TSN takes pride in its CFL product
TSN has about 40 million reasons to embrace its role in the heightened
profile of the CFL.
The league signed a fiveyear contract extension last spring which
officially kicks in this season, securing TSN as its exclusive television
partner through 2018.
The landmark deal, valued at approximately $40 million per season, has
been called a game changer for the budget conscious CFL - tangible affirmation
of its increased value within the Canadian sports landscape.
The new contract is believed to be worth almost three times more than
the previous deal, an investment which means that TSN's commitment to the CFL
is stronger than ever.
That said, it doesn't mean the network is planning to stray from its
tried-and-true
formula.
As the old saying goes, if it ain't broke, don't fix.
"We don't feel pressure to up our game," said Mark Milliere,
TSN's senior vicepresident of production. "We're very proud of the work
we've done on it. More than anything you feel that extra sense of ownership.
It's Year 1 of an exclusive arrangement and you want to keep building on all
the momentum you put behind it and keep growing it. That's not pressure, it's
more excitement."
TSN and the CFL entered into their first exclusive television agreement
in 2008, ending the league's 55-year relationship with CBC.
The move was followed by a steady ratings upswing - in conjunction with
a period of unprecedented growth for the league - which validated the network's
faith in the product, not to mention its investment.
"It's a huge source of pride," offered Milliere, TSN's second
in command. "Everyone at TSN feels they've had a hand in that. The CFL is
a great product. To see where the momentum is at, where it's building, to see
the new stadiums coming on board, to see the job that (commissioner) Mark
(Cohon) and his team have done in terms of building the league and working
together with them, it's very rewarding."
Although the CFL's lucrative deal with TSN was regarded as being good
for the league, it also provided some ammunition for the players heading into
negotiations this spring for a new collective bargaining agreement. After
several weeks of posturing and on-again, offagain talks, the sides came to an
agreement in the midst of training camps, ending the threat of a strike and
ensuring the season would begin as scheduled.
"You look at it and go, 'That's just the byproduct of a successful
league,' " noted Milliere. "When a league starts getting that
momentum and that success, everyone wants their slice. It's just like other
leagues. They all go through it. There's obviously angst that goes with that
when you're the broadcaster, hoping it all gets resolved. You don't want to
break stride. Thankfully they got it resolved."
TSN was recently involved in a strenuous negotiation of its own when the
network was outbid by rival Sportsnet for the national rights to NHL hockey.
Despite that setback, Milliere said the network is going full steam
ahead with its remaining stable of sports properties, including the CFL.
"We still have a ton of hockey to produce," he said.
"I'll produce as many hockey games or more this regular season than I did
last year (due in part to the acquisition of regional broadcasts). The NHL is
still a huge part of TSN.
"The CFL has always been a priority for us because of its exclusive
arrangement. That is unique, like our Hockey Canada arrangement. I don't know
if anything changes. We feel a tremendous amount of ownership - a tremendous
amount of pride - in terms of the growth of the league. We just want to keep
going with that momentum."
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