CFL US Broadcasts for 2014???

CFL Talk
#1

Time for my yearly post about the lack of news of US broadcasting rights for the upcoming season.

I can't understand why the CFL can't partner with someone down here in the States for a multiyear deal. July and August are dead months in the US, and there is NOTHING on (sorry, I don't consider poker playing a sport).

After the World Cup, there won't really be anything worthwhile to watch, unless you're a WNBA fan. :roll:

I thought NBC did a pretty nice job last year (although there should have been more games broadcast, IMHO), and they definitely did better than the NFL Channel did the year prior (with NFL training camp news replacing the TSN guys' analysis) + the NFL pretty much dumped the CFL when the NFL regular season started (we pretty much had to scramble to see the Grey Cup - there was NO playoff coverage at all!)

Anyway, I hope NBC picks up the CFL again, or maybe one of the regional networks down here (like Altitude, etc.)

#2

In my mind it should be no different than a Canadian ordering the English Premier League, though in this case it would be an American ordering the Canadian Football League.

It's a great league, as we all know. So why shouldn't they order it?

We haven't given it the international spin yet. Our game versus theirs.

And who doesn't enjoy that? Which is why I firmly believe, after Halifax joins the league, the 11th team should be American.

#3

UMMM , are you aware we have had American teams in the past ????? Ratio rule a issue, Americans not caring at all about 3 down football and another issue , 11 teams would be uneven , hope we get to 10 teams, Halifax can't even get a Stadium built in the last 30 years !!!

#4

I'm perfectly happy with ESPN3, even if games are cut back to provide for exclusivity on another network, such as NBCSN (which I don't get). I used to watch every game, but as long as I can see most of them I fine with missing some.

We typically will find out the week before the season opens.

And yeah, no American teams needed.

#5

You'd think ESPN or NBC would continue to broadcast CFL games? There should be added interest with Chad Johnson in Montreal. ESPN2 had great CFL ratings last year (up to 347,000) and NBC-SN live CFL game ratings were comparable to or exceeded MLS games in the U.S.

#6

<UMMM , are you aware we have had American teams in the past ?????>

Um, yeah. Honestly I don't know why people bring that up. It was poorly done, and I'm just talking about a team or two.

< Americans not caring at all about 3 down football and another issue ,>

That may be true, but that's also where the potential is, which is what Cohon sees in the Atlantic.

<11 teams would be uneven , >

So is 9;p

#7

Import rule ?? If this league gets to 10 healthy teams , why add a 11th team that unbalance the schedule again . There are no places in the States that would work !

#8

I actually sent an E Mail to ESPN3 and they said that yes they will be covering games again and reminded me that they are still sharing Broadcast with NBC SN.
Just a guess but they may be working out the TV games on NBC SN and ESPN2 and the rest will be on ESPN3.
So it looks like it will be a fully covered season again. I just hope that NBC SN takes games that they plan to have on tape delay.
Mkes no sense for them to have a tape depay game when it can be on ESPN3 live

#9

Yeah the tape delay thing is pretty silly in this day and age, which is another reason I probably won't be watching anything on NBCSN. Still, it is good that the product is being spread around a little. Maybe it'll actually create some competition for it some day. The key is year over year consistency.

#10

well so far I think this is year number 3 where ESPN3has broadcast all or Most of the games, which has grown into Package of games on NBC SN for the last two years and a July package of games on ESPN2 last season.

#11

Umm the original post is about US Broadcast NOT expansion, can we keep it on that topic... besides expansion has been covered many times in other posts!!!

#12

Well then in between World Cup matches in the elimination round, I will just adopt the following viewing habit again this year:

NBCSN - Will watch any live games only
ESPN3 - Will watch live games
Internet - All games of interest not otherwise aired live in the US - sometimes the feed can be tough to find any more though but I will try to help out again this year in the game thread.

And all three are broadcast in high resolution on my SmartTV now over secure WiFi via and HDMI cable from my MacBook for free!

The only catch is I don't comment on the threads during the games now, and only at halftime, given that I don't want to bother using my cell phone to do so and don't have a separate tablet (yet).

Now if they could only eliminate the need for an HDMI cable over a superior secure WiFi connection - we know that such technology has to be in use in classified circles and probably by many a geek on any given college campus.

#13

You’re talking about DLNA technology, and a lot of smart phones and devices have it. There are other options such as something called WIFI direct.

Not sure how well it translates to streaming versus a local source over a network where you can utilize your full wifi speed.

There should be a few relatively cheap options out there I would think.

#14

I'm not missing any of Troy Smith's starts, I don't care what kind of internet hoops I have to jump through. :rockin:

#15

I like it better when ESPN3 had all the games. We could either watch them live or wait for a replay to show up on the listings.

NBCSN on the other hand, sucked. The f'n Grey Cup was not shown live. Hell, it was not even shown on Sunday. It was not like that MINOR sports channel was showing anything spectacular that Sunday either. I forget exactly, but I believe the number of people who watched the Grey Cup on NBCSN was less than the attendance of a typical Saturday NCAA football game at a big school.

#16

Smae with the conferense finals being shown on tape delay at midnight.
If NBC SN cannot show a game live it should default to ESPN3

#17

The Grey Cup was shown live on NBCSN in the US, we were in Florida last November and watched it. The playoff games were on tape delay and we coudn’t watch them. Instead we waited for TSN to put them on their site which happened before the NBCSN broadcast.

ESPN3 is NOT a TV channel it’s an on-line internet channel and the internet provider in Florida didn’t carry it.
When I tried to log on to ESPN3 I got a message that stated “your internet provider currently does not subscribe to ESPN3” there was a drop down box that listed the internet companies that carry ESPN3 and it was a limited list. I assume that the competitors of ESPN will not carry it.

#18

I think last season having ESPN2 showing a July package of games that got some decent ratings bare well for the future.
Both Cable Networks ESPN2 and NBCSN had great coverage of about a game a week During July and August right up to Labor day.
Problem after that is both are buried in College football and NBC SN MLS coverage went from SAT to Friday Nights leaving out Friday Night Football broadcasts.
Going forward NBC SN next year will be out of broadcasting MLS. What will they replace it with on friday nights is the question. One would hope it Would be CFL but we would have to wait and see.
As for ESPN2, ESPN networks do not get any live coverage of NFL till Monday nights. Would be great to see the ESPN Sunday Morning NFL pre game show followed up by a Sunday CFL game. Montreal has its home games at 1:00 starts post LAbor day could be a good possibilty. I know I watch it every week they are home in the FALL one ESPN3 hooked to the big screen but for those cable providers that do not have ESPN3, ESPN2 having one sunday game would be great.
Nothing that ESPN has on will come near beating out the NFL games So why not have the TSN Broadcasts of CFL sunday game

#19

Redblacks just tweeted that the US broadcast schedule is being released soon.

#20

NOPE