Stupid Article By Sun Showbiz Columnist

CFL Talk
1

This guy, a William Harris, starts out okay with his Grey Cup article, but then he suggests that next year when TSN gets the GRey Cup, that the Grey Cup game time should be moved earlier so as to not interfere with the NFL game on Sunday night?

Which is why I always say these showbiz writers should worry about Brittney and Lidsay and keep their opinions to themselves. Because they make themselves look like idiots.

Heres the article:

[url=http://jam.canoe.ca/Television/TV_Shows/C/CBC/2007/11/30/4697210-sun.html]http://jam.canoe.ca/Television/TV_Shows ... 0-sun.html[/url]
2

yea no kidding. I totally agree. stay in entertainment, and get your face out of sports.

3

He says that the 299,000 NFL viewers were week-after-week viewers, while the Grey Cup audience was a once-a-year phenomenon. But he didn't mention that most CFL broadcasts during the season were somewhere around 300k, give or take.

He also didn't say that anyone who would watch an NFL game instead of the Grey Cup is probably not a fan of the CFL, and therefore would not choose to watch the Grey Cup even if there were no overlap.

4

Actually, I agree that the Grey Cup should start earlier. The game was moved to a later start in 1989 for 2 reasons:

  1. It was moved to be played at prime time in Toronto, Like every thing else in this Country, why do we have to cowtow to Toronto on everything. It is bad enough that we are late night finishing then having half the work force in the Country showing up hung-over. Imagine how the feel in Newfoundland where the game ends after midnight.

  2. The second reason for the late start was to force those attending to shell out for another nights hotel to the benefit of the host City economy. Many people used to head straight to the airport after the game ended, in the good old days. It is expensive enough as it is to attend, I really resent being gouged for another nights room.

Prior to 1989, I believe the game was always played at around 11:00 Mountain Time(why do they have to always have to show what time it is in Toronto.

I would even take things a step further and play the game on Saturday if I were god. That way we could party our faces off and not worry about having to go to work the next day. It's time we should do things based on what's best for the fans not just the bottom line.

5

Not sure, but maybe the reason they show what time it is in Toronto has something to do with the fact the game was in Toronto.

Actually, I think they started playing it later to accommodate the people out west. (A 10AM game in Vancouver would mean less beer sales.) Six o’clock in Toronto = 3:00 in Vancouver, 7:30 in Newfoundland. A pretty good compromise.

6

It was central time this year, it doesn’t matter where the game is being played, it is still shown as Central time zone, not really a big deal just a small anti TO rant. As I posted elseshere, slagging TO is my hobby, lol.

They did however move the starting time to accomodate Toronto. Again the first year they played it late was 1989 and it was reported at the time this was done at the request of Toronto Hoteliers to force those attending to stay one more night.

People out West, at least those I know were quite happy with the earlier start. We could party hardy then be home early enough to sleep it off. I’m sure as will that Newfoundlanders are quite happy with a compromise that keeps them up till 1:00 AM to watch the game, then having to get home from the party.

As is the Canadian way, if it’s good for Toronto the rest of Canada will just have to like it.

7

While I was watching the game I was thinking that if the league really wants to green the Grey Cup then they would save the game for the afternoons. I've been treating myself to some SB DVD's and it's great to see some championship games played under the sun.

8

Agreed Tecmo, it really makes a lot of sense when the game is outdoors particularly, to wait till the sun goes down and the temperature drops.

9

If it was central time, I don’t know what that has to do with Toronto, which is in the Eastern time zone.

As an Eastern time zone resident, I would prefer to have it earlier. (Mind you, I don’t own a hotel. :lol:) But I’m pretty sure they’re concerned about getting it at a time when everyone can watch. In a country with seven time zones, that’s not an easy thing to do. Airing a game at 10:00AM Sunday morning in Vancouver would affect ratings. Likewise a game played in Vancouver could never start at 8:00 locally, because it would be far too late in the east.

People in Alberta saw the game from about 4pm to about 8pm. I don’t see what the problem is.

And Newfoundland would probably have more input into the start time of the Grey Cup if they had a CFL team.

10

Sorry Eastern time zone, my bad. The time IMHO is to accomodate those in that time zone alone, not any other. I don't ever recall any body complaining about the game starting at 10:00 back in the old days, yet I have heard many complaints about switching to the later time. Still prefer the earlier start time or as I said playing the game on Saturday would be ideal. Back in the 70's, I lived in Edmonton and we used to have what we called toothbrush parties which were a large dance or caberet and they performed a reverse lottery and the last ticket pulled got a redeye flight for 2 to the game, tickets and return flight after the game. The winners also received a toothbrush, hense the name. Because of the earlier start, no hotel was needed. The amazing thing was in those days it usually involved the Eskimos, my how times have changed. Unfortunately I never won.

Last years game in Winnipeg (if memory serves me right) should have been played in sunshine, IMHO.

11

I read it this morning and thought the very same thing berezin.
The stupid suggestion aside, I am more concerned that the GC will not be shown on the main CTV mother network. If TSN wants to retain it, then it should also be simulcast on the CTV to the many more homes available.
Conversely, the SB is being shown on CTV. If one was a "conspiracy theorist", an argument can be made that TSN is purposely keeping the GC only on their network to guarantee the SB higher numbers on CTV?

12

The game was at 2:30 or something my time - which was perfect for me cause I just had time to have some lunch after the Raiders lost :slight_smile:

Do they even serve beer in Vancouver at 10 am on a Sunday?

Now that TSN has the rights to game couldn't they lease it for simulcast to the highest bidder?

13

I would prefer a Saturday Grey Cup game. I think they hold it on Sunday now to maximize TV ratings. More people watch TV on Sunday compared to Saturday. But considering the pittance TSN pays for the TV rights, I don’t know why the league bends over backwards to accommodate TSN. The Riders will report a record $20M in revenue this season, with only $1M coming from the leagues’s TV and Sponorship income. The remaining $19M was generated locally. (Yep, the Riders will be ruined if the NFL comes to Toronto!) :roll:

I also liked the old format of one playoff game on Saturday, and one on Sunday. Then you had a whole weekend of football, rather than two games crammed on Sunday. At least the teams will be receiving a nice boost in TV revenue for next season. Although the league gave away their broadband rights for the next five seasons.

Argotom wrote:

Conversely, the SB is being shown on CTV. If one was a "conspiracy theorist", an argument can be made that TSN is purposely keeping the GC only on their network to guarantee the SB higher numbers on CTV?
I'm not sure what to make of the CTV/TSN arrangement. But speaking of conspiracies, I was shocked to see a high-pressure CTV ad, which ran on a TSN CFL broadcast, promoting a Sunday NFL game,. It is unprecedented for a TV network to run advertisments for another TV network, especially an ad promoting an event which is in direct compeitition to a program they will be broadcasting! TSN had a CFL game scheduled in the same time slot as the NFL game advertised. In essence,CTV was using the popularity of the CFL to draw football fans away from the Sunday CFL game on TSN, trying to encourage them to watch the NFL game on CTV instead?

Conversely, I would very much doubt that CTV would allow TSN to advertise on a NFL game compelling viewers not to watch the NFL game next Sunday, but the CFL game on TSN instead?

By the way, the ratings for the Riders game on TSN totally destroyed the Bills game on CTV, despite of CTV’s attempt to draw football viewers away from the CFL game on Sunday.

Most alarmingly was the slick high-pressure nature of the NFL/CTV ad played on TSN during the CFL game. It repeatedly subliminally flashed the NFL logo, with extremely rapid flashes of NFL highlights, with a giant NFL logo flashing on the screen every second of two. I have only seen this advertisement once, on one CFL broadcast. I have never seen it on any other channel, even CTV. I wonder if the CRTC actually approves these type of advertisiments? I would question of legality of subliminal nature of these NFL promotions on TSN.

Another problem is how the CRTC allows Rogers (CTV/NFL) to replace 2 minutes per hour of advertising time on all the U.S. cable networks with his own Rogers ads? Usualy he promotes his cellphone service, or the NFL Network, or one of his radio stations on the U.S. channels (these ad substitutions are supposed to be reserved for “public service” and non-profit announcements, not ads for Rogers/NFL!) These advertisements also are broadcast at about twice the volume of the regular ads they replaced. I must continually turn down the TV when Rogers ads are being played on the U.S. stations. Doesn’t anybody at the CRTC check these ads for content? I thought it was illegal to broadcast ads which are louder than the actual TV program? The CRTC is supposed to check and approve all advertising, or is this a “grey” area? Do they check the NFL ads that Rogers is substituting on up to one dozen U.S. channels simultaneously, 24 hours a day? This amounts to millions and millions in free advertising and promotion for the NFL/NFL Network and Rogers, 365 days a year…advertising that Canadian football could only dream about. :roll:

14

I don't know, I think there are some fans that have more time to look at conspiracy theories then anything else. All this guy did was point out a potential scheduling conflict that could arise. No biggy here....

There are many options, one being NFL completely moves over to to CTV next year including the late the Sunday Game. Would there be a problem moving the GC game earlier in the day no there wouldn't. There is nothing stopping that other then potential NFL coverage by TSN at the same time slot.

15

I disagree 100% Mikejth.
Why should our national football championship be rescheduled because of a football game in another country?
I mean even saying it sounds idiotic.
What next? We're going to worry that it doesn't conflict with a movie or TV show?
Like, enough already.

16

I think federal elections should never be held on a Tuesday or Wednesday between June and November so as not to interfere with episodes of Dancing With the Stars.

17

I agree with the arguments brought up here. The Grey Cup is the Championship game To Canada's biggest sporting event. IT should NOT be scheduled around NFL games, but held at a time acceptable to most Canadians.

18

My reason for believing the Grey Cup should be played earlier or on Saturday has nothing to do with avoiding competition with the NFL. I simply think that more Canadians would enjoy the game at an earlier time or day. I could care less about the NFL.

19

Whatever works best for the most. Personally, I would prefer the GC being played in the afternoon, especially in cold climate cities but TV wants it at around 6:00 and they get their way. I also would prefer the game be no later than the first wknd in November. Again just my preferences.

20

What makes it even more ridiculous is the NFL game isn’t even an important one. It’s just another SNF game. Ours is the Championship. Much more important.

I definitely don’t want it to start earlier. I thought the 5:30 start time this year was a little early. I figured it’d start at 6:30.