Rogers Sportsnet and The Score

[Ravi Ramkissoonsingh]

A few years ago, both Rogers Sportsnet and The Score had panels of their own at the Grey Cup and extensive Grey Cup post-game as well as pre-game coverage. Tonight, I was shocked at how little time each of these networks spent covering one of the greatest Grey Cups ever. Sportsnet had no panel for the post-game as they once did and only spent about the first five minutes of their sportscast on this game. At midnight, after showing poker for the last couple of hours, the Score finally got around to their Grey Cup highlights but only after doing some NFL ones first and again had no post-game panel or interviews as they used to. Do these networks really want viewers? Do they not wonder why they consistently trail TSN in the ratings by a country mile? I know that Rogers Sportsnet is more concerned about putting lipstick on the pig that is the upcoming Bills/Jets game - a game that few in Toronto care about and even fewer elsewhere in the country do - but if they and The Score really want increased ratings, they might want to give greater coverage to the CFL and the Grey Cup - the biggest single day sports event in the country - than they did tonight.

[Gill The Thrill]

Sadly, sports television broadcasting and all TV broadcasting for that matter has less to do with covering events such as news and sports, but more to do with self-promoting the events on their station. Real honest TV journalism is actually dying in both news and sports, as reporters are not hardly reporting, but are more prone to working as PR marketing their stations program. It's disgraceful, CTV Toronto does it constantly, promoting shows like "So you think you can Dance" on it's newscasts. This shameless self-promotion during a hard newscast was unheard of 20 years ago, but is now common practice among all stations, save for CHCH who may wait until the end of the newscast to tell what movie is coming up, as opposed to taking a minute or 2 in the middle of the newscast to promote programming.
I did notice the lack of coverage on both the score and sportsnet. I've yet to see the highlights on Sportsnet, but was shocked to notice that they went right to NFL coverage after probably starting with Grey Cup highligts. It could be a rights thing, but I think it has more to do with them not wanting to promote coverage of a sporting event on another sports station, yet you'd never imagine Sportsnet not sending a crew to the Stanley Cup final, which they've never televised.

The Score was a little surprising, as I thought they'd improved their coverage of Canadian Football, but thankfully they lost their Vanier Cup rights to TSN, who did a good job incorporating that telecast within their Grey Cup Saturday coverage. The Score coverage of the game in the last several seasons was akin to having local cable producing the game. They were promoting the sport of Canadian Football with characters like Gabriel Morency, who although very unconventional, was at least talking about the spread and the line on CFL games and even CIS games. He usually attends the Grey Cup. I know they've cut his hardcore radio simulcast in the late evening, but did the score not also send out that clown, Cabby, to the Grey Cup in years past, and did they do that this year.

[Ron]

So why do you keep watching them Ravi?

[Ravi Ramkissoonsingh]

So why do you keep watching them Ravi?

I am watching them because I had hoped that their coverage would have been like in years past. I didn't realize that they have cut down on their Grey Cup coverage until I tried watching tonight.

[Bobbyp]

Television is just a commercial pushing whatever products they want. They distort everything for their own gain and their own agenda, telling lies and half lies.

[thurmas]

its because tsn has exclusive rights the score and sportsnet arn't going to promote cfl ball when there is no real benefit to their station however I was shocked that the score only showed poker after the game and didn't even use a breaking news ticker on the bottom of the screen that montreal won the grey cup.

[SectionW]

its because tsn has exclusive rights the score and sportsnet arn't going to promote cfl ball when there is no real benefit to their station however I was shocked that the score only showed poker after the game and didn't even use a breaking news ticker on the bottom of the screen that montreal won the grey cup.

So do they stop covering the NFL since Rogers has the bills game? Nah just like it was said barely any journalism being done on TV anymore.

[Inquiring Mind]

I'd reserve judgment for this year anyway... it's been a dismal year to broadcasters in all ilks. When they're already losing money hand over fist, laying out a lot money money serving an event that while big, belongs to their direct competition, wouldn't be a top priority

[AngeloV]

That is one reason why IMO, the CFL has to be careful about putting all their games on one Network. The more networks it is on, the more overall coverage they will get.

[Inquiring Mind]

Speaking of broadcasting, looks like they're going to discuss the Grey Cup on PTI this afternoon

[Gill The Thrill]

Speaking of broadcasting, looks like they're going to discuss the Grey Cup on PTI this afternoon

Just what I'm waiting for, Tony Kornheiser's opinion. ...note sarcasm, or as I've heard him called on other blogs, Tony Kornholer.

[Ravi Ramkissoonsingh]

Speaking of broadcasting, looks like they're going to discuss the Grey Cup on PTI this afternoon

Just what I'm waiting for, Tony Kornheiser's opinion. ...note sarcasm, or as I've heard him called on other blogs, Tony Kornholer.

The other host actually did play-by-play for ESPN2 on a Las Vegas/Toronto game from 1994 that they often show on ESPN Classic Canada.

[Inquiring Mind]

Tony Kornholer.

What you do with your friends behind closed door is entirely your prerogative... but for future reference, as far as the rest of us are concerned, the less details, the better!

[Gill The Thrill]

its because tsn has exclusive rights the score and sportsnet arn't going to promote cfl ball when there is no real benefit to their station however I was shocked that the score only showed poker after the game and didn't even use a breaking news ticker on the bottom of the screen that montreal won the grey cup.

So do they stop covering the NFL since Rogers has the bills game? Nah just like it was said barely any journalism being done on TV anymore.

Well, to be fair to the Score...they sent Tim Micallef and DJ Bennett to the Vanier Cup in Quebec City, while Cabby, the Clown was at the Grey Cup...funny, costs are down so they don't send a panel to the Grey Cup, so they waste their money sending Cabby....hmmmm, if I was running that station, I think you know where I'd start with cutting costs.

Sports broadcasting on all the sports station are very weak on knowledge and journalism, save for the hockey department. The newsreaders during the sportscasts have zero prior knowledge of the game. They're just their for ornament...you really think Evanka Osmak on sportsnet, or even Jennifer Hedger on TSN are there for their knowledge. I just know that Hedger's butch voice is so annoying, I keep thinking her body is going to adapt to her voice on live air and she will one day become Jimmy Hedger, a 80's retro male with a blonde mullet.

Speaking of pretty ornament, whatever happened to Holly Horton. Is she still at TSN, or am I just watching so little Sportscentre lately. Did she quit and marry rich guy or something like that...

[redwhite2005]

It appears Rogers is whipping a dead horse. Each year the CFL gets stronger and Rogers trying to bring the NFL to Toronto is looking more and more like a pipe dream. That's face it the CFL is unique and easily followed by its fans. The NFL is too large and to hard to follow the players. Football is good no mater what league but the better product lies north of the 49th. It is truly sad the Score can not figure that out. Even adding one or two teams to the CFL will not change its successful formula. Heck they had some Baltimore fans at the Grey Cup. They still love the game. A friend of mine in Vegas still watches the CFL even though he grew up on the NFL.