CFL Broadcast Rights in the USA

[OhioMediaWatch]

Broadcast affiliates of NFL media partners would obviously be out, but that still leaves stations using The CW, MyNetworkTV, ThisTV, and programming services relegated to terrestrial subchannels.

Of course, The CW (CBS) and MyNetwork TV (Fox) are linked to NFL partner networks, though I suppose that would not affect non-O&O affiliates.

I like the idea, but don't suspect it has a lot of traction. The last time the CFL was OTA in the states, it was on America One...a network of mostly anemic LPTVers. (Though it did get full-power carriage as a subchannel of one of the Toledo network affiliates, I believe NBC affiliate WNWO/24.)

 

[FreddyE1977]

ahh, yes....I remember carefully stringing together the coat hangers in order to catch
games on WBGN in Pittsburgh.

 

[Nate Wesley]

I like the idea, but don't suspect it has a lot of traction. The last time the CFL was OTA in the states, it was on America One...a network of mostly anemic LPTVers. (Though it did get full-power carriage as a subchannel of one of the Toledo network affiliates, I believe NBC affiliate WNWO/24.)

A predominantly LPTV footprint in a cable/satellite world would be the reason it didn't get much traction, right?

As for a national deal, there are more and better outlets than America One that the CFL could partner with in the U.S. A game of the week could be a part of the national feeds of ThisTV, MeTV, and the like. And several of these netlet channels are getting added to digital basic cable tiers--I've got those aformentioned two, along with TheCoolTV and The Country Network here in South Alabama. You could catch viewers keeping or dropping cable.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

ahh, yes....I remember carefully stringing together the coat hangers in order to catch
games on WBGN in Pittsburgh.

And here as well, on either WAOH-LP/29 Akron or simulcaster W35AX/35 Cleveland, "The Cat!".

They're now the RTV affiliates for the northern part of the market.

 

[Wright County Guy]

NFL Network must think there will be at least a casual audience on a Saturday, since yesterday afternoon featured Montreal at Winnepeg.

While surfing between college football blowouts, I stopped and caught the end of a very entertaining game! I'm glad to see some games on US TV.

 

[FreddyE1977]

For the Conference Finals last Sunday the coverage shifted back to America One (??)
I was able to watch them on the Altitude network on my sports package.

I liked it better when this was the arrangement for the entire season.
I could catch more games on various RSN's, including replays throughout the week.

Winnipeg and BC meet for the Grey Cup this weekend. The game from Winnipeg was fun to watch.
If I did the conversion right the temperature was 12 degrees Farenheit. The sidelines were lined
with frost and players would be sliding out of bounds on their own momentum. A punter would exhale,
his breath would immediately turn to frost and head back in a straight line directly behind his helmet.
Then he'd have to punt into that wind.

Now THAT'S football!

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

For the Conference Finals last Sunday the coverage shifted back to America One (??)

So, that would explain why the game was on former A1 primary affiliate WAOH-LP 29/W35AX here in Northeast Ohio (now running RTV as primary) on Sunday.

I can't get 29/35 regularly here at the OMW World Headquarters(tm), but saw it on part of the TWC system that does carry that station.

It would also point out that WAOH/W35AX keep around A1 as a secondary network.

I'll be back on that system on Sunday, but not by the time the Grey Cup starts (6 PM ET). Maybe I'll do the official 29/35 viewing position at home...