I must admit when I heard TSN was going to five channels I didn't read the fine print that what it was doing was not really adding three completely new channels per se but was more or less splitting its main TSN channel into four regional channels much like Sportsnet is already structured with Sportsnet Pacific, Sportsnet West, Sportsnet Ontario and Sportsnet East - with often the same live programming being on all four of those channels simultaneously such as when they are showing a live CFL game.
So now here in Southern Ontario it is TSN4 that is the main TSN channel. So anybody with just basic cable gets TSN4 here and not TSN1, TSN3 or TSN5.
TSN1 is the main feed for BC, Alberta and the Yukon, TSN2 is unchanged it is a national channel just as it always has been with different programming, TSN3 is the main TSN feed for Manitoba, NWT and Northern Ontario, TSN5 is the Ottawa Valley region, Quebec and Atlantic Canada.
I don't think that fine print was made public until about a month before they went live. I remember the original announcement talked about adding more sports programming, etc. Either total marketing garbage, or they changed their direction once they discovered the actual costs of all that additional programming. Or I'm remembering wrong. It happens.
The TSN channel switch is going screw me this weekend. I now get TSN 2 and 3. Saturdays games on are 1, 4, 5. Apparently Saskatchewan is in the Manitoba region, and TSN 3 I get the Jets exhibition game. Not happy.
I watched CFL 30 last week. It was a very good recap of each game, with extended highlights, on field audio, and breif panel analyis. It was a great show to get caught up up games I didn't see start to finish.
I got home from the Cat-Eskimo game last Saturday night and was pleasantly surprised to see a replay of the game being shown on one of the new TSN channels(can't recall if it was 3,4 or 5)So needless to say that after watching the game live at THF I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning and watched the game all over again,it was nice to see it live and then again on TV the same night.I'm with Cogeco Cable here in Hamilton and get all 5 TSN feeds,the 3 new channels are listed up in the 420 channel range.The regular TSN is on channel 15 and TSN2 is on channel 156 on the dial.
Where I'm living now at my Moms place taking care of her she is with Rogers on the mountain in Hamilton - that recently took over from Shaw. Unless I'm missing something so far I have not found TSN1, TSN3 or TSN5 anywhere. TSN4 is on 25 and TSN2 is on 151.
I do like seeing a recap show for the CFL, Although its just a highlight reel of all the games. Was hoping it would be more like "This week in the CFL", or Week in Review with hosts.
Anyone know a CFL email, I still want to send my dismay that I can't watch a CFL game this weekend due to the new TSN multi-channel universe.
Depending on which cable company you're with, you might be able to watch the game online on the TSN site. Not all companies are signed up, unfortunately.
I'm with Cogeco and recently discovered that shockingly you don't need to have the top cable package to get all 5 TSN's. So today I downgraded from the top tier to the 2nd tier. (There are 3 tiers with Cogeco) The only channel of interest I had to part with was Sportsnet One.
So for $137 (Cable and Internet combined) I get TSN 1-5, and 5 of 6 Sportsnet's. Not bad!
I've heard a lot of people discussing it actually, and most seem to like it and say they will tune in for it more often. The really nice thing is that those were mainly friends who are first and foremost NFL guys, but like the CFL as well. They seem to think it was a huge step that makes the CFL come off way more professional.