CBC gets approval for new sports channel

mr.x · #1 Posted: **Aug 20, 2008, 11:15 PM**

CBC gets approval for new sports channel
Last Updated: Wednesday, August 20, 2008 | 1:44 PM ET

CBC Sports

Approval has been granted for a new digital sports channel, tentatively known as CBC Sports Plus, CBC Sports announced Wednesday.

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission approved CBC's application for an all-sports licence for the channel, which will focus in large part on Canadian sporting events, stories and accomplishments.

"We feel this is great news for both CBC and the Canadian sports system," said Scott Moore, executive director for CBC Sports.

"For over 50 years, CBC has been Canada's pre-eminent broadcaster of Canadian sport. We feel with the addition of another platform, we will continue to be a great contributor to Canada's success in sports at all levels.

"Following on the success of our Beijing Olympic coverage, we feel CBC will now be able to make an even more significant contribution to the success of our Canadian athletes."

CBC Sports Plus, a Category 2 digital specialty channel, is expected to feature a mix of professional and amateur sports.

The CBC received the approval of its board of governors in January to submit an application for a proposed all-sports channel.

CBC Sports coverage for the remainder of 2008 includes:

* The Beijing Olympics.
* Paralympic Summer Games.
* CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada.
* BMO Toronto FC.
* President’s Choice Raptors Basketball.
* Rogers Blue Jays Baseball.
* Comprehensive FIFA coverage.
* Pontiac Alpine Ski Series.
* Capital One Grand Slam of Curling.
* Canadian and International Championship Figure Skating.
* Golden League Track and Field.

I think this is GREAT NEWS....it's something that TSN and Sportsnet won't do, show amateur sports.....this new channel will promote amateur sports. So much for TSN2.

HOWEVER, the only problem I have with this is that it's CATEGORY 2, exclusive to digital and not required by cable companies to carry it. What good is that? This is half-assed.

Not to mention that CBC has lost some of the brightest people in sports like Brian Williams, Cuthbert and it can't even keep the HNIC theme song. Not to mention they've lost the 2010 and 2012 Games, Grey Cup/CFL, and curling rights to other networks AND will likely lose the NHL rights once 2013 rolls around.

And I'm also not sure where they're going to find the money.....their $1.4-billion annual budget is definitely not enough and has stayed the same for the last 15 years. That budget is already quite diluted over internet, radio, tv, and Newsworld.......and especially on the main tv network, where you'll find some of the most crappiest programs around. And a few years ago, they had to make quite a bit of layoffs in the sports department.

kirjtc2 · #2 Posted: **Aug 21, 2008, 1:01 AM**

If anything, this will help them get back in the running for the 2014 Olympics, although I can't see it helping more than that. Nobody watches CBC's Saturday afternoon amateur sports as it is, and a channel stuck on the nosebleeds of digital won't help matters.

What CBC needs is cable rights to a major league sports property for SportsPlus to succeed, and that may take a while. They can't dump NHL or Jays games on there because the big sports leagues still make a distinction between broadcast and cable and TSN/Sportsnet have gobbled all the rights up.

hammergirl · #3 Posted: **Aug 21, 2008, 1:05 AM**

I don't see this happening.

I know a lot of figure skating fans added Country Canada/Bold to their digital cable package as they provide excellent figure skating coverage of the World Championships and the Canadian Championships. They show every skater, it's almost too much skating actually. $1.99 per month is a lot easier on the wallet than the cost of skating tickets.

MolsonExport · #4 Posted: **Aug 21, 2008, 1:10 AM**

I'd sooner watch a CBC sports channel, than the Toronto Sports Network.

The Trooper · #5 Posted: **Aug 21, 2008, 1:55 AM**

So are they going to move Hockey night in Canada ouups sorry I meant Hockey night in Toronto to the new channel ?

401_King · #6 Posted: **Aug 21, 2008, 2:02 AM**

yes, more Toronto to brainwash your children. toronto toronto toronto

Ayreonaut · #7 Posted: **Aug 21, 2008, 2:25 AM**

Maybe they'll show every Canadian team's Saturday games now.

vid · #8 Posted: **Aug 21, 2008, 2:25 AM**

Toronto ate my baybay.

trueviking · #9 Posted: **Aug 21, 2008, 3:51 AM**

rugby...rugby...rugby...

Bassic Lab · #10 Posted: **Aug 21, 2008, 4:11 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirjtc2

If anything, this will help them get back in the running for the 2014 Olympics, although I can't see it helping more than that. Nobody watches CBC's Saturday afternoon amateur sports as it is, and a channel stuck on the nosebleeds of digital won't help matters.

What CBC needs is cable rights to a major league sports property for SportsPlus to succeed, and that may take a while. They can't dump NHL or Jays games on there because the big sports leagues still make a distinction between broadcast and cable and TSN/Sportsnet have gobbled all the rights up.

Perhaps the National Lacrosse League could broadcast games on this station. The rights couldn't cost too much.

feepa · #11 Posted: **Aug 21, 2008, 4:53 AM**

Interesting move after the CBC loses the olympics for 2010, and 2012...Has losts lots of CFL coverage, and has cut back severely on there sports budget...

DC83 · #12 Posted: **Aug 21, 2008, 2:54 PM**

Wow! I was just talking about this a cpl weeks ago w/ some friends.
THANK GOD!

mr.x · #13 Posted: **Aug 21, 2008, 6:25 PM**

wow.....waking up to another gold and silver, that was really unexpected. congrats!

gold: equestrian
silver: women's 10m diving

Rathgrith · #14 Posted: **Aug 21, 2008, 7:38 PM**

So what the hell are they going to show on CBC Sports 8: The Ocho, when they no longer have the Olympics to broadcast?

harls · #15 Posted: **Aug 21, 2008, 7:54 PM**

High School Curling, perhaps.

VANRIDERFAN · #16 Posted: **Aug 21, 2008, 11:41 PM**

Hopefully more Canadian University sports especially football, hockey and basketball

Jay in Cowtown · #17 Posted: **Aug 22, 2008, 2:40 AM**

So will my tax dollars be paying for this fucking channel too?

vid · #18 Posted: **Aug 22, 2008, 9:34 AM**

No, if they were it would be a free service. CBC Newsworld, bold, documentary, and this sports channel, don't receive any tax dollars for operating expenses because they're pay channels. CBC News itself receives tax dollars though. These channels will have to get by on advertisements like other cable channels.

MolsonExport · #19 Posted: **Aug 22, 2008, 1:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by harls

High School Curling, perhaps.

Now you're talkin' !

Winnipegger · #20 Posted: **Aug 22, 2008, 3:06 PM**

Cool! now all CBC needs is a 24/7 news channel like BBCworld or CNN! We could call it CBCNN or something.