johnnybluenose
Well-Known Member
found this belter of a comment on Ryan Johnston's blog on soccer at Sportsnet.
Hits the nail sqaurely on the head imho...
We get the Blue Jays rammed down our throats because the scrotum that owns Rogers Sportsnet owns the Jays, and he is the rights holder for the CSA.
If you aren't going to show the game, sell the sub-lease on the rights to someone who could (GOL tv, FSW, etc)
This nonsense of it needing to be available on basic cable is just that, nonsense, all of us proper Soccer fans have digital cable boxes or satellite to watch the Bundesliga, EPL, SPL, La Liga, Serie A etc..
link: No lack of mettle here - Sportsnet.caComments
I apologize if this is slightly off topic but I think this needs to posted where Canadian soccer fans can publicly discuss a major problem concerning the national team.
I find it pathetic that Canadians won't be able to watch their own national team on live television when it begins the next round of World Cup qualifying. I can understand if Sportsnet Ontario elected to show the Blue Jay game but why do Canadians in other regions have to be deprived of watching their team at the expense of one of 162 Toronto games this season? The NATIONAL soccer team is surely much more national in importance than the TORONTO Blue Jays. What is the point of having multiple Sportsnet channels if not for a situation like this? This game didn't come out of nowhere. We knew years ago that Canada would be playing qualifying games in August/September of 2008.
Many are quick to point the finger at the CSA for its failure to take advantage of the recent rise in popularity of soccer in this country and significantly improve the national program. The media, however, have thrown their share of obstacles into the way of continued growth, most notably CBC and Sportsnet. People read articles on Sportsnet and CBC's own websites about the importance of certain landmark games (e.g. Canada's friendly v. Brazil, Montreal Impact v. Toronto FC, Canada v. St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Canada v. Jamaica, etc). By not broadcasting any of these games live, Sportsnet and CBC are sending a message to fans that in essence says, "Forget what we wrote on our website and said on TV. Those games aren't really that important." Who are we to believe? I for one will side with Gerry Dobson, Craig Forrest, Ryan Johnston and their soccer colleagues, whom I respect much more than whoever makes the broadcasting decisions.
In order for soccer to really hit the mainstream in Canada it is true that the CSA must get its act together. But so does Sportsnet. It was in position to be the home of soccer on Canadian television when it picked up the sport that nobody wanted to broadcast 10 years ago. I thought it was instrumental in popularizing a sport Canadians didn't know much about. There has been a surge in enthusiasm on the part of soccer fans but the CSA and the media have been remarkably slow in picking up on it. Now the network seems to be blowing each opportunity to solidify its position as a soccer leader, just as it's failing to take advantage of opportunities to bring the sport to the next level.
I'm eagerly awaiting big clashes against Mexico this fall and possibly a historic World Cup qualifying clinching match next year. But I'm already cringing at the prospect of finding out that I'll have to watch those games on tape delay because Sportsnet has a commitment to broadcasting poker.
Hits the nail sqaurely on the head imho...
We get the Blue Jays rammed down our throats because the scrotum that owns Rogers Sportsnet owns the Jays, and he is the rights holder for the CSA.
If you aren't going to show the game, sell the sub-lease on the rights to someone who could (GOL tv, FSW, etc)
This nonsense of it needing to be available on basic cable is just that, nonsense, all of us proper Soccer fans have digital cable boxes or satellite to watch the Bundesliga, EPL, SPL, La Liga, Serie A etc..