I have the skinny package and movie channels + this package so I can get TSN 1,3,4 and 5. = $180 year. They say 50 channels in this package but it is mostly radio. I subscribe so I can watch the CFL @ $15/month. I believe especially in T.O. that the CFL doesn’t get the respect it should. I noticed the other properties TSN has, some hit free over the air from time to time. Even Rogers B.J.'s were free but never the CFL. Why is that? Why, because they know they got us and we will pay.
Watching Ti-Cat’s win last night and having a brief look at Jays and the TFC match - well both of these major league sports were fairly boring compared to the football game. They have a long way to go to match entertainment value. They have to compete with a sport that is far more exciting in my view. Absolutely NO way are they superior sports or have superior athletes to be classified as Major unless it is U.S. television money that defines this title. Do we classify a league based on U.S. money only? If that is the criteria, well, then they are Major.
Back to $180/year. Paid directly to the CFL and 1.5 to 2.0 million of us doing this, places revenue at $270 million to $360 million + advertising revenue - production costs. Go look at what I pay $180/year for and there are only 4 channels that have value in this package. Somewhere lies the threshold between the current $44 million TV deal and $360 million for the CFL going it alone if need be. To replace the $44 million doesn’t take a lot of us. CFL better plan for this so they can do it if they need to. CFN (Canadian Football Network) Wikipedia has info - didn’t work before because they didn’t have pay TV at the time. It will work now if need be and is a viable option to the league.