Sports in Canadian culture - Page 144

esquire · #**2861** Posted **Nov 30, 2014, 4:03 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by elly63

The same with NFL football. TSN knows it has a successful property on their own network (CFL) so they (Bell) build strategies to popularize the NFL on the main (non cable) network. That's business, but unfortunately the wider the exposure for the NFL the more it takes away from the CFL and that's wrong.

NFL games on CTV is probably not an attempt to get more exposure for the NFL, which frankly doesn't really need the help. It's more likely a reflection of the reality of how Canadian broadcasting industry is regulated.

Here's the wikipedia overview: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simultaneous_substitution

But that said, I really doubt that having the CFL on TSN costs much in the way of lost viewership given that TSN is included in most basic cable packages. I'm going to go out on a limb and speculate that generally speaking, people without any sort of cable/satellite TV service probably aren't going to be all that interested in sports on TV to begin with.

Acajack · #**2862** Posted **Nov 30, 2014, 4:06 AM**

Did anyone see Byron Archambault from the Carabins drop an f-bomb in the post-game interview on Sportsnet?

YoungRepublic · #**2863** Posted **Nov 30, 2014, 4:15 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prometheus

Excellent. Therefore, you also maintain that the NFL lacks popularity in Southern Ontario, since the CFL's ratings in this region are equal to or greater than the NFL's.

That source is from last year and the ratings this year have been down across the league.

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh...202327416.html

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh...195853633.html

Not to mention the CFL has so few teams and games compared to the NFL, which means that team allegiances are spread across 4 times as many teams.

Also, this poll suggests that the NFL is more popular in Ontario than the CFL, with the younger generation of Canadians preferring the NFL.
http://angusreid.org/one-quarter-can...val/#more52789

I'm not saying that's a good thing and I'm not trying to trample on the CFL. It's obviously hugely popular in Canada, only second to the NHL. I think there is a generational divide however. I think the CFL has to do a better job of growing their fan base by attracting younger fans and new Canadians. Again, I'm not even a football fan (neither CFL nor NFL). I want the CFL to succeed because of it's history. I'm just playing devil's advocate and the topic of discussion seems to be about the CFL's popularity.

In the same poll I linked, the NHL is more popular than the CFL in Alberta but Alberta's CFL teams have for the most part it seems (correct me if I'm wrong) dwarfed their NHL counterparts in terms of nation TV ratings. Many Oilers and Flames games so far this season have hovered around the 100,000 and 200,000 mark in viewership. No such numbers for Eskimos or Stampeders games. So what does that poll tell us and what do national TV ratings tell us in terms of popularity?

Acajack · #**2864** Posted **Nov 30, 2014, 4:22 AM**

Still trying to figure where those TV viewers that give the CFL reasonably decent ratings in Ontario are. If they are not in the GTA and are not outside the GTA, then where are they folks?

elly63 · #**2865** Posted **Nov 30, 2014, 4:23 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

NFL games on CTV is probably not an attempt to get more exposure for the NFL, which frankly doesn't really need the help. It's more likely a reflection of the reality of how Canadian broadcasting industry is regulated.

But that said, I really doubt that having the CFL on TSN costs much in the way of lost viewership given that TSN is included in most basic cable packages. I'm going to go out on a limb and speculate that generally speaking, people without any sort of cable/satellite TV service probably aren't going to be all that interested in sports on TV to begin with.

No, I'm not saying that it's an exposure thing for the NFL its a programming strategy. You're right they don't need it but the greater exposure is certainly adding to it.

Have to disagree a bit with the last paragraph in a way. I don't have it at my fingertips but the amount of CTV homes is much larger than the amount of homes with TSN.

While TSN may be available, not everybody has it and that includes me. A growing segment of the TV viewing audience is cutting the cable cord. For instance just this week I was able to secure a cable subscription account and am now able to log into TSN channels 1-5 live streaming. TSN finally made that available to our local cable outlets.

I am able to easily watch CTV over the air (OTA) in HD. Sports are one of the easiest things to find on the Internet without cable. As a follower of the CMNT even some of the most obscure unimportant friendlies are available. If it is being broadcast you can usually find it.

The hipster doofii say they don't watch TV but they are, just in a different way. And if they're not, or only watching Internet, why are all these f'ing awful shows on network TV catering to them.

elly63 · #**2866** Posted **Nov 30, 2014, 4:26 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

Still trying to figure where those TV viewers that give the CFL reasonably decent ratings in Ontario are. If they are not in the GTA and are not outside the GTA, then where are they folks?

We know they're not in Stratford. The Shakespearean finals are on Sunday, nobody will be watching the Grey Cup

And you being from Ontario. Treacherous knave!

Acajack · #**2867** Posted **Nov 30, 2014, 4:28 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by elly63

We know they're not in Stratford. The Shakespearean finals are on Sunday, nobody will be watching the Grey Cup

And you being from Ontario. Treacherous knave!

Well, I haven't lived in Ontario for quite some time. But when I did some people there did find me annoying!

YoungRepublic · #**2868** Posted **Nov 30, 2014, 4:30 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by elly63

There's a great interview with Carleton basketball coach Dave Smart posted in this thread. This is the guy whose basketball program is as good as teams in the MM. He basically says that US programs are bigger than they should be and Canadian programs are smaller than they should be. It is not incumbent on the universities to invest money in sports, they are in the education business and I think the majority of Canadians support that.

But it is criminal what our big two sports broadcasters are doing. They could invest (time, effort, money) in these CIS programs as TSN did with the CFL and over time achieve results. There isn't a large audience in this country clamouring for NCAA sports, so what is their motive in airing it.

Well said. I agree. It's cheaper to air ESPN/ABC produced NCAA then it is do produce your own CIS programming. TSN and Sportsnet have the tools to properly invest in the CIS and turn it into something much bigger than it is today. Look at the World Juniors. It's hugely popular because of TSN's hype machine and investment. It's like a national cultural event/phenomena in Canada now.

BretttheRiderFan · #**2869** Posted **Nov 30, 2014, 4:36 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

I suppose. Like drinking Coca-Cola is part of the culture in Italy, or smoking Marlboro cigarettes is part of the culture in many developing countries.

I guess.

What do you mean you guess?

elly63 · #**2870** Posted **Nov 30, 2014, 4:37 AM**

YoungRepublic, this has not been a good year for the CFL generally speaking, even though it hasn't really lost ground, I would be alarmed if it recurred next year. The play on the field was defensive and the talent pool lessened because of expansion, I see those two problems correcting themselves. If the Toronto situation has not been finalized by the start of the new season, there's going to be big problems for the new commissioner.

Having said that the new facilities in Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Hamilton are going gangbusters as will the jewel in the crown Regina when it is completed.

This isn't the CFL of the 80s and 90s with arguing, self interested owners looking at their own bottom line. Watch the commissioner's state of the league and see how tuned in they are to new media and attracting new/younger fans. Their focus this year was on other things but aside from fixing Toronto the new commish can now look down the road at these new strategies.

Acajack · #**2871** Posted **Nov 30, 2014, 4:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BretttheRiderFan

What do you mean you guess?

I was being sarcastic. I don't think consuming parts of another country's culture makes that stuff automatically part of your country's culture.

Brits eating spaghetti doesn't make spaghetti British cuisine.

elly63 · #**2872** Posted **Nov 30, 2014, 4:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by YoungRepublic

Look at the World Juniors. It's hugely popular because of TSN's hype machine and investment. It's like a national cultural event/phenomena in Canada now.

Just like the CFL all it needed was a little TLC. I don't want to see that being given to American enterprises.

elly63 · #**2873** Posted **Nov 30, 2014, 4:40 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

Well, I haven't lived in Ontario for quite some time. But when I did some people there did find me annoying!

I thought you were from Ottawa?

Acajack · #**2874** Posted **Nov 30, 2014, 4:41 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by elly63

I thought you were from Ottawa?

I live in Gatineau, Québec. It's kinda like living in Ottawa, kinda not. It's not really like living in Ontario anyway.

BretttheRiderFan · #**2875** Posted **Nov 30, 2014, 4:43 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by kirjtc2

Why not? Can't speak for the rest of the country, but the tradition of Maritimers rooting for the Red Sox dates back long before anyone even considered putting teams in Canada.

I remember a couple years ago the Sox beat the Jays 15-1 and the only run SportsCentre showed was the 1. That's just insulting. And don't get me started on how TSN pre-empted multiple NHL playoff games last year so they can shove their beloved Raptors down our throat. The same Raptors whose national TV ratings are on par with offseason curling. (https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/eh...195853633.html)

Having channels from Toronto telling people over 1000 miles away they should root for Toronto teams under some sort of misplaced guise of patriotism just smacks of social engineering to me. It's not like the Blue Jays are full of Canadian players. And I don't seem to remember the Expos or Grizzlies getting 1/4 the love from TSN or Sportsnet before they moved.

Ever heard of the Heidi game? Look it up.

If your network is broadcasting a sporting event and it goes late , you keep it on and put the hockey on tsn2 until basketball is done. No social engineering, give me a break.

BretttheRiderFan · #**2876** Posted **Nov 30, 2014, 4:45 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

I was being sarcastic. I don't think consuming parts of another country's culture makes that stuff automatically part of your country's culture.

Brits eating spaghetti doesn't make spaghetti British cuisine.

Watching American sports doesn't make them Canadian, but that doesn't mean it's not a part of our sporting culture.

Spaghetti isn't British, but it is a part of British food culture just like pizza and burgers and curry.

BretttheRiderFan · #**2877** Posted **Nov 30, 2014, 4:46 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blitz

Nobody (and I mean nobody) in southern Ontario west of London cares about the CFL. The NFL is a totally different story though. Even NCAA football (Univ of Michigan) is more popular than the CFL.

Really? Nobody? I'll have to tell my friends in Windsor to cut it out then.

Acajack · #**2878** Posted **Nov 30, 2014, 4:50 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BretttheRiderFan

Watching American sports doesn't make them Canadian, but that doesn't mean it's not a part of our sporting culture.

Spaghetti isn't British, but it is a part of British food culture just like pizza and burgers and curry.

I guess I have a more ownership and originality related view of culture.

BretttheRiderFan · #**2879** Posted **Nov 30, 2014, 4:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rousseau

I'm a massive Raptors fan, but I'm sympathetic to this frustration. It's gotta be annoying being told by the mothership that you now have to cheer for this new team that they've decided should be everyone's team.

The whole "representing not just a city, or a state, but a whole country" thing makes me cringe. I keep seeing video clips of various Raptors players and associated media personalities blathering on and on about how the Raptors are "Canada's team," that it's an honour to be playing for "the whole country." I can't help thinking that I'd want to punch my TV set if I lived in Saskatchewan and heard that, especially if I hated basketball and/or was a fan of another NBA team.
Having said all that: from what I understand, there really is a minor subset of kids throughout Canada who really are latching on to the Raptors as "Canada's team." I don't know what the numbers or proportions are, but apparently they really are there. Blame social media and the internet, I guess.

I don't think people in Saskatchewan would have a right to be upset at a professional sports franchise representing one city or province of claiming to be "Canada's Team"

BretttheRiderFan · #**2880** Posted **Nov 30, 2014, 4:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acajack

I guess I have a more ownership and originality related view of culture.

And I guess my views are rooted in what culture actually is.

Culture is not just including things specific to one group. There are a lot of things that are a part of Canadian culture and American culture. There are things common to all cultures. Culture isn't a niche, it's our way of life.