Friday, May 21, 2004

Sportsnet joins the party

The CFL has yet another vehicle for its games this season as Sportsnet has signed on to cover five CFL games this year. Good news for fans of the Bombers, Riders and Renegades who in previous seasons found a number of their games going without any coverage.

Sportsnet which is heavily involved in Blue Jay broadcasts could only free up five dates for CFL coverage this year, but it’s a start for the network that was on the outside looking in on Canada’s main summer sport activity. The five games picked up leave only three games this year that won’t be televised, giving the CFL almost total coverage.

The rest of the season is split up between TSN and CBC; both are partners that have done a pretty decent job of presenting the CFL as prime time sport. TSN’s Friday Night Football has seen steadily rising ratings in the last number of years as viewers find the mix between the field and the analysis to be just what they are looking for. At the CBC moving football into the Hockey Night in Canada window last years proved to be equally successful for both the network and the league.

Now with Sportsnet joining up to present the product the CFL can only benefit more. After wandering aimlessly for a number of years, the league now finally seems to be finding its legs, a quality product on the field attracting more and more interest. The success of the televised product is testimony to the giant strides the league has made in the last five years.

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