NFL TV in Canada: Is it Better than the US?

by SSreporters

Yesterday, I mentioned in the lockerroom that Canada can get NFL Network games like the Packers/Cowboys and Giants/Patriots on TSN, a basic/basic extended cable channel. Let's expand further into the topic "Do Canadians really have it better with the NFL on Sundays?".

• All Canadian cable companies have American channels like NBC, FOX, CBS, and ABC. Any game played on the bordering state's channel (yes, it depends on which province you live in), is broadcast there but with Canadian commercials (evil CRTC).

• On Sundays, CTV (basic cable channel) has the rights to a 1:00 ET game of their choosing. They can take it from FOX or CBS, it does not matter. They'll tend to air one game on the east coast, and another for the prairies, and then one for BC.

• Rogers Sportsnet (ditto) has the rights to any 4:00 ET game of their choosing. Their style is kinda backwards. They tend to air a west coast game on the east coast while airing something like a Cowboys/Dolphins game out west.
• For the nationally televised games, all the rights go to TSN. What happens here, is that they get the rights to NFL Network Thursday/Saturday night games, while the actual NFL Network gets blacked out in their region. They also have the rights to Sunday Night Football, and Monday Night Football (Canada does NOT get ESPN, but shares ESPN programming).

• Lastly, all games broadcast use the usual US commentators from the CBS, FOX, ESPN, etc. feed.

• All playoff games and the Super Bowl are on CTV, but no Super Bowl American commercials, they can't handle a little Bud Light?

So yes, if you combine everything that I just mentioned, CANADA of all countries, has no need for NFL Sunday Ticket! I'm going to cry.

Note to Alex Holowczak: I have no idea what goes on in the NFL UK TV business, do not ask me. :)

CRS-ONEVarsity Captain

760 days ago

Score 0

Is there really that much of a market for the NFL in Canada? It seems like a little too much exposure.

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CityhockeyfeverVarsity Captain

758 days ago

Score 1

I cannot believe Canadians get access to our networks, but we don't get their sports channel feeds unless I get the NHL Center Ice package (that's only the games though). I want TSN, CBC, Rogers Sportsnet and CTV on my cable lineup here in the New York City metropolitan area, but that's obviously not happening. TSN is partially owned by ESPN, so I know that the likelihood of having TSN on here is pretty much zero.

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Anonymous Fanatic #1

464 days ago

Score 0

Why the hell would you want Canadian networks in American cities? They rarely produce anything of their own, and instead, hijack the likes of NBC, ABC, CBS and FOX.

Be lucky you don't have to put up with these hijackings, whereby many times the Canadian station can't pass through the HD signal properly, can't pass through the 5.1 audio properly, and misses out on key parts of programs / live plays in sporting events because they can't time their commercials in sync with the original American commercials (more true for live sporting events).

I wish I could get ESPN, HBO, TNT up here, but the communists at the CRTC won't allow it (the CRTC - Communist Run Television in Canada).

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