RadioActive wrote:

I'm not sure when the powers-that-be at City TV decided that game 3 of the NBA playoffs would be on Channel 57 (my DVR listings didn't show it) but there it was Wednesday night. What's interesting to me is that City chose to simulcast the ABC feed, even though they certainly could have had access to their own Sportsnet telecast, which was going on at the same time. 

If I had to guess, it might have something to do with simsub, although I can't believe had the Sportsnet version been shown on City it wouldn't have also blocked out ABC's feed. It joins CTV2 in putting the games on free over-the-air TV, although City is much easier to get here via an antenna than CKVR is. 

Is this the new normal for however long the series goes?  

I guess all the TV series are over and they have the flexibility to do this. It is strange they are picking up the ABC coverage. 
 

They wanted the simsub for sure and only carrying the SAME broadcast qualifies, so they obviously bought the rights to the ABC feed so their Canadian advertisers would get the additional exposure. I'm guessing the Sportsnet advertisers also got the Citytv feed. Not sure about that but it would make sense to ensure they got maximum reach.
Technically they had a problem though, there was a terrible audio buzz for the first 5 minutes of the pre-game show.