That's the answer I was looking for, I didn't know if RDS showed just the Als, all the games like TSN, or what. So most of the CFL games would have an additional x number of people watching on RDS. I wasn't asking if they get special treatment just how many CFL games air on RDS.

The next question is how many people watch teams other than the Als on RDS, that could be a fairly significant number, 20k, more? And would Ottawa be above the average of the other teams (excluding the Als) That would explain a lot.

Edit: Just seeing the previous posts, my personal anecdote is that I used to go out with a French girl who later moved to Ottawa, she watched French TV exclusively. She was watching French soaps etc rather than let's say Friends which was popular among her per group at the time. Just my observation of one person, but my French was pretty good when I was with her and I would never watch French TV so I would wonder why someone would watch TSN over RDS. I know people do but I am sure a significant number (if they were interested in CFL) would watching something more geared to them.

Interesting to note, the resurgent popularity of OTA (Over the Air) TV. There was some conversation in this thread almost two years ago (Sept 2020) and the number of people using an antenna to access their TV has risen from around 13/14% to upwards of 30/33% in the US.

With the advent of ATSC 3.0 and much better selection and reception, this may help spur on those numbers.

Some US markets offer over 40 channels OTA (traditional networks and now numerous subchannels such as Decades, Laff, MeTV, Buzzr etc)

Many Canadian areas with a decent antenna are able to pick those up. I just watched an interview where a guy in Kingston (Robbie Strike, below) was receiving 40 US channels.

This is real cord cutting and I am curious how many guys here would be in areas to do this. Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver all could likely get these kind of results. Have to say I am jealous of you guys for that, because it's a fun hobby (cord cutting) and I access most of my channels another way (legally) via streaming.

Remember the antenna signal is not compressed, it is better than what you are getting on cable and there is no such thing as an HD antenna. An old antenna from the 50s would do the same job.

Further information
Interview with the Antenna Man ! His origin story, choosing the best antennas and more
Robbie Strike and Antenna Man Interview

Here in Halifax I pick up CBC, CTV and Global crystal clear off the air using a plug-in digital antenna I picked up at Princess Auto for about $15.00. These three channels for local news programing along with Netflix and Crave streaming, there's no need for cable. I cut the cord more than 5 years ago and don't miss it at all.

Yeah, that's the problem with not living close enough to the border, that's all you're going to get, unfortunately. But if you can get local news and weather and supplement that with content you want, that's all you need.

When I was a kid there was CBC, CTV and Radio Canada (no Global) in my area. It was amazing what they could jam on those two English channels. I can't think of too much great or popular American content that wasn't on either of those two channels at that time.

There are some really good free services available: Tubi, Pluto TV, CBC GEM, Samsung TV Plus, Amazon Freevee, Distro TV and Xumo. You'd be surprised at the quality of some of the channels.

CBC will be launching a new streaming channel this fall. Last October Sportsnet launched SN NOW Free, available 24/7 at no charge, beginning Oct. 12 with select live events every week. SN NOW Free also includes next day replays, VOD, and original content such as Plays of The Month, Gotta See it, NHL’s Best, and Kes’ House. Don't get your hopes up about Rogers giving away something decent (but hey it's free content)

Remember, you don't need a special HD or digital antenna that some makers might advertise (there's no such thing) If you live close enough to a transmitter a paper clip would work for you but don't try that (safety issues)

I could pick up Spokane Washington tv channels pretty easily.

This station has an interesting relationship with Canada. KVOS-TV, is a Heroes & Icons owned-and-operated television station licensed to Bellingham, Washington, United States. It is part of a duopoly with Seattle-licensed MeTV owned-and-operated station KFFV, channel 44 (which KVOS simulcasts on its third digital subchannel). While KVOS-TV is nominally part of the Seattle–Tacoma market, it can be characterized as a border blaster, as it primarily serves an audience in southwestern British Columbia, Canada, including Vancouver and Victoria.

This station has six very good subchannels:

https://i.imgur.com/tlUS7NO.png

This is just an example of what might be out there free for the taking (save the small cost of an antenna) if you are in the right location.

I will say, if someone just wants local news, I'm fairly sure that some of the network apps (Global, CTV, etc.) carry those shows on demand. So with an internet connection you could probably get by on pure streaming, although I guess there is something to be said for the sheer simplicity of turning a television set on.

Which is one of the reasons Onesoccer is trying to get on Rogers Cable

Going from memory as the article is now behind a paywall, Onesoccer recognizes that most customers want most of their services available in one place and don't want to be using a bunch of individual services in different places.

I read somewhere where the modern generation doesn't want to know about anything before 2005 so they find the concept of OTA TV almost like a scam for those who even know about it, while most don't know its existence and history.

Cf montreal sold out their game yesterday against New England 19619 fans. That's 40000 combined between the Alouettes and CF montreal games on the same day.

Putting a challenge out there to anyone who can figure out where this is and what these con men (Rogers) have done or are trying to do.

Here's some clues

Are there any events to watch for free on SN NOW?

Yes.

Sportsnet NOW has a 24/7 free channel that is available to stream.

The channel includes select free games from around the world of sports, including hockey, tennis, curling, Sportsnet original programming and more.

To get started, proceed to the webplayer page and click on the tile titled, SN NOW FREE.

For a full schedule of the free channel, click here.
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You have to create what they call a Rogers Media Profile with them first but unfortunately they don't make it very easy to find.

You do it through this link

All of the other links on their website send you through an endless loop of picking one of the paid plans.

Even after you do it this way even though it creates an account it still tries to push you to buy a subscription and nothing on their FAQ talks about the free plan.

It's like they released the press release saying you could have a free account but no one told the website developers and if they do have UX team no one has checked.

Once you create an account via the website you'll be able to log into the app. We were and were able to watch some of the free streams.

You won't get any kind of email or confirmation though. The whole thing is very badly implemented.
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Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find this free channel stream (without using any of your Rogers cable account info or Sportsnet logins) after all it is supposed to be free

You get a limited amount of podcasts and highlights. It's such a limited offer that you're better off following Sportsnet on YouTube.

I knew, it being Rogers, there would be crap content like you stated but that's not really how they were selling it. They said "The channel includes select free games from around the world of sports, including hockey, tennis, curling, Sportsnet original programming and more." Now knowing how scummy Rogers is I figured that would be day old games which would be better than nothing.

But instead they direct you to an entry tile (click on the tile titled, SN NOW FREE) that doesn't exist (or hasn't been found yet) and a schedule that doesn't work. If by tile they mean one of the many tiles on the site with clips/games etc then that isn't any type of free channel stream which might also explain why the schedule doesn't work

As a cordcutter, it still interested me, so I had nothing better to do today and got hold of their help line. Had an agent looking at it, she elevated to a higher tier who told me SN Now isn't free. Then I told him I knew that and directed him to the Rogers propaganda announcing the SN Now Free service, he said he would direct me to customer care, where (of course) I was cut off.

Announcing this probably had something to do with the license, I think I am going to keep pursuing it, for a laugh. :)

It's interesting to do this sort of mental exercise when a number of teams play simultaneously in downtown Toronto. I think there was a Jays/TFC back-to-back combining for close to 80K last week or the week before. There have been days where there's been something at Scotiabank, SkyDome, and BMO on the same day IIRC.

If not for the recent Rogers outage, there would have been concerts at Rogers Centre, Scotiabank and Budweiser Stage that night.

Yep. Downtown is back to being pre-Covid busy once again.

All of this sounds 100% on brand for Rogers.

To add to the saga, I emailed their Share a Concern" complaint department, they did get back to me passing the buck to the "Escalations Team/Management Office which is best equipped to address your concern"

I think the Escalations Team was the second place i was sent to. And of course the email account that sent me the email was outgoing only. They really are greasy bastards, aren't they? :)

^ Not exactly shocking. They either want you to spend money or scram. I guess every business is like that for the most part, but few are so nakedly obvious about it as Rogers... I mean, drug dealers and the mafia are on the same page I guess, so there's that :haha:

I pointed it out Moreso as the first glimmer of hope that cf montreal and the alouettes are finally climbing out of their recent attendance struggles that past few years