it shouldn't get mentioned with baseball and basketball? Which have crossover fans? Huh?
All I know is the CFL is the second best property TSN has. There was a game last night. They had the panel on.
Yet they didn't even bother telling anybody they'd be on? But instead promote basketball and baseball? Two sports they barely cover, because TV ratings for those sports stink?
Like, what is going on here?
And to the guy who made the above quote, what are you talking about? Sports few if any care about getting priority over the CFL? Which is popular across Canada? There is no logical explanation as far as I can see.
Yeah it sounds as if they need more teasers liberally sprinkled throughout the hours leading up to the Big Show, and especially during their major sports roundup, whatever it's called.
the only problem is that the very first thing that Sportscentre should have said was "Just a reminder to everyone watching that the CFL is on after sportscenter tonight! Montreal Alouettes vs the Winnipeg Blue Bombers!
