The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum » Grey Cup Is Free To Viewers Around The World

RadioActive · November 18, 2023 8:28 pm

I'm not a big CFL fan, so I won't be tuning into the Grey Cup either way, but I do find it interesting that this is one of the few championship games that's available only on cable in Canada. The World Series airs on Fox, the Super Bowl rotates networks but remains on free TV and the CBC carries the Stanley Cup finals.

But the only way to see the Canadian Football League's biggest game of the year is to subscribe to cable's TSN. Otherwise, folks here are shut out.

Which brings us to a site called CFL+. It's an Internet only service and is available free to anyone who signs up. And it will be carrying the Grey Cup. Unless, of course, you're in Canada, then you're shut out for rights reasons. It was a story that originally surfaced last May, but few were thinking of this part of the season back then. Now it's on the front burner again.

For most people, it's not a big deal because they likely get TSN. But it has some Canadians upset that the country's oldest championship game can be seen gratis everywhere in the world except the one place where people who actually care about it and don't have cable live.

Isn't this what VPNs were made for?

CFL world goes wild over May news Grey Cup will be on free streaming only in the U.S.

paterson1 · November 19, 2023 12:53 pm

Since TSN spends about $50-55 million per year for CFL TV rights and Bell Media is always whining about not making enough money, maybe they will be more open to sharing broadcast rights next time. Let CBC buy some of the package with a game of the week, and share the Grey Cup broadcast with TSN/RDS.

Bell saves some money, more people will watch the games since some would be on CBC TV, and everyone gets to watch the Grey Cup.

CBC regularly partners with TSN on Olympic coverage so this is nothing new.

RadioAaron · November 19, 2023 1:36 pm

RadioActive wrote:
I'm not a big CFL fan, so I won't be tuning into the Grey Cup either way, but I do find it interesting that this is one of the few championship games that's available only on cable in Canada. The World Series airs on Fox, the Super Bowl rotates networks but remains on free TV and the CBC carries the Stanley Cup finals.

It's a pretty big exaggeration to say The World Series is available without cable "in Canada"

RadioActive · November 19, 2023 2:20 pm

True, not everyone has an aerial to get Channel 29 for the World Series. But at least it's available to those who do or want to try setting up some kind of indoor antenna. The fact is the Grey Cup can't be watched by anyone without cable in this country. There's simply no other way to legally receive it. And it's really the only championship game of the major North American sports that does that.

You can imagine the outcry if the Super Bowl was only on say, ESPN in the States. It just wouldn't be allowed to happen. At least not yet. Who knows, one day it may be streaming only. But that day is not yet here.

RadioAaron · November 19, 2023 5:43 pm

You're still conflating certain parts of Southern Ontario with "In Canada"

RadioActive wrote:
True, not everyone has an aerial to get Channel 29 for the World Series. But at least it's available to those who do or want to try setting up some kind of indoor antenna. The fact is the Grey Cup can't be watched by anyone without cable in this country. There's simply no other way to legally receive it. And it's really the only championship game of the major North American sports that does that.

You can imagine the outcry if the Super Bowl was only on say, ESPN in the States. It just wouldn't be allowed to happen. At least not yet. Who knows, one day it may be streaming only. But that day is not yet here.

Broodcaster · November 19, 2023 6:05 pm

IF Apple or ESPN offer the NFL enough money, they will move the Super Bowl to a cable/streaming service in a minute.

RadioAaron · November 19, 2023 6:36 pm

Broodcaster wrote:
IF Apple or ESPN offer the NFL enough money, they will move the Super Bowl to a cable/streaming service in a minute.

Or Amazon or Google. Both of whom can customize the ads based on what they know about each viewer. A goldmine.

The broadcast networks can't do that. Bell's experimenting with it, but they can only serve it to their own customers.

RadioAaron · November 19, 2023 7:37 pm

On the radio side, Bell didn't even bother putting it on one of their zombie AMs in the market where the game's being played.

paterson1 · November 19, 2023 8:01 pm

RadioAaron wrote:
On the radio side, Bell didn't even bother putting it on one of their zombie AMs in the market where the game's being played.

Guess they figure TSN 1050 covers Hamilton. Corus AM outlet in Winnipeg CJOB is broadcasting the game, as is 690 TSN Radio In Montreal and 98.5 FM in French. Sirius XM apparently has the game across North America.

RadioAaron · November 19, 2023 9:48 pm

SOWNY regulars will be happy to know that at least Bell provided a separate radio play-by-play team rather than simulcasting the TV feed.

paterson1 · November 19, 2023 10:13 pm

Exciting game so far. Loved Martin Shorts commercial for Wealthsimple. Green Day rocked the Hammer, and nice that TSN is acknowledging some long time staff who are retiring after the broadcast.

mace · November 19, 2023 10:49 pm

I wasn't impressed with Green Day. Didn't recognize any of the songs they played. But then, I'm old and have never been a fan of Alternative Rock.

paterson1 · November 19, 2023 11:12 pm

Actually they played most of their hits. TSN certainly sold the game well. Not a lot of promo other than a bit for TSN and Crave.

YMCA · November 20, 2023 1:28 am

RadioActive wrote:
The fact is the Grey Cup can't be watched by anyone without cable in this country. There's simply no other way to legally receive it.

I watched it legally, and I haven't had cable for many years. I have TSN+.

RadioActive · November 20, 2023 7:43 am

Again, my point was that you had to pay for it. Not the case with most of the other pro sport championship game finals that air on free TV.

cash · November 20, 2023 5:27 pm

i don't know anyone who watched this

g121 · November 20, 2023 5:52 pm

as usual, this years' Grey Cup game was great !!

YMCA · November 20, 2023 8:57 pm

I went there at halftime after the Raptors blowout of Detroit, mainly to see if Green Day were going to lip sync a la Super Bowl. They didn't, and were surprisingly good. So I stuck around for the second half and saw a damn good football game. Hadn't watched a football game in decades.

Tomas Barlow · November 21, 2023 1:21 am

Two things:
In the Hamilton market no radio station has CFL rights so nobody would expect the game to be on the radio.

Green Day would cancel a performance rather than lip sync.

YMCA · November 21, 2023 1:50 am

Tomas Barlow wrote:
Green Day would cancel a performance rather than lip sync.

I would hope any legitimate artist would do the same. The Stupor Bowl has a long history of lip synch performances.

I'm not a Green Day fan, and I thought going in they were going to be embarrassing, but they did a good set and gained my respect. The telecast was very well done.

RadioActive · November 21, 2023 4:02 pm

YMCA wrote:
Tomas Barlow wrote:
Green Day would cancel a performance rather than lip sync.
I would hope any legitimate artist would do the same. The Stupor Bowl has a long history of lip synch performances.

I'm not a Green Day fan, and I thought going in they were going to be embarrassing, but they did a good set and gained my respect. The telecast was very well done.

Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong Calls Himself "Part Canadian Now"

YMCA · November 21, 2023 5:53 pm

I thought, visually at least, the Grey Cup broadcast experience was really well done. The Green Day performance captured my interest such that I stuck around to watch the game.

It was good football, and the camera & replay work was superb. Light years ahead of the last time I watched a football game. And much better than the run...run...incomplete...punt of the boring NFL product.

Can't say anything about the commentary, the sound was OFF.