Curling's TV deal isn't good
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Curling's TV deal isn't good
By Ted Wyman
The Canadian Curling Association made the best TV deal possible for itself, but a terrible one for fans. An agreement finalized yesterday with CBC will result in a drastic reduction in the amount of championship curling on the mainstream broadcast schedule next winter.
It's a deal which will move coverage of popular curling events like the Brier, the Scott Tournament of Hearts and the world championships from TSN (with some weekend draws on CBC) exclusively to CBC and its little-watched digital channel Country Canada.
Evening draws won't be shown live and only one draw a day -- in the afternoon -- will air on the main network.
It's a four-year deal which will presumably bring more money to the CCA (financial details weren't released, but it's reportedly in the neighbourhood of $10 million), but will provide nowhere near the exposure curling received during 20 years of coverage on TSN.
Dave Parkes, who is CEO of the CCA, insists this proposal was the best one for the sport and granted, games shown on the main network will reach far more people (99\% of Canadian viewers get CBC). But it will still be a ripoff to hardcore fans, unless hundreds of thousands of Canadians suddenly go out and order digital cable boxes so they can watch curling on Country Canada, squished in between reruns of On the Road Again and Northern Exposure.
It's not likely to happen.
Fans are going to be turned off and then they are going to tune out.
"To me it seems like it's not good for the curling fan especially," former Brier and world champion Kerry Burtnyk of Winnipeg said.
"I'm a little bit perplexed to see that they would make a deal that has less coverage than they had before."
If the curlers are dumbfounded by the decision, you can imagine how the people it really affects -- loyal curling viewers -- are going to feel.
"I don't understand CBC's programming as to why curling wouldn't be a viable draw in the evening," five-time Brier champion Randy Ferbey said. "What are we going to see? Cooking with Charlie or something like that instead of curling?"
Last year's Brier champion Mark Dacey concurred.
"It's going to be a big disappointment for the loyal fans who watch it religiously and those are the people (CBC) should be looking for the reaction from and find out what they like," he said.
Burtnyk said TSN losing broadcast rights means there might be more air time for non-CCA events, such as the Grand Slam.
"For events other than the major championships, this could be a positive," he said.
But still, fans of the game are being blindsided by this move. These are people who have set their watches by the Brier and Scott schedules on TSN. They didn't need a TV guide to know there would be curling on every morning, afternoon and evening during championship events. They felt a certain bond with trusted broadcasters like Vic Rauter, Ray Turnbull, Linda Moore and Cathy Gauthier.
Now they are going to have to order a new channel they likely didn't know existed or stay up until 11:30 p.m. to watch evening games on tape delay.
People aren't going to be happy. The question is, will they be unhappy enough to make the CCA regret its decision.
By Ted Wyman
The Canadian Curling Association made the best TV deal possible for itself, but a terrible one for fans. An agreement finalized yesterday with CBC will result in a drastic reduction in the amount of championship curling on the mainstream broadcast schedule next winter.
It's a deal which will move coverage of popular curling events like the Brier, the Scott Tournament of Hearts and the world championships from TSN (with some weekend draws on CBC) exclusively to CBC and its little-watched digital channel Country Canada.
Evening draws won't be shown live and only one draw a day -- in the afternoon -- will air on the main network.
It's a four-year deal which will presumably bring more money to the CCA (financial details weren't released, but it's reportedly in the neighbourhood of $10 million), but will provide nowhere near the exposure curling received during 20 years of coverage on TSN.
Dave Parkes, who is CEO of the CCA, insists this proposal was the best one for the sport and granted, games shown on the main network will reach far more people (99\% of Canadian viewers get CBC). But it will still be a ripoff to hardcore fans, unless hundreds of thousands of Canadians suddenly go out and order digital cable boxes so they can watch curling on Country Canada, squished in between reruns of On the Road Again and Northern Exposure.
It's not likely to happen.
Fans are going to be turned off and then they are going to tune out.
"To me it seems like it's not good for the curling fan especially," former Brier and world champion Kerry Burtnyk of Winnipeg said.
"I'm a little bit perplexed to see that they would make a deal that has less coverage than they had before."
If the curlers are dumbfounded by the decision, you can imagine how the people it really affects -- loyal curling viewers -- are going to feel.
"I don't understand CBC's programming as to why curling wouldn't be a viable draw in the evening," five-time Brier champion Randy Ferbey said. "What are we going to see? Cooking with Charlie or something like that instead of curling?"
Last year's Brier champion Mark Dacey concurred.
"It's going to be a big disappointment for the loyal fans who watch it religiously and those are the people (CBC) should be looking for the reaction from and find out what they like," he said.
Burtnyk said TSN losing broadcast rights means there might be more air time for non-CCA events, such as the Grand Slam.
"For events other than the major championships, this could be a positive," he said.
But still, fans of the game are being blindsided by this move. These are people who have set their watches by the Brier and Scott schedules on TSN. They didn't need a TV guide to know there would be curling on every morning, afternoon and evening during championship events. They felt a certain bond with trusted broadcasters like Vic Rauter, Ray Turnbull, Linda Moore and Cathy Gauthier.
Now they are going to have to order a new channel they likely didn't know existed or stay up until 11:30 p.m. to watch evening games on tape delay.
People aren't going to be happy. The question is, will they be unhappy enough to make the CCA regret its decision.
290 Signatures
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Brian Thomson
- Comments
- At least show all the games on the SAME channel, LIVE not tape-delayed
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Justin Glays
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Adam Norget
- Comments
- Wouldn't be the same without Vic, Linda, and Ray
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andrew sullivan
- Comments
- !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Chelsea Bauldic
- Comments
- it wont be the same without curling... plz put it back on :D
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Riley
- Comments
- I think they the CCA should stick with TSN all the way, they have done a great job at giving us canadians the coverage we want and need.
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Sean Morrisey
- Comments
- Boo!
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Dorian
- Comments
- I love TSN's coverage of curling... I never liked the way that CBC covered the finals, except that I liked listening to Joan McCusker. I would prefer TSN have exclusive rights.
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Danielle Sicinski
- Comments
- CBC's coverage is brutal to say the least compared to TSN's coverage.
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Rob Borden
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Jordan Bauldic
- Comments
- What is wrong with the picture of CBC doing all the coverage
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Amanda Bulger
- Comments
- crazy decision
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Brenda Vickery
- Comments
- rotten deal to see curling go from tsn to cbc.
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Guy Tremblay
- Comments
- Wilkl miss Ray Vic and Linda
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Dan McGregor
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Jean Guy Esti
- Comments
- What is wrong with me?
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Helen Forsyth
- Comments
- Guess I'll have to watch the hi-lites on TSN. The CBC deals sucks!
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Shea Maywood
- Comments
- TSN has always done a better job with curling then CBC... Keep TSN!!!
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Karen Kvietinskas
- Comments
- This is a step backwards for curling and will do nothing to grow this wonderful sport! I am amazed and very disappointed at your decision. TSN has done a wonderful job over the years! What are you thnking??
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Kevin Mark
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Sandy McPhie
- Comments
- curling and TSN belong together. CBC coverage isn't good enough
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Eve Belisle
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Karine Marchand
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Pant Bulger
- Comments
- I am going to miss colleen jones.
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Jackelynn Payne
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Neil Marriott
- Comments
- Be sure to sign the REAL petition at www.KeepCurlingonTSN.com - we have over 1000 signatures to date.
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Jim Clayton
- Comments
- TSN allows us to see alot of curling and it should stay that way.
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Brian Green
- Comments
- Consider me one of those loyal fans that is extremely disappointed with the CCA over this decision. I will not be purchasing Country Canada for the late draws.
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Victor Holodryga
- Comments
- Prefer to leave with TSN. They did an excellent job.
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DJ Brooks
- Comments
- Trying to make the sport grow wont happen if you keep offending the one's who are already invovled.
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Chris Anderson
- Comments
- I really hope that we can somehow work TSN into the fold for those mid week games. PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!
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Justin
- Comments
- Curling aint curling with out linda, ray and vic
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Jimbo
- Comments
- Show them the money
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Shane Latimer
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kaitlyn
- Comments
- Tsn has always done a great job with the curling..why change it now?
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Chris Gardner
- Comments
- I guess its time that curling became a money grab just like everything else these days. When your sitting there with your millions of dollars, you will have done it at the expense of many fans.
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Duane Nelson Linton
- Comments
- Unbelievable
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Adam Osseyrane
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Steve Irwin
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Christian Guilbault
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Cheryl
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Jody McNabb
- Comments
- What about the future of curling. This deal is not in the future of the sports best interest. Seeing the sport being played on TV is how the clubs get new members. With out members there will be no clubs.
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Stephen Perkins
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matthew blandford
- Comments
- curling rules!!!!!!!
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Crystal Rumberg
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Tom Buchy and Lori Buchy
- Comments
- It is very dissapointing to hear that tsn will no longer broadcast these events. We look forward to watching the tsn coverage of all the events every year. Sad very sad!
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Andrew Irving
- Comments
- very disappointed
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Cheryl
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julie roy
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Wesley Sharman
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290
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