The Sports Network

For the sports information service, see The Sports Network (wire service).

The Sports Network (TSN)
TSN logo
Launched	September 1, 1984
Owned by	CTV Specialty Television (Bell Media 80% / ESPN 20%) (The Sports Network Inc.)
Picture format	1080i (HDTV) (2003-present) 480i (SDTV) (1984-present)
Slogan	Canada's Sports Leader
Country	Canada
Broadcast area	National, 2 regional affiliates
Headquarters	Toronto, Ontario
Sister channel(s)	TSN2, RDS, RDS2, RDS Info
Website	www.tsn.ca
Availability
Satellite
Bell TV	400 (SD), 1400 (HD)
Shaw Direct	400 (SD), 280 (HD)
Cable
Available on most Canadian cable systems	Check local listings, channels may vary
IPTV
Bell Aliant TV	100 (SD), 470 (HD)
Bell Fibe TV	400 (SD), 1400 (HD)
MTS	22 (SD), 475 (HD)
Optik TV	110 (SD), 660 (HD)
SaskTel	110 (SD), 410 (HD)

The Sports Network, commonly abbreviated as TSN, is a Canadian English language Category C specialty channel and is Canada's leading English language sports TV channel. TSN premiered in 1984, in the first group of Canadian specialty cable channels. TSN is owned by CTV Specialty Television, a joint venture of Bell Media (80%) and ESPN (20%).

Bell Media also operates additional TSN-branded properties, including TSN2, TSN Radio 1050, TSN Radio 990, TSN Radio 1290 and two part-time regional feeds, Canadiens on TSN and Jets on TSN.

History

TSN's original logo, used from launch until 2001

Licensed by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) on April 2, 1984 as Action Canada Sports Network, the channel was launched by the Labatt Brewing Company on September 1^st of the same year as "The Sports Network", or "TSN". TSN was formed partly to promote Labatt's flagship products, but also to act as a vehicle for the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team (which was also owned by Labatt at the time). In 1989, TSN also launched a sister French language service, Réseau des sports (RDS).

Due to CRTC regulations on the foreign ownership of broadcasters, Labatt was forced to sell TSN and RDS upon its acquisition by Interbrew in 1995. Labatt's broadcasting assets were sold to a privately held consortium named NetStar Communications, the investors of which included a number of Canadian firms as well as ESPN, which held about 30%.

Acquisition by CTV, expansion

In 2000, after ESPN blocked two attempts by the Canadian partners to sell NetStar to Canwest, CTV Inc. acquired the Canadian partners' shares thanks in part to ESPN's disapproval of Canwest. CTV Inc. was acquired by Bell Canada and The Woodbridge Company (owners of The Globe and Mail newspaper) as part of the joint venture Bell Globemedia in 2001. As a result of its purchase of TSN, CTV would be forced to sell its regional sports network CTV Sportsnet, eventually selling it to part-owner Rogers Media. Incidentally, while TSN would move its operations to CTV's Agincourt complex after the acquisition, Rogers Sportsnet would not immediately move from Agincourt, effectively having the two competing networks sharing the same headquarters. This oddity would become an inside joke between personalities on both networks, would be referenced on-air by personalities on both networks, with many referring to moving between TSN and Sportsnet as "crossing the parking lot." Rogers Sportsnet would move from Agincourt to a new studio at the Rogers Building in Downtown Toronto in 2008.

Plans were made to re-launch TSN as ESPN Canada in 2001. However, due to the name recognition and value of the brand, the TSN name was maintained. However, TSN would begin incorporating elements of ESPN's branding into their own throughout the year, including a new logo using a similar design to ESPN's, and the renaming of its sports news program SportsDesk to SportsCentre (a variation of ESPN's SportsCenter, rendered using Canadian English).

In 2001, TSN would also launch a number of sister digital specialty channels; including a local version of ESPN Classic, and the NHL Network — a network devoted to ice hockey and the National Hockey League. TSN only holds minority interest in NHL Network however, it is also owned in part by Insight Sports and a consortium of the NHL and several of its Canadian franchises.

Beginning in 2006, the CRTC officially allowed TSN to operate national secondary digital feeds with limited amounts of alternative programming. Following this development, TSN began to use such a feed to broadcast additional programming that could not be aired on TSN due to scheduling conflicts or other events. On August 29, 2008, the feed evolved into a new 24-hour channel, similar to ESPN2, known as TSN2.

In October 2010, TSN announced the launch of a part-time feed to carry regional broadcasts of Montreal Canadiens games, in the eastern Canadian territory shared by Montreal and the Ottawa Senators. This feed (referred to on the Canadiens' website as "TSN Habs")

Acquisition by Bell, TSN Radio

On September 10, 2010, Bell Canada announced plans to re-acquire 100% of CTVglobemedia's broadcasting arm, including its majority control of TSN. Under the deal, Woodbridge Company Limited, Torstar, and Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan will together receive $1.3 billion in either cash or equity in BCE, while BCE will also assume $1.7 billion in debt (BCE's existing equity interest is $200 million, for a total transaction value of $3.2 billion). Woodbridge has since simultaneously regained majority control of The Globe and Mail, with Bell retaining a 15% interest in December 2010. The deal closed on April 1, 2011, after the CRTC approved the sale on March 7, 2011.

Main article: TSN Radio

After a longstanding speculation about TSN's interest in launching its own TSN-branded radio network, TSN entered radio broadcasting with the launch of the first TSN Radio station, a re-launch of AM station CHUM in Toronto on April 13, 2011. Bell Media's Bell Media Radio division already operates several sports radio stations elsewhere in Canada most of which currently branded under The Team moniker (which was introduced by previous owner CHUM Limited in its own failed attempt at establishing a national sports radio network), and it is expected that (if the launch of TSN Radio 1050 was a success) they will eventually adopt the TSN Radio branding as well, forming a sports radio network.

Also in 2011, TSN acquired broadcast rights to the returning Winnipeg Jets, through another regional TSN feed for the Jets' home market, and radio coverage on Bell-owned CFRW (which, along with Montreal station CKGM, also migrated to the TSN Radio brand on October 5, 2011) Additionally, Bell would also launch TSN Mobile TV, streaming versions of TSN and TSN2 offered through Bell Mobility's Mobile TV services.

On December 9, 2011, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan announced that it would sell its majority stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment to two major telecommunications companies; Bell Canada (TSN's main parent company) and Rogers Communications (owners of the competing Sportsnet chain of sports channels) with a 37.5% share each (Larry Tanenbaum will increase his ownership to a quarter of the company as well), in a deal expected to be valued at around $1.32 billion in total. The deal is expected to be completed in summer 2012, pending the approval of Canada's Competition Bureau, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (with regards to MLSE's TV channels), as well as the leagues for each of MLSE's main sports franchises. The deal is expected to have a major impact on future broadcast rights for MLSE's teams, including the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors, as their ownership of the teams will offer enhanced coverage for the team through new platforms such as mobile television.

Following the announcement however, concerns were again raised by critics, speculating that Bell Media may attempt to acquire full rights to the NHL once CBC's current contract with the league expires in the 2013-14 season — using their potential ownership of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the NHL's highest valued franchise, as a impetus for such a coup. Concerns were also raised that such an arrangement could prevent wireless service providers other than Bell and Rogers from accessing its content. However, the CRTC ruled in favor of Telus in a decision requiring Bell and other media companies to allow other competing wireless providers access to its content, and not exclusively tie it to their own service.

Programming

TSN's flagship news program is SportsCentre, a sports news program airing several times throughout the day. Formally known as Sportsdesk, it was re-vamped to closer resemble ESPN's own SportsCenter (including the use of its theme music, logo, and opening) in the Fall of 2001 as part of a corporate restructuring, closer aligning itself with new minority owner ESPN. In 2006, a new studio was built in order to prepare the show for its transition to high definition television — becoming the first daily news program in Canada to be produced in HD beginning on September 25, 2006. Other original programs on TSN include the talk show Off The Record, the automotive newsmagazine Motoring, and TSN The Reporters.

Through its minority ownership of TSN, the network also airs some of ESPN's original programming as well, including Pardon the Interruption, Sunday NFL Countdown The Sports Reporters, and other ESPN programs and documentaries.

Significant domestic broadcast rights

As of the 2008 season, TSN is the exclusive broadcaster of the Canadian Football League, airing all of the league's games, including the season-ending Grey Cup. The network also airs the Vanier Cup, the country's championship university football game.

In February 2011, TSN announced that it had began a new broadcasting relationship with Major League Soccer, airing 24 matches during the 2011 season that involved the league's Canadian clubs, Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC. 30 games will be shown by TSN in 2012 due to the addition of the Montreal Impact to the MLS. In addition the network, along with TSN2 will broadcast a package of other regular season games, the MLS All-Star Game, MLS Cup Playoffs and the MLS Cup.

On October 27, 2011, Bell Media and TSN announced that they had secured broadcast rights for FIFA soccer from 2015 to 2022. The rights include the 2018 FIFA World Cup, 2022 FIFA World Cup and 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup.

TSN has hosted much of Canada's supplementary Olympic coverage, being the first pay-TV station in the world to ever broadcast the Olympics with the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Calgary, and having been part of the CBC's coverage from 1998 to 2008. In 2010, TSN began to participate in CTV and Rogers' current broadcasting rights to the Olympic Games for 2010 and 2012.

TSN has also broadcast major curling events; it began its current television contract with the Canadian Curling Association beginning in the 2008-09 season, and also runs the Casino Rama TSN Skins Game, an annual skins curling tournament. For major national and international events, including the Tim Hortons Brier, the Scotties Tournament of Hearts and the Ford World Championships, it has historically had a curling broadcast deal where the round-robin and page-playoff quarter-finals have aired on the network, while the semi-final and final rounds air on CBC — however, TSN's current contracts for the events give it exclusive coverage.

TSN has also historically been a broadcaster for Major League Baseball in Canada, as its former parent company, Labatt, was also the owner of the Toronto Blue Jays. However, TSN's coverage of the Blue Jays has decreased in recent years, as Sportsnet, which is owned by the Blue Jays' current parent company, Rogers Communications, has acquired the team's broadcast rights. Rogers continued to sub-license a yearly package of games to TSN for several seasons afterward until 2010, when TSN traded its remaining Blue Jays games back to Sportsnet (to allow it exclusive coverage of the team) in exchange for rights to ESPN Sunday Night Baseball. ESPN Sunday Night Baseball now airs on TSN2, although Sportsnet may re-claim broadcasts in the event of scheduling conflicts.

TSN also broadcasts Toronto Raptors games produced by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which included 47 games across TSN and TSN2 in the 2010-11 season.

Hockey

TSN is a major broadcaster of ice hockey in Canada. It holds the national cable rights to broadcast the NHL in Canada, including regular season games on weeknights, and exclusivity on Wednesday nights. Beginning on the 2009 contract, TSN has the third, fifth, and seventh choices of series during first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs (previously, the CBC automatically had rights to any series involving a Canadian team) CTV also acquired the rights to The Hockey Theme after the CBC decided not to renew its rights to the theme song in June 2008 amid a legal dispute with its composer, Dolores Claman. A re-orchestrated version of the tune, which has been the theme song of Hockey Night in Canada for 40 years, has been used for hockey broadcasts on TSN and RDS since fall 2008. TSN also frequently carries games broadcast by NBC and NBC Sports Network, though more so on TSN2.

Additionally, TSN holds English-language rights to the Montreal Canadiens and the Winnipeg Jets. Their games are aired exclusively on part-time feeds carried within the home markets of the two teams respectively.

In 2006, CTVglobemedia attempted to acquire full rights to the NHL on television in Canada in a $1.4 billion dollar bid, which would have included coverage on TSN, CTV, and its French network RDS. However in March 2007, it was revealed that the NHL instead decided to maintain its relationship with CBC (which would allow it to maintain Hockey Night in Canada), but still expanded TSN's coverage to include more coverage of Canadian teams.

TSN also has a broadcasting contract with Hockey Canada, giving it the rights to broadcast the IIHF World Junior Championships, Men's and Women's World Hockey Championship, Men's Under-18 World Championships, Allan Cup, Royal Bank Cup, Spengler Cup, Telus Cup and Esso Cup.

Significant international broadcast rights

Along with its coverage of Canadian events, TSN also airs coverage of international sporting events (primarily American), often simulcast from other broadcasters. TSN also currently airs Formula One, NASCAR, and IndyCar racing events. As of the 2011 season, TSN2 carries a weekly early NFL game (to compliment sister terrestrial network CTV's other regional games), NBC Sunday Night Football, and Monday Night Football. TSN also carries some of ESPN's NFL analysis and highlight programs, including NFL Live, Sunday NFL Countdown, and Monday Night Countdown TSN also serves as the main Canadian outlet for TNT's NBA coverage, along with exclusive Canadian rights to the NBA Finals.

TSN is the exclusive rights holder in Canada for all 4 Tennis Grand Slams. As of 2012, they have signed multi-year extensions for the Australian Open, French Open & Wimbledon.

On February 1, 2011, TSN announced that they had acquired the rights to the Tour de France in a multi-year deal.

Much of TSN's coverage, especially for the NFL, NBA games not involving the Raptors, UEFA Champions League, American college football, the Grand Slams, and NASCAR events are simulcast from ESPN.

Wrestling

TSN featured live professional wrestling in the form of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE)'s flagship show, RAW for over a decade. However, the WWE Raw program, which aired live, occasionally had been censored live for extremely violent scenes, or when female wrestlers or characters were assaulted by male wrestlers. These actions are supposed to be in order to meet Canadian broadcast standards, with repeat broadcasts often more heavily edited.

This disappointed many wrestling fans over the years, and is unusual since the violence of wrestling scenes are not significantly different from other television programs aired on regular Canadian networks. It was expected that in fall 2006, when TSN started airing the ESPN iteration of Monday Night Football (as well as the NBC Sunday Night Football games), that WWE RAW was expected to air on tape delay during the NFL season. However, the WWE decided to move the program to rival sports network The Score rather than air on tape delay, although RAW continues to air on tape delay on The Score by 15 minutes, for editing purposes in addition to limits on the amount of live programming the Score can air in a week.

In 2004, both TSN and Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) Wrestling, (known then as NWA-TNA), erroneously announced that Impact! would air on the network, although that deal was never completed and the article on the TSN Wrestling page was taken down shortly after. However, TSN's French-language sister network RDS airs the program.

In past years, TSN also aired shows from the American Wrestling Association (AWA), Stampede Wrestling and World Championship Wrestling (WCW) Monday Night Nitro, as well as producing a one-hour show called Pro Wrestling Plus, which featured highlights from various promotions and was hosted by Stampede announcer Ed Whalen; that program was the Canadian equivalent of the syndicated American program Pro Wrestling This Week.

The final episode of WWE RAW, aired July 31, 2006, although it did not end the relationship between TSN and WWE as the 2007 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony was aired on the network. As well, Off The Record with Michael Landsberg continues to occasionally feature professional wrestlers in unscripted interviews, which it has throughout its run.

Other sports

From August 2009, TSN and TSN2 have commenced screening live and delayed coverage of Australian Rules Football. Selected games from the Australian Football League (or AFL as the competition is also known) Premiership Season and Finals Series including the AFL Grand Final are broadcast live or on delay every weekend.

In May 2011, Bell Media and Skate Canada announced a 10-year rights agreement making CTV, TSN and RDS the official broadcasters of Skate Canada. As part of the agreement, CTV, TSN and RDS acquire exclusive multimedia rights to all of Skate Canada’s premiere domestic events including Skate Canada International and the Canadian Figure Skating Championships.

In 2011, TSN carried the Rugby World Cup, also with live and tape delayed coverage.

Personalities

Current

• Russ Anber – In This Corner analyst
• Jack Armstrong - Basketball analyst
• Kate Beirness - SportsCentre anchor
• Rod Black – Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto Raptors, Figure Skating play-by-play announcer and CFL on TSN play-by-play announcer
• Shawn Churchill – Winnipeg reporter
• Jock Climie – CFL on TSN studio analyst
• Chris Cuthbert – CFL on TSN and NHL on TSN play-by-play announcer
• James Cybulski – Toronto reporter
• Darren Dreger – NHL on TSN Insider
• Darren Dutchyshen – SportsCentre anchor / In This Corner host
• Matt Dunigan – CFL on TSN studio and colour analyst
• James Duthie – NHL on TSN studio host
• Claude Feig - Toronto reporter
• Ray Ferraro - NHL on TSN colour analyst
• Duane Forde – CFL on TSN colour analyst
• Sheri Forde – Toronto reporter
• Jermain Franklin – Calgary reporter
• Jennifer Hedger – SportsCentre anchor
• Leah Hextall – SportsCentre host (substitute)
• Dave Hodge – The Reporters host
• Paul Hollingsworth – Halifax/Atlantic Canada reporter
• Holly Horton – SportsCentre anchor
• Russ Howard – Curling on TSN colour analyst
• Lee Jones – Regina reporter
• Steve Kouleas – That's Hockey 2Nite host
• Michael Landsberg – Off The Record host
• Farhan Lalji – Vancouver reporter
• Pierre LeBrun – NHL on TSN Insider
• John Lu – Montreal reporter
• Maggie the Macaque – NHL on TSN playoff prognosticator
• Bob McKenzie – NHL on TSN Insider, hockey analyst
• Gord Miller – play-by-play announcer for the NHL on TSN, World Junior Hockey Championships and occasionallyCFL on TSN
• Linda Moore- Curling on TSN colour analyst
• Bryan Mudryk – SportsCentre anchor
• Dave Naylor - Football analyst
• Sara Orlesky – Winnipeg reporter
• Jay Onrait – SportsCentre anchor
• Dan O'Toole – SportsCentre anchor
• Jesse Palmer – NFL on TSN analyst – Monday Morning Quarterback
• Darren Pang – NHL on TSN studio analyst
• Blake Price - Vancouver reporter
• Dave Randorf – CFL on TSN studio host, NHL on TSN reporter, play-by-play announcer for Canadian women's hockey..
• Vic Rauter – Formula One studio host / Curling on TSN play-by-play announcer
• Gino Reda – That's Hockey host
• Ryan Rishaug – Edmonton reporter
• Darcy Seaton – Edmonton reporter
• Dan Shulman – March Madness on TSN studio analyst. Also featured in Sportscentre segments. (Former Toronto Blue Jays, NHL on TSN and NBA on TSN play-by-play; now play-by-play for ESPN, although TSN may simulcast games he calls)
• Chris Schultz – CFL on TSN studio analyst
• Rod Smith – SportsCentre anchor
• Natasha Staniszewski – SportsCentre anchor
• Milt Stegall – CFL on TSN studio analyst (substitute)
• Glen Suitor – CFL on TSN colour analyst
• Pat Tabler – Toronto Blue Jays colour analyst
• Brent Wallace – Ottawa reporter
• Bob Weeks – [Score Golf Television] host and golf analyst
• Michael Whalen – Montreal reporter
• Luke Wileman - Toronto FC play-by-play
• Brian Williams – Olympic games host, Figure Skating host, and CFL on TSN on site host
• Cory Woron – SportsCentre anchor

Various reporters and analysts from ESPN (such as Chris Berman, Barry Melrose and Steve Phillips) may also be featured in certain segments.

Former

• Thea Andrews (later a correspondent/Sub. Host/Weekend edition co-host for Entertainment Tonight from 2006 to 2009)
• David Amber (now works at the NHL Network)
• Dale Barnes (former soccer announcer)
• Lisa Bowes (former Winnipeg and Calgary reporter; now a reporter at CTV Calgary)
• Mark Bunting (former Winnipeg and Toronto reporter; now with BNN)
• Peter Burwash (former Tennis analyst)
• Ken Chilibeck (former Edmonton reporter)
• Brendan Connor (now a sports anchor at Al-Jazeera English)
• Gary Green (former NHL on TSN colour analyst; now an analyst at the NHL Network)
• Lisa Hillary (now an anchor and reporter at Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia)
• Jim Hughson (former NHL on TSN and Toronto Blue Jays play-by-play; now Hockey Night in Canada play-by-play on CBC)
• Teresa Kruze (former Sportsdesk anchor; now an anchor and reporter at CTVglobemedia's 24-hour news channel based in Toronto, CP24)
• Robyn Matsumoto (former TSN Maritimes reporter)
• Pierre McGuire – (former colour analyst / studio analyst for the NHL on TSN and World Junior Hockey Championships; now a hockey analyst for NBC Sports and NBC Sports Network)
• Wray Morrison (former Regina reporter; now at CKOM)
• Leif Pettersen (former CFL on TSN colour analyst; deceased)
• Ken Reid (former sportscentre anchor, now at Sportsnet)
• Paul Romanuk (former NHL on TSN play-by-play; now a freelance sportscaster in London, England)
• Chris Sedens (former Sportsdesk anchor, now with KNX (AM))
• Mike Toth (former Sportsdesk anchor and Baseball Tonight host)
• Ray Turnbull (Former Curling on TSN colour analyst)
• Jim Van Horne (former Sportsdesk anchor and NHL on TSN studio host; now an anchor at the NHL Network)
• Alex J. Walling (former TSN Halifax/Atlantic Canada reporter)
• John Wells (former CFL on TSN play-by-play, NHL on TSN studio host; now retired)

Original programmes

• CFL on TSN – Live coverage of CFL games with Dave Randorf in studio and a panel joining him to analyze the games – Jock Climie, Matt Dunigan and Chris Schultz. Friday broadcasts are known as Friday Night Football
• Curling on TSN - Live coverage of the Canadian Curling Association, Continental Cup of Curling, the TSN Skins Game, the World Curling Championships, and Olympic Curling.
• In this Corner – The latest news and reports from world of Boxing with Darren Dutchyshen and Russ Anber
• NASCAR Canadian Tire Series - Live coverage of select NASCAR Canadian Tire Series races
• NHL on TSN – Live coverage of NHL games. Hosted by James Duthie. Analysts include Bob McKenzie, Darren Dreger, Pierre LeBrun, Aaron Ward, and Marc Crawford
• Off The Record - talk show featuring various personalities discussing the latest sports headlines with host Michael Landsberg
• SportsCentre – Flagship news show on the network
• TSN Profile – Biographical portrait of various sports personalities
• TSN The Reporters – Sunday roundtable debate that examines the issues making headlines with Dave Hodge and featuring top Canadian Sports journalists
• That's Hockey – All the latest news and reports from the National Hockey League with Gino Reda and analysts Mike Johnson and Jamie McLennan
• TSN Skins Game – Annual curling bonspiel
• Toronto Raptors Basketball – About 20 games a year. Produced by NBA TV Canada

Former programmes

• Vancouver Grizzlies Basketball (1995–2001)
• Montreal Expos Baseball (1985–1999, 2001)
• Toronto Blue Jays Baseball (1984–2009)

TSN HD

TSN HD logo

TSN HD is a high definition simulcast of TSN that launched on August 15, 2003. TSN HD airs widescreen and high-definition feeds of sporting events when available. On September 25, 2006, SportsCentre transitioned to HD, airing high definition highlights of sporting events when possible, adding even more high definition content to the channel.

TSN.ca

The Sports Network launched their website TSN.ca on October 1, 1995.

International distribution

• Jamaica – distributed on Flow Cable systems.
• Bahamas – distributed on Cable Bahamas systems.

References

12.AFL and ESPN(TSN)in U.S./Canada TV Rights Deal.

13.TV coverage returns to TSN and ESPN. [1]

External links

• TSN
• TSN HD