July has arrived and your football withdrawals are making you climb walls. Watching repeats of old games on NFL Network just doesn't cut it. Arena league games are unsatisfying if you demand some defense with your offense. Preseason NFL is around the corner but is virtually unwatchable, except maybe for the third game when most of the critical roster cuts are decided.
The only summertime football that comes close to scratching the itch is played in the Canadian Football League. Traditionalists may scoff at the notion that the pigskin from north of the border is worth the time, but the CFL in recent years has been increasingly active in procuring quality players and coaches from the U.S. collegiate and professional ranks, producing a faster-paced and more exciting brand of football. Additionally, the league has settled on eight teams, thus deepening its overall talent pool.
In recent years, U.S. audiences were able to watch CFL telecasts from the CBC and TSN on regional sports networks such as the Comcast SportsNet affiliates carried on local cable systems and national satellite platforms. Not so anymore.
With no major cable/satellite deals this year in the U.S., transplanted Canucks and die-hard American fans are left with a less-than-satisfying menu of viewing alternatives comprised of obscure digital television outlets and online streaming.
The most viable option for accessing live CFL games is ESPN360.com, which is importing two or three telecasts a week from TSN, now the exclusive network of league games in Canada. On the TV side, unless you're one of the relative few with access to an affiliate of digital network America One—currently unavailable on DirecTV and Dish Network—or market laggard Voom HD Networks, you're out of luck.
It seems somewhat unbelievable in this multichannel universe that the CFL is unable to secure a U.S. TV deal with some distribution heft, but that's the case. The U.S. cablers that were showing CFL games used to claim the games were popular with viewers. Even ESPN made a decent business out of the CFL back in the days when its programming resources were thinner.
The CFL is certainly worth watching but for now it's basically broadband or bust.
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3 months ago
That was really well said Howard. Lets hope certain sets of ears are aroused. Ahem... Mark Cohon!!! It's atrocious that he's so far off the ball in the U.S.A., a place where he's done plenty of business.
3 months ago
Your article makes me glad to live in Canada, 'cause I saw a hell of a double-header last night!
...I'm sorry. I hope the CFL finds a way to reach Americans soon, because it's a terrific product.
3 months ago
Hey, guys, thanks for the comments. I had to watch the Hamilton-Toronto via broadband last night and it was worth it just to watch Jesse Lumsden. That guy could play in the NFL! Next thing you know the Buffalo Bills will be moving to Toronto and the Argos will be in trouble. I think it behooves the CFL to protect its turf any way it can before it's too late. Thanks again for the comments.
3 months ago
Great comments Howard! This is exactly how I'm feeling and thinking!! I want to watch some CFL action and I'm completely bewildered how these games are not readily available when there's a ton of cable/satellite channels desperate for programming.
I do live in an area with an America One affiliate, but so far they have yet to air a single game through Week #2. I've pestered the station and was told that "prior programming commitments prohibit carrying certain games." So far those "commitments" include paid programming, "I Dream of Jeanie," "The Facts of Life," "Starsky & Hutch," and other stellar shows. They're claiming that next Saturday's Riders vs. Ti-Cats game will be on so I'm keeping my fingers crossed....
What an unnecessary, unbelievable mess.
~Phil
2 months ago
Phil
Whats the affiliate that will be showing some CFL games. I noticed there are 5 or 6 stations such as KSTC tv out of Minneapolis that are supposedly AO affiliates, also says they are available on Dish?
Scroll down about halfway and it says on the right that some are on Dish and Direct tv? It may be that with a FTA sat receiver a person might be able to get one of those stations??
from 2 months ago
Hi Joe:
Great idea! Thanks very much for the FTA satellite suggestion!! One question: when you write "scroll down about halfway and it says on the right that some are on Dish and Direct tv," which page (URL?) are you referring to?
Thanks again,
~Phil
2 months ago
These stations are supposedly America One affilliates and could probably be received with a FTA SAT RECEIVER
119 14 Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN MN KSTC-TV 45 1,700,000 1,200,000 Dish & DirecTV
123 30 Nashville, TN Lebanon, TN TN WJFB 66 712,219 250,000 Dish Network
124 36 Salt Lake City St. George UT KCSG 4 77,000 45,000 Dish Network
125 45 Oklahoma City, OK Oklahoma City OK KSBI 52 1,200,000 600,000 Dish & DirecTV
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