THE WORLD CUP IS THE most popular sporting event on the globe. Certain ethnic sections in towns and cities across Canada shut down during their games. Monday in Toronto’s Little Italy, everything ground to a standstill for the Italians’ World Cup opener against Ghana.
People there happily took to the streets after the 2-0 win by Italy. Against Ghana. In the opening round. Similar sights could be seen in the Portuguese section of town during its opener – and just wait until Brazil starts play.
As a TV rights holder, how could you not show every minute of every game. Twice.
When Rogers Sportsnet won the Canadian rights for the 2006 FIFA World Cup back in 2004, its executives, along with brass at CTV/TSN, were already in weekly meetings, preparing its bid to win the Canadian television rights to the Olympics (the second-most popular sports event) in 2010 (Vancouver) and 2012 (London).
When it won the rights, Sportsnet obviously knew it had a hot property. It also knew there was no way it could show all of the matches. And with its vast slate of Toronto Blue Jays games, Sportsnet would have had a very tough time showing the replays of the days’ action in prime time.
"We bid using traditional thinking," said Sportsnet’s president, Doug Beeforth. "We based our plan on what had always happened before. There were eight games in the second round, for example, where they play at the same time so you can’t show both games.
"We also knew we would have an issue with replaying the games in prime time because of our commitment to the Blue Jays."
But as he sat in numerous meetings with TSN plotting how they will work together in Vancouver in 2010, Beeforth thought more and more about how much sense joining forces for the World Cup would make.
"As we’re having our Olympic meetings, the thought came across our minds that if we’re able to figure out how we can work together on something like the Olympics, maybe there’s an opportunity to do something similar on soccer because if we did, we’d be able to get away from the conflict with those eight games and we’d be able to put every game on live – and also be able to replay every game in a prime time slot," said Beeforth. "The more we thought about it, we realized we couldn’t not go down that road."
"It is simply impossible for one network to air all the games live," agreed TSN president Phil King. "There are just too many games in a short period of time, not to mention that some games are played simultaneously."
Over the first weekend of competition, the partnership is a true example of synergy. While the set is in the Sportsnet building (which shares the CTV/TSN campus in Agincourt) the broadcast teams appear to be working together seamlessly with (r to l) Gerry Dobson and Craig Forrest (Sportsnet) analyzing along with Vic Rauter and Dick Howard (TSN). Each net also has a reporter in Germany (Ian Mendes for Sportsnet and Paul Hollingsworth for TSN).
Even production duties are shared with TSN staffers coming across the footbridge to Sportsnet to work.
For fans, it could scarcely be any better. All the games. All in HD. All repeated in prime time if their bosses won’t let them skip out of work.
While it’s certainly "in the best interest of the fans," said King, it’s also making advertisers happy, which makes the number crunchers pleased at both nets, as well. Revenue is put into one big pot and will be split 50-50 between the two corporate entities at the end. Sportsnet is showing 32 games, TSN 31, and the final is on CTV.
There’s already profit made, added Beeforth. "We’ve already exceeded our revenue goal and there’s still time to sell," he said.
But, aren’t the two channels fierce competitors? I mean, during the NHL trading deadline, the action is fast and furious – as are the press releases crowing about who broke what first – even if it was only by a matter of seconds.
"TSN and Sportsnet are competitors on many levels," said King. "However, when it makes sense to team up and work together, we do it. In this case, it works. How? We park our egos at the door. We sincerely want Sportsnet to do well as this is purely a joint venture for 31 days. We’re sharing everything – talent, ideas, production, marketing, every single aspect that it takes to put together a live broadcast."
"We compete, but we’re not enemies," added Beeforth, who added he went to school with CTV president Rick Brace and produced hockey with him at the CBC.
What the World Cup will also do is reveal just how the two sports channels will work together, what it will feel like, the expectations, and what they will have to do when its time to co-broadcast the Olympics.
"It’s turned out to be a good learning opportunity for both companies as we now are planning for the Olympics," said Beeforth. "I’m not sure if we hadn’t already started the Olympic negotiations that this World Cup thing would have happened.
"This is one partnership where really there are no losers. Viewers win, sponsors win, we win because we get more promotion and everything is on live – it’s nice when these types of deals come along."
So, the big question still is: who do they like to win the World Cup?
Beeforth: "My heart says Netherlands, my head says Brazil."
King: "In my head, I’m picking Brazil. But in my heart, I’m going with England. I have to – I’m British!"
