The CFL has reached a new broadcast agreement with TSN and its affiliated French-language partner RDS.
A source says it’s a multi-year deal worth more $30 million per season. That’s more than double the previous five-year agreement between the broadcaster and the league.
In an official announcement made Thursday, Bell Media (which owns TSN and RDS) said it will air an expanded season of 81 games in 2014, plus pre- and post-season games, the championship Grey Cup match, the CFL Draft and CFL Combine events.
The Grey Cup will also be broadcast exclusively on Bell-owned TSN and TEAM Radio stations.
“The CFL is one of Canada’s leading sports properties and has been one of the main audience drivers on the TSN and RDS schedules,” said Phil King, president of CTV Programming and Sports, in a statement. “We are extremely proud and honoured to have been a key partner in helping to make the CFL such an important part of the Canadian landscape. TSN and RDS are committed to delivering the biggest events in sports to our subscribers and telling the country’s most compelling sports stories. The CFL delivers superbly on both fronts.”
“This new agreement is a testament to the strength of today’s CFL, our tremendous partnership with TSN and RDS, and their important position in the marketplace as Canada’s sports leaders,” said Mark Cohon, the CFL’s commissioner. “It’s a transformative deal, both for the growth of our league and its presentation. It’s an important component of our league’s bright future, along with great performances on the field, fan support in the stands, and new stadiums across the country.”
The new deal extends a partnership that has been in place since 1986 when TSN first began broadcasting CFL games. RDS has aired league games since 1989, although both networks became exclusive broadcast partners in 2008.
