TV coverage of Canada Games draws complaints
Posted Feb 15, 2011 05:29:24 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The city is buzzing with Canada Games action – but there is a different kind of buzz about the TV coverage.
Some sports enthusiasts have complained that most of the 80 hours of coverage will appear on TSN2 – a specialty channel not everyone subscribes to.
Several residents complained to the Chronicle Herald on the weekend that coverage should be more accessible, and wondered why it wasn’t available on the local CBC channel.
Canada Games CEO Chris Morrisey tells News 95.7 that unlike major sporting events that networks bid on, the amateur event had to buy space on TV.
“We don’t get the broadcasts for free and we’re not in a position where broadcasters come to us and say we’ll carry your event live, for free,” he said. “After evaluating the options that were in front of us, the best option that was presented to us and the only one that was affordable for us was the TSN option.”
He adds that not all the coverage will be on TSN2.
“We do have some coverage on TSN1 including the closing ceremonies, which will be covered live on the main network of TSN,” he said. “TSN has also guaranteed updates and other information broadcast on their main network and TSN2 throughout the two weeks of the games as well.”
Unlike the Olympics, Morrisey says any broadcaster can use footage or audio from events as long as the event is not happening live as they broadcast it.
