TSN announces CFL 2010 broadcast details

June 10, 2010
CFL.ca Staff

Toronto — Pass the pigskin, Canada! It’s time to get back on the gridiron, and TSN is there – on site and in full force across the country – to deliver every single touchdown pass, field goal and end zone celebration with its prestigious and all-encompassing CFL ON TSN broadcast campaign.

TSN’s complete 77-game package is part of its exclusive multi-year deal with the CFL, and includes the playoffs and the season’s marquee event: the 98th GREY CUP from Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. All regular and post-season match-ups air in High Definition, and games are also available on demand at TSN.ca. In addition, fans can enjoy WENDY’S FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL games live on TSN.ca, and encore presentations of most games on TSN2.

Along with every game, CFL fans are well-served this season with the return of the weekly staple, WENDY’S FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL, plus the CFL ON TSN PREVIEW SHOW, the GREY CUP PLAYOFFS and GREY CUP SATURDAY, plus numerous features and special programming putting the spotlight on the CFL. SPORTSCENTRE also has daily CFL coverage throughout the season with news, highlights and interviews, plus the CFL ON TSN panel providing analysis and handing out game balls to the league’s standout players each week.

TSN kicks off regular season coverage of Canada’s league on Canada Day (July 1) with an opening night doubleheader featuring Montreal @ Saskatchewan at 7 p.m. ET in a rematch of last year’s GREY CUP final, immediately followed by Toronto @ Calgary at 10 p.m. ET (click here for the 2010 schedule). Also starting the season in Regina is the CFL ON TSN studio panel, as host Dave Randorf and analysts Chris Schultz, Matt Dunigan and Jock Climie are live, on location at Mosaic Stadium.

TSN set new ratings benchmarks throughout the 2009 CFL season, with regular and post-season games delivering record audiences. TSN saw its overall regular season audience increase by 51%, with five games attracting audiences of one million viewers or more. The Eastern and Western Semifinals and Finals also drew impressive audiences, with the Western Final featuring Calgary @ Saskatchewan delivering 2 million viewers on TSN – the most ever for a CFL playoff game on the network. In addition, a record 6.1 million viewers watched the 2009 GREY CUP on TSN and RDS, making the thrilling game the most-watched CFL championship final ever.*

TSN has been televising CFL games since 1986.

BROADCAST SCHEDULE

Once again, TSN will televise every regular season game (72), plus the four divisional playoff match-ups and the GREY CUP, making TSN the host of all 77 CFL games each year through the 2012 season. All games are available in High Definition on TSN HD, and games are also available on demand at TSN.ca.

WENDY’S FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL returns for a 14th season and continues to be the marquee night of the week for the CFL ON TSN, with a minimum of one game every Friday night throughout the regular season. All WENDY’S FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL games are also available live on TSN.ca.

Highlights of the game/broadcast schedule include Scotiabank Touchdown Atlantic, featuring the CFL’s first-ever regular season game in Atlantic Canada with the Edmonton Eskimos taking on the Toronto Argonauts at Stade Moncton Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 26 in Moncton, NB. TSN also goes back in time with the CFL’s Retro Week games, and features the league’s traditional match-ups during Scotiabank Labour Day Weekend and the four Thanksgiving Weekend games. In addition, the GREY CUP PLAYOFFS remain on Sunday, with the Eastern and Western Semifinals on November 14, and Eastern and Western Finals on November 21 (see “2010 CFL ON TSN Broadcast Schedule” below).

BROADCAST TEAM

The CFL ON TSN returns with its award-winning, veteran broadcast team delivering all the action to Canadian football fans each week.

Chris Cuthbert returns as the primary voice of TSN’s CFL coverage alongside Glen Suitor, TSN’s long-time game analyst. Together, Cuthbert and Suitor won a Gemini Award for Best Sports Play-by-Play or Analyst for their work on the CFL ON TSN broadcasts. TSN’s Rod Black and Duane Forde are also back in the broadcast booth, providing fans with play-by-play and game analysis, respectively.

Brian Williams returns with in-depth features and reports with key newsmakers from around the league, while Dave Naylor is back covering the league’s hot-button issues as TSN’s CFL Insider.

Also returning is the popular CFL ON TSN panel, with host Dave Randorf alongside the always informative – and very entertaining – analysts Chris Schultz, Hall-of-Famer Matt Dunigan, and Jock Climie. Former Winnipeg Blue Bombers all-star and the CFL’s all-time leading receiver Milt Stegall also returns to the CFL ON TSN panel as a guest analyst.

CFL ON TSN PREVIEW SHOW

Leading up to the season opener, TSN will produce and televise a two-hour CFL ON TSN PREVIEW SHOW on Wednesday, June 30 at 7 p.m. ET. Hosted by Dave Randorf, the hard-hitting program includes in-depth analysis of all eight CFL teams by the CFL ON TSN panel, additional insight from guest analyst Milt Stegall, and predictions from the CFL ON TSN broadcast team.

The CFL ON TSN PREVIEW SHOW also takes a look at the Toronto Argonauts’ open competition for the team’s next starting quarterback, and the Saskatchewan Roughriders’ comeback following last year’s heartbreaking GREY CUP loss. In addition, analyst Glen Suitor sits down with new Winnipeg Blue Bombers head coach Paul Lapolice, while analyst and TSN draft expert Duane Forde takes a look at which players from the 2010 CFL CANADIAN DRAFT are ready to make an immediate impact on their teams this season. Analyst Matt Dunigan also moderates analyst Jock Climie and CFL Insider Dave Naylor in Three Downs with Dunigan, as they debate the hottest issues around the league.