TSN2 Providers Discussion - Please see post 1 for list of providers.

[hugh]

TSN announced today it would launch its new 24-hour digital sports station, TSN2, on August 29th.

TSN2 will be a premium service, available in both High Definition and Standard Definition, operating pursuant to an authorization in the TSN broadcast licence from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.

TSN2 launches on August 29 at 7 p.m. ET with exclusive live Canadian coverage of the U.S. Open tennis tournament. TSN2's roster features an exciting lineup of exclusive live sports games and events, including the NHL, CFL, NBA, Curling, International Hockey, Golf, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series, IndyCar Series, Grand Slam Tennis, Champions League Soccer, Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts, and NCAA Football and Basketball.

The following list of providers are those that have confirmed they will be carrying TSN2. I will update as posters or cable/sat companies confirm

Standard Definition Version

• Access (Regina) - 264
• Aliant - 99
• Amtelecom - 110
• BellTV - 401
• Bluewater TV Cable - 64
• City West Cable & Telephone Corp - 133
• Coast Cable - 195
• Cogeco (Ontario and Quebec) - 156
• Delta Cable - 195
• EastLink - 100
• Ex-Cen Cablevision - 64
• Nexicom Communications - 407
• Novus Entertainment - 236
• Persona (Ontario) - 500
• Rogers - 98
• SaskTel - 115
• Shaw - 147
• Star Choice - 401
• Telus - 109
• Westman Communications Group - 69

High Definition Version

• Access - 547
• Cogeco (Ontario) - 729
• BellTV - 848
• EastLink - 602
• Novus - 136
• Rogers - ?
• Shaw - 226
• Star Choice - 269

[Kicker2008]

Just saw this on TSN website. Hopefully Bell TV will carry both the TSN2 and TSN2 HD starting Aug 29.

[jbracing24]

I can't see holdouts on the providers' side. Too much at stake

[reppact]

Interesting quote:
"By taking the TSN alternate feed to a full-time service in TSN2, we are better positioned to serve sports fans by being able to consistently provide live coverage of two events taking place concurrently. TSN2 is a must-have for sports fans."

- Phil King, President, TSN

Guess this answeres why TSN-Alternate was "offline" for many of us recently.

Oh, and how long will it be until we call TSN2 "T2"

[Kicker2008]

I always thought that Bell TV was somewhat restricted to just add any channel as they own several tv stations/channels themselves. I could be wrong.

[SportsFan]

So they'll operate TSN2 under the alternate feed authorization they got from the CRTC? Didn't that have a lot of restrictions? If it didn't, I would expect complaints to the CRTC from the other sports channels.

Originally Posted by Kicker2008

I always thought that Bell TV was somewhat restricted to just add any channel as they own several tv stations/channels themselves. I could be wrong.

Originally Posted by SportsFan

Bell has problems with the ratio of cat. 2 channels they own. EVu had to drop a couple of Much channels when globemedia bought CHUM. If TSN2 gets a cat. 2 license, EVu would have to drop a CTVglobemedia channel to add it.

If it's not a cat. 2 channel there is no restriction that I'm aware of.

[hugh]

I believe the Category 2 digital specialty channel entitled TSN2 was originally approved in the year 2000. Originally they (and a raft of other stations) had 3 years to begin but it was extended in 2003. See this CRTC decision.

I don't know how it got extended past August 31st, 2007 which was supposed to be the next deadline.

[Frameboy]

I'll be interested to see what they put on it... they already are showing Dog Shows and bad poker on TSN.

[MCIBUS]

I do believe if Bel TV(BEV) adds TSN2 that they'l fall under the 5 to 1 rule. Which means they have to add 5 channels not owned by BCE. S I'm not sure how many channels on Bell TV are owned by BCE, but what ever it is those licienced in 2000 or beyond I do believe for eacjh one they own 5 others//channel must be owned by someone else/

[Kicker2008]

I guess i'll be checking Hugh's First post in this thread to see if Bell TV will carry the channel. I really hope they will.

[johndoublej]

Hope it's available on Shaw here in Edmonton. Hopefully they're gonna carry all the NBA coverage that Sportsnet stupidly dropped.

[SportsFan]

Originally Posted by hugh

I believe the Category 2 digital specialty channel entitled TSN2 was originally approved in the year 2000. Originally they (and a raft of other stations) had 3 years to begin but it was extended in 2003. See this CRTC decision.

I don't know how it got extended past August 31st, 2007 which was supposed to be the next deadline.

TSN2 "operating pursuant to an authorization in the TSN broadcast licence" (from TSN's announcement) sounds like it's not a cat. 2 channel.

[Dean W]

"TSN2 will air about two NBA and two NHL games a week."

[PlayitSimple]

TSN2 "operating pursuant to an authorization in the TSN broadcast licence" (from TSN's announcement) sounds like it's not a cat. 2 channel.

You are correct! It looks like what they are doing is launching a time-shifted version of TSN and merging into that the TSN alternate channel and what comes out of the mix is TSN2! So basically its a time-shifted alternate channel that they have decided to name 'TSN2'. The following comment from the press release pretty much backs up my notion that this is a time-shifted TSN:

Better Timeslots for Western Canada – TSN2 presents better timeslots for Western-based viewers with alternative showings. Events and programming which air in late-afternoon/early-evening in Eastern Canada on TSN will now be repeated in Western prime.

This means that there won't be too much new stuff on this channel, whatever airs on TSN will also air on TSN2 at some point. This channel will have the same restriction as the alternate channel unless they can get that changed- only 10% of the programming on TSN2 will be different than TSN. That is where the Racing, Tennis and Champions League soccer comes into play, among other sports. So I guess its a good news/bad news situation- fans of NASCAR or CL soccer who currently don't get to watch many matches or races on TSN will now have access to more. On the other hand, there won't be that much new stuff on here so other sports that currently are not covered will still not be available here.

I don't understand why CTV didn't just re-brand one of their existing channels (say SexTV?!) into TSN2. That way it would have been a Cat. 2 digital channel and they could have applied to increase the amount of different programming they can air. Also, as an existing channel that is already on the air, it would have instantly been available on all cable / satellite providers.

[nicohockey9]

Originally Posted by Dean W

"TSN2 will air about two NBA and two NHL games a week."

Wow im happy about that im a big NBA fan.

I hope Bell will be launching this in HD on launch date.

Very happy that I will be able to catch even more NHL now since I don't have Center Ice.

Do you think they will air for example two NHL games one on TSN the other on TSN2??