TSN and Sportsnet to broadcast 2006 FIFA World Cup

[ssf]

Infront Sports & Media has signed an exclusive agreement with Rogers Sportsnet, the Canadian broadcaster, for the Canadian broadcast rights to all matches of the 2006 FIFA World Cup ™, which takes place in Germany.

This agreement includes rights to broadcast in the following six languages - English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Cantonese and Mandarin.

Sportsnet, a dedicated sports broadcaster, has built a strong reputation as a soccer broadcaster in Canada, televising live English Premier League football, Spanish Primera Liga soccer and matches of both the Canadian men’s and women’s national teams. Sportsnet also produces Soccercentral, a football magazine show that airs twice a week.

“We are delighted to acquire the rights to such a premier world event as the FIFA World Cup,” says Doug Beeforth, President of Rogers Sportsnet. “This agreement takes our network to another level and that’s exciting.”

A second agreement between Infront and Sportsnet covers a package of additional FIFA events including:

- Futsal World Championship 2004
- FIFA World Youth Championship 2005
- FIFA U-17 World Championship 2005
- FIFA Confederations Cup 2005
- FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championships 2004 and 2006
- Blue Stars/FIFA Youth Cups 2005 and 2006
- 2004, 2005 and 2006 FIFA World Player Galas

“Sportsnet has shown its commitment to soccer, in particular its popular broadcasts of the 2002 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship, so Infront is delighted that it will be showing all 64 matches of the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ live and delayed and providing Canadians with the opportunity to also experience many other international FIFA Events” said Oliver Seibert, an Executive Director of Infront.

[Jeff]

This is big news, and obviously a much bigger commitment to soccer on the part of Sportsnet.

I assume they will resell some of the rights - for example the foreign language rights may be sold to Telelatino, etc.

This leaves TSN with no soccer at all apart from Champions League.

[ssf]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff

This leaves TSN with no soccer at all apart from Champions League.

what about the next euro?

[Mendieta]

Serves TSN. They only resort to soccer when there is absolutely nothing else going on. They would put fly fishing ahead of soccer. I much prefer SportsNet!

[Kaczmar]

Nice to see we will be able to watch more soccer on a Canadian channel!

I'm looking forward to watching the 2004 FIFA World Player Gala

[Kaczmar]

How come the World Player Gala wasn't on TV?

[Kiel]

I thought CBC did ok in 02. Working with the BBC. They had most games, and and alot for repeats aswell. but, will Sportsnet be getting the feed from someone else, or do they have there own announcers to send over?

[Jeff]

Rival networks TSN and Rogers Sportsnet will share the coverage of the 2006 World Cup. For the first time, all 64 matches will be broadcast live, with many repeat broadcasts on the schedule as well.

In a move that makes you scratch your head in wonder, Rogers beat out TSN last November for the TV rights, paying about $4 million, and then turned around and approached TSN for a partnership! I would have thought the time to discuss a partnership was before they drove the price up by bidding against each other.

The final match will be shown live on CTV, the parent of TSN.

[Changed_Man]

i get tsn and ctv and NOT sportsnet so this is great news for me.

[Jeff]

If you don't get Sportsnet, it's not such great news, because TSN and CTV won't be showing all the matches.

[Jeff]

TV Schedule - all times EDT

NOTE: these are the match times of the LIVE broadcasts. Most will be preceded by a half-hour studio show, and all matches will also be rebroadcast on tape delay one or more times. CLICK HERE for a more complete listing.

FIRST ROUND

Fri. June 9
Germany v. Costa Rica, Noon Sportsnet
Poland v. Ecuador, 3 p.m. Sportsnet

Sat. June 10
England v. Paraguay, 9 a.m. Sportsnet
Trinindad & Tobago v. Sweden, Noon Sportsnet
Argentina v. Ivory Coast, 3 p.m. TSN

Sun. June 11
Serbia & Montenegro v. Netherlands, 9 a.m. Sportsnet
Mexico v. Iran, Noon Sportsnet
Angola v. Portugal, 3 p.m. TSN

Mon. June 12
Australia v. Japan, 9 a.m. TSN
USA v. Czech Republic, Noon TSN
Italy v. Ghana, 3 p.m. TSN

Tue. June 13
Korea v. Togo, 9 a.m. TSN
France v. Switzerland, Noon TSN
Brazil v. Croatia, 3 p.m. TSN

Wed. June 14
Spain v. Ukraine, 9 a.m. TSN
Tunisia v. Saudi Arabia, Noon TSN
Germany v. Poland, 3 p.m. TSN

Thur. June 15
Ecuador v. Costa Rica, 9 a.m. Sportsnet
England v. Trinidad & Tobago, Noon Sportsnet
Sweden v. Paraguay, 3 p.m. Sportsnet

Fri. June 16
Argentina v. Serbia & Montenegro, 9 a.m. Sportsnet
Netherlands v. Ivory Coast, Noon Sportsnet
Mexico v. Angola, 3 p.m. Sportsnet

Sat. June 17
Portugal v. Iran, 9 a.m. TSN
Czech Republic v. Ghana, Noon Sportsnet
Italy v. USA, 3 p.m. Sportsnet

Sun. June 18
Japan v. Croatia, 9 a.m. TSN
Brazil v. Australia, Noon Sportsnet
France v. Korea, 3 p.m. Sportsnet

Mon. June 19
Togo v. Switzerland, 9 a.m. TSN
Saudia Arabia v. Ukraine, Noon TSN
Spain v. Tunisia, 3 p.m. TSN

Tue. June 20
Costa Rica v. Poland, 10 a.m. TSN
Ecuador v. Germany, 10 a.m. Sportsnet
Sweden v. England, 3 p.m. TSN
Paraguay v. Trinidad & Tobago, 3 p.m. Sportsnet

Wed. June 21
Portugal v. Mexico, 10 a.m. TSN
Iran v. Angola, 10 a.m. Sportsnet
Ivory Coast v. Serbia & Mont. 3 p.m. TSN
Netherlands v. Argentina, 3 p.m. Sportsnet

Thur. June 22
Czech Republic v. Italy, 10 a.m. TSN
Ghana v. USA, 10 a.m. Sportsnet
Croatia v. Australia, 3 p.m. TSN
Japan v. Brazil, 3 p.m. Sportsnet

Fri. June 23
Saudi Arabia v. Spain, 10 a.m. TSN
Ukraine v. Tunisia, 10 a.m. Sportsnet
Switzerland v. Korea, 3 p.m. TSN
Togo v. France, 3 p.m. Sportsnet

Round of 16

Sat. June 24
1A v. 2B 10:30 a.m. TSN
1C v. 2D 2:30 p.m. TSN

Sun. June 25
1B v. 2A 10:30 a.m. Sportsnet
1D v. 2C 3 p.m. TSN

Mon. June 26
1E v. 2F 10:30 a.m. Sportsnet
1G v. 2H 2:30 p.m. TSN

Tue. June 27
1F v. 2E 10:30 a.m. Sportsnet
1H v. 2G 2:30 p.m. Sportsnet

Quarterfinals

Fri. June 30
10:30 a.m. Sportsnet
2:30 p.m. Sportsnet

Sat. July 1
10:30 a.m. TSN
2:30 p.m. TSN

Semifinals

Tue. July 4
2:30 p.m. Sportsnet

Wed. July 5
2:30 p.m. TSN

Third Place
Sat. July 8 2:30 p.m. Sportsnet

Final
Sun. July 9 1:30 p.m. CTV

[polaris]

hmmm....need to get/make a Tivo.

[lions67]

all in all, in Canada, compared to the United States, we get way more soccer coverage. think about it. the U.S. is in the World Cup, they have their own domestic league in the MLS, yet they dont get a lot of TV coverage. here in Canada, we have no league, no participation in the World Cup , but tons of soccer on tv.
imagine how much more soccer we could get if we were to do something like the U.S.
btw.,....this june marks the 20th anniversary sinse Canada was in the World Cup. best game for Canada in that tournament to me was the game against France. we lost, but we hit a post and a crossbar in that game!!
hope i dont have to wait ANOTHER 20 years to see us in the World Cup.

[Jeff]

Bump

[AKA Soccerbeast]

Just hope sportsnet get the rights to the Toronto FC games or at least
fox sports world canada giving it a shot.