[downbeat]

According to today's CRTC releases, Shaw Media is applying to operate a Category 2 sports channel to be known as Shaw Media Sports.

Application by Shaw Television G.P. Inc. (the general partner) and 7509014 Canada Inc. (the limited partner), carrying on business as Shaw Television Limited Partnership, for a broadcasting licence to operate a national English-language Category 2 competitive mainstream sports specialty programming undertaking to be known as Shaw Media Sports.

Follow the link above to obtain full application documents.

 

[bigoranget]

Oh good grief no!

That's the last thing we need is another mainstream sports channel. There isn't enough PRO teams in Canada to support anymore channels.

 

[MCIBUS]

Interesting?

I'm wondering what type of sports they will show?

There is only so many hockey games(NHL) you can show

I'm not sure of what JR hockey is out west maybe they'll show alot of those games?

 

[Fry1989]

How about they improve the dozens of sports channels we already have, and spend the money for this new channel, on bringing guys MORE HD!!! Practically every single channel in the US now has an HD counterpart, as it should be here.

 

[hugh]

I have no problem with this. In a competitive marketplace, anyone should be allowed to start their own channel.

Even better though is I think it will intensify the need for the CRTC to mandate a la carte pricing because consumers are going to say, we don't want 15 sports channel and we want to be able to pay for just the ones we want.

 

[PlayitSimple]

Looks like everyone is jumping on board the mainstream sports bandwagon! I wonder if we will see a flood of mainstream news channel applications next (the other genre that was open to competition)?!

We now have mainstream sports channels from the following:

CBC- CBC Sports Plus (approved, yet to launch)
CTVgm (Bell)- TSN & TSN2
Rogers- Sportsnet One / Sportsnet regional x4
MLSE- Mainstream Sports (approved, yet to launch)
Shaw- Shaw Media Sports (application)

I wonder if these conglomerates are prepared for a bidding war because if not then I don't see where the content will come from to fill all these channels (assuming they all launch)?!

Our neighbour to the south that has a market 10x that of Canada does not even have this many mainstream sports channels. You have ESPN, ESPN2 & Versus. Of course one reason for this might be that they have a lot of regional sports channels (which are properly run- only available in one given area, unlike Rogers up here who calls their channels regional yet makes them available to everyone across the country?! )

 

[hugh]

Your forgot a few. The extra part time channels like the Leafs Chanel, and 24/7 ones like Score, plus U.S. ones like NFL Network, BIG Ten and so on!

 

[PlayitSimple]

Uh, those are not mainstream sports channels, they are niche channels that focus on a specific sport like Golf, Football, hockey, etc. I am referring to channels like TSN that air content from a bunch of different sports.

The Score technically could apply but it is licensed as a sports news service (unless that has recently changed)?!

 

[hugh]

Relax, I'm not trying to start a pissing match simply pointing out that there are a wealth of sports channels. Whether you call them mainstream or niche, they are all Category 2 Digital sports channel and compete against each other for the cable viewers dollar.

 

[NB Josh]

I have no problem with this. In a competitive marketplace, anyone should be allowed to start their own channel.

Even better though is I think it will intensify the need for the CRTC to mandate a la carte pricing because consumers are going to say, we don't want 15 sports channel and we want to be able to pay for just the ones we want.

Agreed. Competition is good and if Shaw wants to put a lot of money into a sports channel, then all the power to them. Right now Bell (TSN) and Rogers (Sportsnet) own a monopoly on almost all major cable sports properties because they have money to spend and the likes of The Score don't. Shaw has money to compete with those networks, as does MLSE if they ever launch their channel.

This could make some things really interesting though. Global has long held OTA rights to The Masters, Wimbledon and PGA Tour. TSN currently has cable rights to all three properties. If Shaw launches a sports channel, then you would think they would bid on both OTA and cable together for those events. So, TSN could be losing 3 of its bigger properties, or CTV could be picking up OTA rights to these events.

This would also result in the re-instatement of the Global Sports department, which would allow Global to produce their own coverage of certain sports events. This could bring them into play for IndyCar (with Toronto and Indianapolis on Global, everything else on Shaw Sports) and other events that have a stop in Canada.

This could result in a partnership between CBC and Global for 2014/2016 Olympics too. They both have potential digital sports channels and two OTA nets. That more or less puts them on a level playing field with CTV-Rogers. Not to mention Bold and FSWC which could be used for supplementary coverage like soccer and rugby.

 

[Tridus]

A bidding war on properties is really bad for sports fans. Instead of a couple high quality sports channels and some filler, we'll instead have the same amount of sports spread out across seven channels and a ton more filler.

 

[Wayne]

Sports channels are becoming much more valuable in these days of alternative delivery of entertainment. If it weren't for being a big sports fan I would dump by cable in favour of OTA, Netflix and other alternative sources. Owning a sports channel and also owning the team gives the media/telecom companies more power.

Let's face it - 10 years from now the only value in CTV Globemedia will be in TSN and some of the other specialty channels since CTV's role as a rebroadcaster of US content will no longer make any sense.

Or perhaps we will all be stuck with monthly download caps of 5Gigabytes.

 

[Wayne]

How about they improve the dozens of sports channels we already have, and spend the money for this new channel, on bringing guys MORE HD!!! Practically every single channel in the US now has an HD counterpart, as it should be here.

What do you mean - all of the sports channels are already in HD, including the Golf Channel, and sports and movies are pretty much all that's worth watching.

 

[hugh]

Conversely though, these shows may start looking to promote other sports including University sports and other lesser known sports that are of interest.

Personally, I like ESPNu and would like to see stuff like that here.

 

[NB Josh]

What do you mean - all of the sports channels are already in HD, including the Golf Channel, and sports and movies are pretty much all that's worth watching.

I assume he is referring to the likes of Fox Sports World Canada (a Shaw owned channel BTW), Euroworld Sports, GolTV and NHL Network.

 

[Dean W]

Our neighbour to the south that has a market 10x that of Canada does not even have this many mainstream sports channels. You have ESPN, ESPN2 & Versus. Of course one reason for this might be that they have a lot of regional sports channels (which are properly run- only available in one given area, unlike Rogers up here who calls their channels regional yet makes them available to everyone across the country?! )

Regional Sports Channels in the USA are also available across the entire country just like Rogers SportsNet regionals are. I just went to Directv.com and anyone can get 20+ regional sports channels from out of market (blackouts for games that they only have regional rights to just like RSN).

 

[thenewdc]

Why doesn't SHAW take FSWC and convert it into a main stream sports channel. Dont they already own it through their Global acquisition.???

 

[alebowgm]

Why doesn't SHAW take FSWC and convert it into a main stream sports channel. Dont they already own it through their Global acquisition.???

They would need to ammend the stations license to cover all areas of sports, right now they are licensed primarily to air niche sports...

 

[PlayitSimple]

Why doesn't SHAW take FSWC and convert it into a main stream sports channel. Dont they already own it through their Global acquisition.???

Good point, especially since this channel is useless in its current form and is now also irrelevant with the launch of EuroWorld Sport by sister company Corus (via Telelatino). I am still baffled as to why they have decided to keep this channel around, they don't own any other sports channels so it doesn't fit with the portfolio of channels they now own through the Canwest purchase?! BBC Kids did not fit either and that has been sold off, so what's the deal with FSWC?!

They would need to amend the stations license to cover all areas of sports, right now they are licensed primarily to air niche sports...

And they can't apply to amend the channels' license why?? The sports genre has been deregulated to allow competition so I doubt very much that they CRTC would deny a request to convert FSWC into a general sports channel. Also, this channel is already on the air and as one of the first diginets to launch it has widespread carriage (except for Bell who recently dropped it) so why are they going to all the hassle of applying for a separate license and launching a whole other channel?!

These conglomerates sure have a weird way of doing things?!

 

[NB Josh]

Because if people just subscribe to FSWC then Shaw would make roughly half the money they would make if people subscribed to FSWC and Shaw Sports.

FSWC is still important because they own rights to two Serie A games a week (sub-leased from The Score), one Ligue 1 game (sub-leased from Corus), two Europa League games per matchday (sub-leased from Corus) and Copa Libertadores. Plus, I think with Shaw ownership and the possible launch of a mainstream Shaw Sports channel, then we could see Shaw bid on things like the Premier League, Champions League and even World Cup. FSWC could come in handy if they won any of these events.