Toronto Sports Media Discussion Thread - v7 (2022 Edition)

[hockeywiz542]

 

[Marmoset]

I think I still get this channel as part of a package but I haven't watched it for more than a few seconds in a decade. (I'm not exaggerating). There's just nothing there. I don't know why or how they kept it on the air this long.

The Raptors equivalent has actual content besides "classic" games from eons ago. Not that I watch often, but you can catch some of the US analysis and panels there in addition to some game action.

Both the Leafs and Raptors channels came into existence when the number of channels was exploding. I won't be surprised if the Raptor channel disappears too eventually because even though it has content, you can find equivalent content in many places now that didn't exist a decade ago.

That said, I don't think this channel had to fade away. They just didn't do anything with it. Wasted potential.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I think I still get this channel as part of a package but I haven't watched it for more than a few seconds in a decade. (I'm not exaggerating). There's just nothing there. I don't know why or how they kept it on the air this long.

The Raptors equivalent has actual content besides "classic" games from eons ago. Not that I watch often, but you can catch some of the US analysis and panels there in addition to some game action.

Both the Leafs and Raptors channels came into existence when the number of channels was exploding. I won't be surprised if the Raptor channel disappears too eventually because even though it has content, you can find equivalent content in many places now that didn't exist a decade ago.

That said, I don't think this channel had to fade away. They just didn't do anything with it. Wasted potential.

Honestly, it probably could have survived by playing Marlies games, having some behind the scenes, and having some decent panels (but they would be taking away from TSN/Sportsnet's crappy overpaid panels so that would never fly considering Rogers/Bell own a decent portion of MLSE) in addition to playing some classic games.

This market thrives on low intelligence but high volume... And it works.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

I think I still get this channel as part of a package but I haven't watched it for more than a few seconds in a decade. (I'm not exaggerating). There's just nothing there. I don't know why or how they kept it on the air this long.

The Raptors equivalent has actual content besides "classic" games from eons ago. Not that I watch often, but you can catch some of the US analysis and panels there in addition to some game action.

Both the Leafs and Raptors channels came into existence when the number of channels was exploding. I won't be surprised if the Raptor channel disappears too eventually because even though it has content, you can find equivalent content in many places now that didn't exist a decade ago.

That said, I don't think this channel had to fade away. They just didn't do anything with it. Wasted potential.

Can't help but wonder if this is another victim of the Bell budget cuts. I know Rogers is also a part-owner, but I doubt they'd want to foot the entire bill for the station.

At the time, it was like a trailblazer station where not many teams/sports devoted an entire channel to themselves. Now they are all over the place.

As you suggested, wasted potential. There is so much content that the channel could be utilized for, it just was executed poorly.

 

[the squared circle]

I'll be honest here and say that I forgot the channel existed. I had wanted a Leaf only channel way before it was ever created and needless to say it was disappointing from the beginning. I was one of the few who wanted to watch a lot of older games, preferably from the 70s and 80s, and it seemed the channels 'classic' games were usually from 2010 and up. Sadly I gave up on the channel long ago.

 

[CabanaBoy5]

The only reason I watched it in the past 10 years was for Marlie games. The rest of the programming was either rehashed old games (not classic) or repetitive garbage. It used to be good when they had a post-game show and showed a few Leaf games.

 

[keonsbitterness]

Inevitable. LeafsTV has been in a death spiral for a decade.

 

[Enga Olly]

Agreed, wasted potential. I don't mind watching old games but either brand yourself as an archival/retro channel or give us up to date news. They could have done pre/post game chat on game nights but nothin'. Steve Dangle's show would have been better and drawn ome viewership. Won't miss it

 

[DueDiligence]

Is it just me or has the Fan 590 changed to an all Blue Jays all the time discussion. Now I know that's not the case but it certainly seems like the mandate from above is for the hosts to talk about the Jays nonstop.

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Is it just me or has the Fan 590 changed to an all Blue Jays all the time discussion. Now I know that's not the case but it certainly seems like the mandate from above is for the hosts to talk about the Jays nonstop.

I’d bet good money it’s mandated from the top. Rogers doesn’t own the rights to the CFL and TSN has those rights plus the rights to TFC games and the other Canadian MLS teams. Why dedicate air time to sports they don’t show? Ones that are still pretty niche too.

 

[tmlms13]

I’d bet good money it’s mandated from the top. Rogers doesn’t own the rights to the CFL and TSN has those rights plus the rights to TFC games and the other Canadian MLS teams. Why dedicate air time to sports they don’t show? Ones that are still pretty niche too.

Tsn does talk baseball a fair bit. Steve Phillips and Keegan Matheson do hits on 1050 at least twice a week

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Tsn does talk baseball a fair bit. Steve Phillips and Keegan Matheson do hits on 1050 at least twice a week

Yeah TSN has no problem covering the Jays, though if they didn’t it’d be ratings suicide.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[Mad hatter]

I have bell fibe and the app and I’m going to miss the for marlie games. On the app the picture was high def for the home games. Hopefully tsn or sportsnet play them them now for us

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

 

[LeafChief]

Any word on if Marlies games will be picked up by one of the other networks not that LeafsTV/LNN has died?

 

[Golden_Jet]

AHL does a game a week, but different teams each week. Can’t remember who carries it, maybe TSN.
Otherwise would need AHL package.

 

[Roadhog]

AHL does a game a week, but different teams each week. Can’t remember who carries it, maybe TSN.
Otherwise would need AHL package.

On the AHL Facebook page, ECHL was doing the same a few years ago.

 

[Rude Dog]

Big fan of Brunt. Hoping he doesn’t go far

 

[Jimmy Firecracker]

Is Chris Johnston not with TSN anymore? Saw he wrote an article regarding Matthews and his contract status for NorthStar Bets, which surprised me because you’d think anything he wrote would be on TSN. But his Twitter bio lacks any mention of TSN.

Did I miss him and the company parting ways?

 

[Schenn]

Is Chris Johnston not with TSN anymore? Saw he wrote an article regarding Matthews and his contract status for NorthStar Bets, which surprised me because you’d think anything he wrote would be on TSN. But his Twitter bio lacks any mention of TSN.

View attachment 584998

Did I miss him and the company parting ways?

He doesn't write for TSN, only Northstar bets. TSN is only television. I'd be shocked if he wasn't back with TSN this year.

 

[kevsh]

No surprise on Leafs TV.
It was pure fluff, like most team-created/controlled channels are so it won't be missed.

 

[Stand Witness]

Is Chris Johnston not with TSN anymore? Saw he wrote an article regarding Matthews and his contract status for NorthStar Bets, which surprised me because you’d think anything he wrote would be on TSN. But his Twitter bio lacks any mention of TSN.

View attachment 584998

Did I miss him and the company parting ways?

I was actually just about to post the exact same thing.

If I had to guess, I don’t think he is. No overdrive hits for a while and he was talking openly about 32 thoughts on his own podcast which I would guess he would stay away from if he was still with TSN.

He doesn’t seem comfortable with a TV role imo. Probably for the best.

 

[TMLeafer]

Is Chris Johnston not with TSN anymore? Saw he wrote an article regarding Matthews and his contract status for NorthStar Bets, which surprised me because you’d think anything he wrote would be on TSN. But his Twitter bio lacks any mention of TSN.

View attachment 584998

Did I miss him and the company parting ways?

Not listed here either.

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[francis246]

Anyone else miss Frank Corrado on Overdrive?!