CFL's Annual US Broadcast Fire Drill

[FreddyE1977]

So there is a notice up on CFL.CA notifying we American viewers that all the games can be streamed on ESPN3.
Which is fine certainly.   Also a notice that the games will not be carried on the NFL Network this season.  Which
is also fine because they did a pretty lousy job with the CFL and basically gave up on it entirely once NFL training
camps opened.

The notice goes on to say that they are "currently negotiating" for a US television deal and hope to announce
something "soon".   Seems they go through this every year and never have their US TV arrangements nailed down
when the season kicks off.   Are they really this disorganized, or don't they care?  Or are they actually getting that little
interest from potential US partners?

Personally I hope they go back to the America One package.  That turned up on a number of RSN's I have on
my dish, including off-hours replays.

[OhioMediaWatch]

I posted elsewhere about finding a CFL playoff game (pre-Grey Cup) last year on A1, via what I thought was a former A1 affiliate, Retro TV affiliate WAOH-LP 29/W35AX here in Northeast Ohio.

Did the CFL re-up with A1 just for the playoffs?  Here at the OMW World HQ, we have to break out an analog tuner and twist the antenna to get 29/35, but I was at a place that carries it on cable (the Akron end of the TWC empire) when I saw that.

[FreddyE1977]

I posted elsewhere about finding a CFL playoff game (pre-Grey Cup) last year on A1, via what I thought was a former A1 affiliate, Retro TV affiliate WAOH-LP 29/W35AX here in Northeast Ohio.

Did the CFL re-up with A1 just for the playoffs?  Here at the OMW World HQ, we have to break out an analog tuner and twist the antenna to get 29/35, but I was at a place that carries it on cable (the Akron end of the TWC empire) when I saw that.

Yes, as I recall the Grey Cup playoffs turned up on Altitude via A1.   This was many weeks after NFL Network had
ceased to carry the games.  Again indicating a helter-skelter patchwork arrangement (or a lack of interest from
potential partners).

[OhioMediaWatch]

I watched this past week's games on ESPN3. Fortunately, I had a fast connection, and the games looked great...I just hate that they don't run the studio show before/after/in between games.

I was watching the early game of the doubleheader, and that shut off as soon as the last whistle sounded. I had to go into the listing for the second game, and that didn't start until just before kickoff.

[FreddyE1977]

I watched this past week's games on ESPN3. Fortunately, I had a fast connection, and the games looked great...I just hate that they don't run the studio show before/after/in between games.

I was watching the early game of the doubleheader, and that shut off as soon as the last whistle sounded. I had to go into the listing for the second game, and that didn't start until just before kickoff.

AND they actually black out the TSN Sports Update during halftime, which is really weird.
And they run one single ad for a fancy liquor 27 times in a row.  Only other ad was for
Verizon FIOS asking "Is your internet too slow?" (after which the picture quality of my feed
went completely to crap....coincidence??)

[Wright County Guy]

http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=216268.0

NBC SportsNet picks up games August 27, going through the Grey Cup. 

[FreddyE1977]

Thanks!  Better late than never (though I always look for the CFL to provide my Summer Football Fix)

Late season games from Edmonton are fun to watch as well.
Now THAT'S a Frozen Tundra!

[OhioMediaWatch]

We don't get NBC Sports Network on our cable package here at the OMW World HQ, though we might by the time they start airing games.

Will ESPN3 continue to run the games after 8/27?

[OhioMediaWatch]

A check of ESPN3 yesterday shows that the CFL games have disappeared, both archived and upcoming.

[FreddyE1977]

Is the Aug. 27 late start date due to the Olympics, or does NBC just think nobody will watch until then?