CFL 2023 schedule already out

[Tank55]

Twitch!

I understand why you're frustrated, but I think you're really underestimating the value ESPN brings to the CFL. If you want to watch CFL games in the US, it's straightforward, comprehensive, affordable, and comes with a lot of other content. You may not be making many new fans, but it's a great situation for existing fans, imo. Compared with other niche sports I watch or would like to watch, I don't think there's a better set up.

[MGB01]

I've heard ESPN will re-up for another 2 years to coincide with the TSN contract. I think the TV friendly schedule is a push by TSN for an almost 40% drop in ratings in the past decade. Something needs to stop the free fall.

The CFL would be stupid to go back with ESPN and Genius Sport would be grossly negligent to allow that to happen. Take the US TV rights to another network like CBS, NBC, TBS, NFL Network or Netflix, Twitch, anybody but ESPN. The US TV deal has to be separate from the TSN deal. It's insane that ESPN only paid $200,000 annually for hiding the CFL behind a paywall and non promotion of the league by the so-called "Leader In Sport"

ESPN will pay somewhere between $600k-800k per season to retain the status quo. Netflix has already said no to live sports, NBC and CBS aren't putting the CFL on their main network and would scuttle the games behind a paywall, no different than ESPN+. NFL Network already offered the CFL a deal and the league walked away, doubt they'll give them a second chance unless the play primarily in spring and summer. TBS already paid too much for the NHL and NBA rights so doubt they have much cash left over, though I could see some CFL games on Tru TV or BR Live which would also be a downgrade from the ESPN family of networks. Maybe Genius can get the games on a gambling app like Fanduel or Draft Kings.

Plus NBC's already had the CFL twice: during the strike in '82 (actually sublicensed from ESPN), and on NBCSN in 2012-13. The former used NBC's main broadcast crews (Enberg/Olsen, Criqui/Brodie, Jones/Dawson), but was plagued by blowouts--though it was America's largest exposure to the rouge since a game ended 30-1, and was canceled the week where they were supposed to air a game before the World Series; the latter made ESPN's promotion look like Saturday night SEC football. Safe to say there won't be a third--or fourth, as NBC also aired games in the pre-CFL era.

[DavedaHammer]

I've heard ESPN will re-up for another 2 years to coincide with the TSN contract. I think the TV friendly schedule is a push by TSN for an almost 40% drop in ratings in the past decade. Something needs to stop the free fall.

The CFL would be stupid to go back with ESPN and Genius Sport would be grossly negligent to allow that to happen. Take the US TV rights to another network like CBS, NBC, TBS, NFL Network or Netflix, Twitch, anybody but ESPN. The US TV deal has to be separate from the TSN deal. It's insane that ESPN only paid $200,000 annually for hiding the CFL behind a paywall and non promotion of the league by the so-called "Leader In Sport"

ESPN will pay somewhere between $600k-800k per season to retain the status quo. Netflix has already said no to live sports, NBC and CBS aren't putting the CFL on their main network and would scuttle the games behind a paywall, no different than ESPN+. NFL Network already offered the CFL a deal and the league walked away, doubt they'll give them a second chance unless the play primarily in spring and summer. TBS already paid too much for the NHL and NBA rights so doubt they have much cash left over, though I could see some CFL games on Tru TV or BR Live which would also be a downgrade from the ESPN family of networks. Maybe Genius can get the games on a gambling app like Fanduel or Draft Kings.

According to Dan Barnes, Ambrosie stated that the league might have a new US TV deal that will become an "anchor relationship" down south. Meaning good riddance to the lousy mousey

[DavedaHammer]

Twitch!

I understand why you're frustrated, but I think you're really underestimating the value ESPN brings to the CFL. If you want to watch CFL games in the US, it's straightforward, comprehensive, affordable, and comes with a lot of other content. You may not be making many new fans, but it's a great situation for existing fans, imo. Compared with other niche sports I watch or would like to watch, I don't think there's a better set up.

No, it's ESPN that's underestimating the CFL. They purposely buried the league behind a paywall because they never invested heavily into the CFL by paying out $200,000 annually to the CFL. The XFL got team broadcasters allocated by ESPN, while ESPN continued to use TSN production crew for the ESPN+ broadcasts.

The relationship between the CFL and ESPN is over. I am glad it's finished.

Now Ambrosie said to expect an announcement soon on the US TV deal for the CFL. Ambrosie wants the new partnership to connect with college football fans in the US to encourage them to follow their favorite college stars to the CFL. Genius Sports have been working out a deal, it's imminent.

I believe the new deal is with CBS which has a college network. They are the only network left out on the alt-football explosion. CBS fits what the CFL wants in it relationship with a US network

[Tank55]

CBS has a college network?

[MGB01]

CBS has a college network?

CBSSN used to be CBS College Sports (CSTV before CBS bought them), so maybe that's what he was thinking of.

Either way, I don't see the "upgrade". I mean where's the promotion that ESPN "isn't doing" supposed to come from, Nantz during PGA Golf? Nessler during however the hell they divvy up the B1G/SEC overlap for their Thanksgiving game?

[DavedaHammer]

CBS has a college network?

CBSSN used to be CBS College Sports (CSTV before CBS bought them), so maybe that's what he was thinking of.

Either way, I don't see the "upgrade". I mean where's the promotion that ESPN "isn't doing" supposed to come from, Nantz during PGA Golf? Nessler during however the hell they divvy up the B1G/SEC overlap for their Thanksgiving game?

The upgrade is that the CFL won't get ignored and be hidden on ESPN+ like they did this past few months.

ESPN could've promoted the CFL games during the Summer when there is no NFL going on. But no, it's "NFL Live", "First Up" still shilling the Shield every weekday during the Summer. What's the harm putting a half hour CFL show doing game previews and gambling predictions on a Wednesday afternoon when they only pay $200,000 for CFL rights? The CFL deal with ESPN was for exposure and ESPN failed on their part to expose the CFL game at least for the Summer months when there is only Baseball to compete against. ESPN knows people will watch any kind of Football over slow, boring baseball. Hence ESPN hiding CFL games on ESPN+

CFL games would be played on Sunday Nights, so there is no conflict with Golf when their tournaments finish in the afternoons during the Summer. The CFL has a Monday Night game on US 4th of July weekend to nab casual US viewers. Lots of Saturday games for Summer programming, where the CFL makes it's revenue the most then in the Fall.

Anybody But ESPN. "The Leaders In Sports", yeah, right

[Tank55]

The July 3rd game is on CBS? I'm not following what parts of this stuff is confirmed, rumor, or just your speculation.

Very not sure that being talked about on CBSSN is better than not being talked on ESPN+, but if they get some games on the real network, that would definitely be something.

[laxtreme56]

CBS SN is not even ranked by Nielsen, so I wouldn't really consider that a win over ESPN 2/News. There are CFL commercials shown on the deuce, pretty well done actually. Could ESPN have promoted the CFL more, sure of course they can. However, Women's volleyball, college wrestling, and Corn Hole all get the same level of promotion from ESPN and still get 2-3x the rating of an average CFL game.

[MGB01]

The July 3rd game is on CBS? I'm not following what parts of this stuff is confirmed, rumor, or just your speculation.

Very not sure that being talked about on CBSSN is better than not being talked on ESPN+, but if they get some games on the real network, that would definitely be something.

CBS ran the SRX series the last two years on Saturday nights, which this year moves over to ESPN Thursdays. So that leaves a vacancy, but would "Saturday night CFL" be a thing for a few weeks?

I mean getting on US network TV, which hasn't been done in ages (IIRC CBS did have some conversations with them after they lost the NFL in the mid 90s) would be the one thing that sweetens the pot, but the majority of games would be CBSSN. After all, I don't really see CBS rushing to put the CFL on the weekend that NBC has the British Open (plus they'd have to move the game up to the afternoon anyway). Plus they have all three PGA tour playoff events this year so it's not like they have all these openings.