Footie Canada Blog

If you’re excited about the continued progress of our Canadian Men’s National team under Steven Hart, forget about watching them on television when they play this weekend’s friendly against Macedonia or on November 18 v. Poland.

Pompey Canuck posted on the 24th Minute Blog that Sportsnet has the rights to these matches.  Does Sportsnet actually plan to air the matches on one of their four networks- no.  Duane Rollins reported on the same blog that GolTV tried unsuccessfully to get the rights to air these matches.

What is wrong with Sportsnet and the CSA?  First, the CSA should be doing everything in it’s power to make sure when selling the rights to broadcast Canada’s matches, that they are actually broadcast.  I’m not a TV network sportcasting lawyer, but a bit of common sense would indicate that the CSA TV rights contract should state that if Sportsnet will not air a match they have rights to, they must surrender the rights to that particular match to whichever other network or webhost makes the best offer. If no offers, the CSA should have the right to air the webcast on its website. 

The CSA goal is to promote the game in Canada.  How is this accomplished when our men’s team has NO visibility.  There are hundreds of thousands of children playing soccer in Canada.  It would be nice for some of them to be able to turn on the TV and find a role model wearing a Canadian soccer jersey.  Maybe then they would aspire to playing for our team, as opposed to Bosnia, Holland or England for example.  The Bosnian Men’s national team game tomorrow will actually be available for Canadian viewers to watch.  Granted it’s a big match, but this is Canada.  You would think on Canadian television you would be able to watch Canada before Bosnia.

If you want to complain about this situation and make an effort to get more exposure for the CMNT you can complain here:

Sportsnet:

http://www.sportsnet.ca/contact/

Rogers Sportsnet
One Mount Pleasant Rd.
Toronto, ON
Canada
M4Y 3A1

Phone: 1-888-451-6363

And the CSA:

Richard Scott
rscott@soccercan.ca