CBC and TSN: Brothers in arms again

The clock is ticking as Jay-Day approaches as TSN2 prepares to carry its first Blue Jays game.

While everyone involved insists that talks are continuing, the fact is that wars have been settled in less time than it's taken TSN and Rogers to settle this. From what I hear, there may have been less acrimony, too.

But there may be some hope that broadcasters and cable companies can put aside their differences and do what's best for the fan. While that sounds like a plot that even Disney would reject on grounds that fairy tales are more credible, the fact is that TSN and CBC are demonstrating that, as the great Rodney King once implored, we can all get along.

For the second time in the Stanley Cup playoffs, TSN and CBC have made a deal to give viewers a choice. On Thursday night, two Game 7s were scheduled to run on TSN and TSN2. But the two got together and made a deal that serves both the networks and the viewers: CBC got the Anaheim-Detroit game in return for future considerations.

No, that doesn't mean CBC gets the rights to Jennifer Hedger's hair. What it means is that TSN will get a yet-to-be-determined extra game in the next round.

It's fascinating to see CBC and TSN making nice after years of bad relations. It hearkens back to the good old days of the late `90s when the two shared the Olympics and Pan Am games, among other things.

But things fell apart a few years ago, partly because of those shared events, and the two became bitter enemies. Things reached bottom when TSN stepped in and badly overpaid for purchased the Hockey Night In Canada theme song.

 Credit the detente to CBC boss Scott Moore and TSN president Phil King, who go back a long way and are leading this daily singing of ``Kumbaya."

THE USUAL BUNCH OF NUMBERS

It's been a pretty good week for CBC, with Wednesday's Pittsburgh-Washington finale drawing 1.2 million viewers and the Vancouver Canucks' exit on Monday pulling in 1.75 million. .... Who says the Blue Jays aren't popular? Tuesday's showdown with the Yankees scored 530,000 viewers on Rogers Sportsnet even though there was a Stanley Cup playoff game on TSN. The Carolina-Boston game had 742,000 viewers. ... If you're wondering how the NHL is doing south of the border, the answer is: not as bad as you'd think. Versus is averaging 802,000 viewers, up 30 per cent over last spring. NBC is averaging 1.6 million viewers, up 14.5 per cent from 2008.

Rogers-TSN2 going down to the wire

Here we are, five days to Jay-Day and still no deal to get TSN2 on Rogers Cable. If you haven't been paying attention, May 19 is the day that the much-anticipated series between the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox will be available on one channel and one channel only: TSN2.

What makes that so significant is the fact that TSN2 is available to almost every cable and satellite subscriber in the country with one exception: Rogers. The fact that Rogers also owns the team makes this all even more intriguing, if not potentially a lot more embarrassing.

Personally, I cannot believe we're going to wake up May 19 to a world in which TSN2 is still unavailable to Rogers customers. I cannot imagine that the Blue Jays sold five games to TSN2 without asking the cable guys if they were going to be carrying the channel. These are games that would have been on the Rogers promotional channel, so why would the Jays sell them to TSN2 if it deprived Rogers customers from watching?

A deal has to be coming because, if it isn't, Rogers call-centre employees will have to show up for work that day with bulletproof vests and industrial-strength earplugs as they try to explain to angry Jays fans that they can watch the game only by switching to Bell TV or Star Choice.

A deal is coming because I'm told by both sides that they are talking. Of course, they've been talking since August, which makes you wonder what in the world they're talking about.

Having an overactive imagination, I've come up with a possible answer:

TSN representative: Hello.

Rogers representative: Hey, how about those Blue Jays?

TSN: Fergie? Fergie Olver, is that you?

Rogers: No, no, it's the Rogers guy.

TSN: Oh, what's up?

Rogers: Are you guys ready to accept our demands?

TSN: No. Are you ready to accept ours?

Rogers: No.

TSN: Talk to you tomorrow.

Rogers: Go Jays go!

The Paul James saga: Part II

There was a bit of missing link in the previous post on former GolTV soccer analyst Paul James.

Prior to being told by new owner Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment that his contract was not being renewed, James had been taken off the air by GolTV. It's still not clear why, but MLSE says it wasn't part of that decision.

``We had nothing to do with Paul's termination," MLSE broadcast director Chris Hebb says.  After the deal went through, Hebb says he informed James that his contract would not be renewed when it expired in August.

GolTV might be able to shed light on this, but producer Corey Russell did not return The Star's call on the issue.

Hebb also says that MLSE's broadcast arm would never let a coach or manager's feelings about a broadcaster influence its hiring decisions. ``We don't operate that way," he said.

The mysterious disappearance of Paul James

Paul James is arguably one of the better TV soccer commentators in this country. He worked for The Score and most recently for GolTV and established himself as a guy with well-formed opinions and intelligent insights. But James is out of the TV business for now, spending most of his time trying to relaunch his media career while wondering how he ended up on the outside.

Most likely,we'll never know why his television career was interrupted.

James, coach of the York University women's soccer team, says he'd rather not talk about what happened other than to say he wasn't happy with the way he was treated by the digital channel when it let him go before the 2009 Major League Soccer season.

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which has purchased GolTV outright, will say only that it informed the highly respected broadcaster that he wasn't part of its plans once it gained control of the channel from Insight Sports. According to MLSE broadcast director Chris Hebb, he had enough staff announcers when GolTV was acquired and James wasn't needed. Other GolTV staffers were retained, however.

But there were troubles involving James and former Toronto FC coach John Carver that may have been part of the story. The troubles go back to last season when Carver lit into a reporter for asking what he thought was a silly question at a press conference.

In his regular GolTV spot, James said that Carver was out of line and that the reporter didn't deserve that kind of treatment. End of story, at least until James was told that Carver wanted an apology.

James decided against it and left a message for Carver explaining the reasons for his decision.

``I wasn't prepared to apologize," James says. ``I hadn't said anything that I need to apologize for."

James heard nothing more until he was told his contract was not being renewed. It's possible this was all a misunderstanding and Carver's dispute with James may not have been an issue.

But, sadly, it's also possible that a coach had a hand in a media outlet's decision-making.

It certainly wouldn't be the first time. TSN announcer Dave Hodge was sacked from Toronto Argonauts broadcasts two decades ago for saying uncomplimentary things about the team's play. A Blue Jays general manager once upbraided an announcer on a team flight for on-air comments perceived to be negative.

 This month, a report in the Columbus Dispatch pointed out how team management frequently gave Columbus Blue Jackets announcers directions on what they should and shouldn't say.

That may have been the latest story on team interference, but it sure won't be the last.

Here's why NBC ditched hockey: Double the ratings

That was a heck of a hockey game NBC missed Saturday afternoon, though there won't be any tears shed at peacock headquarters. Even though The Messiah Tiger Woods wasn't at the top of the leaderboard at The Players championship, NBC still drew a 2.8 rating for golf on Saturday and a 3.4 on Sunday.

In Gary Bettman's most vivid dreams, the NHL gets those kinds of ratings. In reality, hockey's high water mark this playoff season on NBC is 1.4.

On this side of the border, hockey dominates everything as it always does. But there will be a lot of tight collars at the CBC if the Vancouver Canucks join the rest of Canada's NHL entities on the golf courses of North America after tonight. The Canucks are driving ratings, but the rest of the field isn't doing much to stir Canadian interest.

Saturday's Washington-Pittsburgh game, in the prime Hockey Night In Canada slot, drew  1.37 million viewers. That's a strong number, but a little more than 100,000 above what CBC draws during the regular season. You'd think a playoff game involving the league's biggest stars in a series that has been nothing short of magnificent would do better.

But maybe it had nothing to do with Washington or Pittsburgh. Maybe Ron MacLean's interminable interview with NHL owner wannabe Jim Balsillie in the pre-game show sent viewers scrambling for their remotes.

Here are the weekend's top sports ratings, according to BBM Nielsen Media Research overnight figures for English-language channels.

1. Hockey, Blackhawks at Canucks, Saturday, CBC: 1,732,000

2. Hockey, Penguins at Capitals, Saturday, CBC: 1,370,000

3. Hockey, Capitals at Penguins, Friday, CBC: 914,000

4. Hockey, Hurricanes at Bruins, Sunday, TSN: 790,000

5. Hockey, World championship final, Sunday, TSN: 698,000

6. Hockey, Ducks at Red Wings, Sunday, TSN: 646,000

7. Hockey, Bruins at Hurricanes, Friday, TSN: 606,000

8. Baseball, Blue Jays at A's, Saturday, Sportsnet: 329,000

9. Baseball, Blue Jays at A's, Sunday, Sportsnet: 248,000

10. Baseball, Blue Jays at A's, Friday, Sportsnet: 220,000

11. Auto racing, F1 Spanish Grand Prix, Sunday, TSN: 184,000

12. Auto racing, NASCAR Sprint Cup, Saturday, TSN: 175,000*

* Canadian viewers on Fox not calculated

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN ANNOUNCE SPORTS?

Apparently, The Score has decided if there's one thing the world needs more of, it's reality shows..

Making its debut next fall is Drafted, a show that will chronicle The Score's search for new talent. The guy or gal who wins the competition will actually get an on-air job with the specialty channel, so let's hope the field is strong.

“Finding fresh, knowledgeable and authentic sports talent is always a priority at The Score," says channel chairman and CEO John Levy. ``We believe our fans know as much about sports as we do and we are excited to offer one of them a shot at proving it.” 

For more information or to register, go to www.drafted.ca. I would use an appropriate reference to So You Think You Can Dance or Canadian Idol, but my knowledge of those shows ends at knowing that one's about singing and the other's about dancing.

Best television series: The Stanley Cup playoffs

You can complain about the scheduling, you can complain about the quality of the commentary, but you sure can't complain about the entertainment value of this year's Stanley Cup playoffs. Every period is being played as if it were overtime and, with the exception of the pointless scrums that follow every whistle, it's been gripping television.

Meanwhile, for those who found my Monday column lacking in depth and context, here's what else I noted over the weekend but couldn't get into the paper because of the oppressive and unrealistic well-considered restrictions placed on me:

Good analysis: CBC's Greg Millen on Alex Ovechkin's reckless ways: ``That's why he's either going to get hurt or he's going to hurt people." ... Don Cherry on whether the NHL's southern teams should have a say in the Phoenix Coyotes moving to Canada: ``They shouldn't even be in the league anyway." .... Kudos to TSN announcers Dave Randorf and Dave Reid for not following precedent and whining about officiating during the Canada-Russia world hockey championship final on Sunday. Too often, international games are not our broadcasters' finest moments.

Bad analysis: GolTV analyst Ray Hudson described a pass in a Valencia-Real Madrid game Saturday as ``a lovely, considerate ball." Can balls have feelings?

Worst cross-promotion: In order to help viewers understand the economics of the plan to move the Coyotes north, the tall foreheads at Hockey Night In Canada brought in (this is not a joke) two guys from the reality show Dragon's Den on Saturday night. Maybe in order to help the unwashed masses understand how the NHL might appeal to ethnic groups, the CBC will bring in the cast from Little Mosque on the Prairie.

Bad moves: In its intro to Saturday's Chicago-Vancouver game, CBC included shots of two Blackhawk fans dressed in full Indian headdresses and warpaint. A little sensitivity, please. ... Don Cherry knocked Washington defenceman Mike Green on Saturday for his ill-advised Mohawk haircut. His criticism of Green's style sense might have been a bit more effective had he not been wearing a jacket that looked like an explosion in a flower shop. ... Somebody at CBC should talk to Ron MacLean and Cherry about keeping their private jokes off the air. Following Saturday's game, Cherry made some joke about MacLean's Blackberry, which probably had something to do with his interview with Blackberry guy Jim Balsillie. MacLean then said something about ``having an in with Balsillie," prompting Cherry to add something about MacLean having a seven-year contract. What this was all about is anybody's guess. ... Speaking of Balsillie, the HNIC pre-game was a good place for MacLean's interview with the prospective NHL owner. But boy did that interview drag on. When it got to the point that MacLean wondered if having another  team in Southern Ontario would be bad for the league because it would be too successful, somebody should have pulled the plug. ...  Cameras provided a close-up of Toronto FC's Chad Barrett Saturday night, just as he unleased an easy-lip-read obscenity at the D.C. United bench. Sometimes, closer isn't better.

Ferraro hits the mark on NHL television problems in U.S.

TSN hockey analyst Ray Ferraro made a lot of good points when he lit into the National Hockey League on the Jim Rome Show Wednesday. If you missed it and don't want to pay the ridiculously overpriced $6 charge to hear it online, Ferraro ripped the league for a situation that has the Ovechkin-Crosby showdown available only on little-watched Versus this weekend because NBC has The Players golf tournament. 

Here's what Ferraro had to say.

 “From a league standpoint, it’s a joke. ... To have the game’s greatest, most marketable stars playing head to head in a series that everybody is talking about that follows the game -- heck, ESPN led their sports coverage with (Alex) Ovechkin and (Sidney) Crosby. That’s not even an ESPN property. And we can’t get the game on NBC, which … is our national carrier?

“It’s clear which tail is wagging the dog here. NBC is making the decisions, and the league just has to go about it because they’re not in a real strong position.”

That's the most pertinent point. When the NHL made its deal with NBC, it had no choice but play on NBC's terms because no other conventional broadcaster was even remotely interested. If NBC had dictated that all NHL games have to be played at 9 a.m. on Wednesdays, the league would have had to go along with it to get on national TV. (So far, it hasn't.)

It's too bad that NBC has other commitments, because the Washington-Pittsburgh series is doing relatively well on Versus. The cable channel reports that Wednesday's game was seen by 1.2 million people -- the biggest cable audience for hockey in seven years. (That's about the same size of audience that watched on CBC in a country with one-tenth the population.)

But if the games were on NBC, they'd do substantially more because NBC is everywhere and Versus is still the Stephane Dion of American television. Ratings in Chicago are dismal right now, mainly because Versus is not only absent from most homes, it's not even available to those who want it.

It's like, say, putting playoff games on TSN2.

DON'T BE LIKE MIKE, BUT WATCH HIM

Sports docs are often among the best in the field and the Mike Tyson one, which opens Friday in Toronto, has received great reviews. Here's a glimpse. Caution: Some ear-biting scenes may be disturbing, as are images of Don King.

How low can those NBA ratings go?

Admittedly, Tuesday was a pretty rough night for sports television if pucks and skates weren't part of the package. CBC drew more than 1.9 million viewers for Vancouver's 3-1 victory over Chicago. TSN's Anaheim-Detroit game attracted 528,000 viewers even though it ended well after midnight in the east.

But even with that kind of competition, you'd think the second round of the NBA playoffs would do better than it did Tuesday. The Dallas-Denver game averaged 17,000 viewers on The Score, which is about the same size audience that would stick through an hour of static.

But that was positively huge compared to the audience TSN2 drew for LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers and the Atlanta Hawks: 9,000. Yes, it's TSN2 and it's still not on Rogers Cable (13 days to Jay-Day, if you're counting.) But there are 3 a.m. kitchen magician infomercials that do better.

Heck, maybe next time TSN2 can just invite the audience to its studios and save transmission costs.

Why celebrities should never be interviewed during games

So here's yet another reason why any reporter who steps into the stands at a sports event with the intent of interviewing a celebrity should be tackled, roped and waterboarded. A Fox Sports reporter ventured into the stands at a Kansas City Royals game Monday to interview someone he thought was celebrity pest chef Guy Fieri. Unfortunately, the guy wasn't who they thought he was. According to the http://www.kansascity.com/stargazing/story/1179068.html  he was just some guy with a bad haircut and apparently a bad attitude.

By all reports, though, the impostor was not Bruce Willis, who had his X-rated celebrity turn during Raptors game a while back.

Cheesiest product placement ever

Okay, it was nice of the FAN 590 and Rogers Sportsnet to commemorate Mexican independence day this afternoon, but boy was this one cheesy excuse for a product placement.

Prime Time Sports opened its simulcast with a mariachi trio, which did its part for international relations,  at least until Sportsnet's cameras left them to focus on a bunch of taco fixings obviously supplied by the same company that hired the band. Between shots of host Bob McCown and sidekick Jim Kelley, viewers on Rogers Sportsnet were subjected to closeups of tacos, beef, cheese and lettuce. Prime time, indeed.

At least McCown and Kelly had the decency to avoid chowing down on the air.