[b]TSN/ RDS has retained its exclusive rights to the CFL, industry sources have told Usual Suspects. No details on term or money have been released.
The new contract begins in 2014. TSN holds rights to the CFL in 2013.
TSN/ RDS had an exclusive window to negotiate a new contract that ended at midnight on Thursday. TSN’s previous deal was for six years at approximately $17-million per year. Sources had told Usual Suspects that the CFL was looking to double that figure.
Industry sources had thought that the CFL might diversify its broadcast package across one or more other Canadian networks as happens in every other major team sport.[/b]
Admittedly, it is surprising that broadcasters CTV, CBC or Sportsnet were not included in the negotiations, even for a one game a week offering or playoff/Grey Cup simulcasts.
The other networks might yet get involved. TSN has portioned games off to CBC in the past, so it is not out of the realm of possibility that another network might yet still broadcast games. TSN just wants to position itself to be able to dictate terms to anyone wishing to broadcast games. They might also choose to keep all of them as well.
This could be the biggest piece of news regarding the future health of the league in a generation. We'll have to keep our fingers crossed to see what the final amount will be for the sure to be record setting deal.
I do find it somewhat baffling for the CFL negotiating committee to rebuff other possible tenders/bidders on the open market, which generally leads to an increase in leverage and value of it's distribution package.
The numbers don't lie. The CFL is one of the most watched/profitable broadcast licenses available in Canada.
Most networks and specialty stations would love to have similar ratings for other sports properties.
(regardless of what is said publicly)
TSN may have had exclusive rights till Thur, however if you don’t think the league knew or had a general ideal of what the other networks were will to pay then,people are a little naive
Under the last contract TSN had the option to show games on CTV with both being under the Bell Media Umbrella, they chose not to. The CFL may want to have the Grey Cup on CTV as part of the new deal but I cant see much more than that. If you dont have TSN you are not watching sports so senseless to put any other games on CTV. As for the Grey Cup working with a super bowl halftime type show they could gain non sports viewers for the Grey Cup hence putting that one game on CTV.
Rogers or any for of the Rogers networks will never get a piece of the CFL, which they were interested in one game a week for the Score, until they purchase the Argos and take that worry of Argos finances off the CFL hands. The Blue Jays probalby lose more money i a weekend home series than the Argos total budget for the season is so it wouldn't matter if they made or lost money. Getting a CFL game and 800K people watching on one of Rogers Network however would be worth something.
SO while most people are not holding there breathe The CFL is Prime sports programing in Canada and Rogers would take one game a week in a heartbeat.
Wouldn’t bet on it necessarily. Though it would seem to make sense, given that CFL has outperformed MLS and MLB games, Rogers doesn’t necessarily do what makes sense. How else would you explain their continuing to fork over so much money to extend the Bills in Toronto series. I think Rogers doesn’t necessarily look at the data to see who wants to watch what but rather makes its scheduling decisions based on what it thinks we should be watching and therefore I highly doubt they would have any interest in the CFL.
Agree wolverine. Rogers has to be thinking to buy the Bills even with the Bills 10 year lease. Ralph is 93-94 years old with health issues and owning an NFL team will give Rogers the ability to outdo Bell for SB rights etc. And a lot of NFL content. It's a bit of a gamble for Rogers, someone in Buffalo could outbid tbem for the Bills when tbey come up for sale wben Ralph passes on, but I doubt it. Rogers has loads of our cableand wireless cash to play with, loads. They can lose lots of money for a while to get what tbey want in the long term.
And I'm sure the Rogers family is telling the Rogers CEO to jump and how high.
Rogers wants to break Bell any way, tbis is just a little part of the bigger war. It's sad, I want to like the Jays, but I don't because of tbis mainly and the funny part is Rogers doesn't even care about my sort.
Keith Pelly from Rogers was on the Fan 590 in T.O and said that Rogers would look at buying the Argos if the Argos brought with them a 40plus game TV deal. Which means if Rogers could get the TV rights for the CFL then Rogers would be interested in buying the Argos. The thought of Rogers owning the Argos makes me sick
If I’m the CFL that’s a deal I would make. You get two broadcasters and a wealthy owner for your most troubled franchise. Business side of the CFL has always been murky to me.
Business side of the CFL has always been murky to me.
It should be murky, I mean a pro league that is Canadian controlled and operated that isn't even Canada's no. 1 sport, and still operating after all these years? Absolutely defies logic IMHO and is outright unreal. Mind you, I love it. :thup:
But consider, 2 of 8 teams lost money last year in this "murky" league. In the NHL last year, a "big" league, 13 of 30 teams lost money last year according to Forbes. So one could argue that some franchises in the NHL are "murky" as well. And how is it that if Bell and Rogers hadn't actually agreed to be "friends" for a bit, a team like the Leafs, arguablly the most iconic hockey team in the world, may not have had a Canadian buyer and could have been purchased only by a foreigner. :?
If ROGERS owned any portion of the ARGOS and I know they won't , I believe in ROGERS true form they would find (corporate excuses to slowly dismantle the team) and maybe the league , to achieve their ultimate goal -to bring the NFL to Toronto
With the CFL ratings as high as they are - I think BELL-TSN will take over the team in the near future and with the park under construction at York University (Pan-Am Games) and re-locate the team there and finally cutting any ties with Rogers.
It will have a 400-metre track and an infield that supports throwing and jumping disciplines, as well as a scoreboard, professional broadcast capabilities, athlete change rooms, equipment storage, classroom space, as well as permanent seating for 3,000 spectators with an additional 2,000 temporary seats. Seating for 12,500 spectators will be available.
