TORONTO – The CBC has received the go ahead to launch an all-sports television channel despite a concerted effort from rival broadcasters to block the application. But it’s not a complete victory for the CBC as the CRTC responded to concerns by further restricting the amount of professional sports the channel can air.
SportsPlus, a national, English-language, Category 2 specialty service plans to offer programming dedicated primarily to the coverage and “celebration of Canadian athletes with a particular emphasis on amateur athletes,” says the CBC.
"We feel this is great news for both CBC and the Canadian sports system," said Scott Moore, executive director for CBC Sports. "… With the addition of another platform, we will continue to be a great contributor to Canada’s success in sports at all levels.”
CTVglobemedia Inc., the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, Maple Leaf Sports + Entertainment Ltd., Rogers Media Inc. and Score Media Inc. argued the channel would directly compete with existing licensed analog sports specialty services.
“Nothing in CBC’s description of its proposed service would limit in any meaningful way its scope or the competitive threat it would pose to the existing licensed analog sports services. For example, as regards CBC’s suggestion that the breadth and competitive impact of the SportsPlus programming would be constrained by the service’s proposed focus on the coverage of Canadian athletes, the CAB notes that there are Canadian athletes competing in all the major sports leagues already covered by the existing analog sports specialty services,” said the CAB in its motion to oppose the channel.
In its original application, the CBC argued that its proposed SportsPlus service would not be directly competitive with TSN because TSN is dedicated to all aspects of sports while SportsPlus would be primarily dedicated to the coverage and profiling of Canadian athletes.
But the CAB responded that “Given the participation by Canadians in most if not all sports … this “Canadian athletes angle” amounts to a distinction without a practical difference.”
In response to those concerns, the CBC said it would ensure that at least 30% of all programming broadcast during each broadcast year be devoted to category 6(b) amateur sports; and no more than 30% of all programming broadcast during each broadcast year be devoted to category 6(a) professional sports.
Despite the increased commitments to cover amateur sport the commission says it is “not satisfied that the applicant’s proposal is sufficient to prevent CBC SportsPlus from being directly competitive with TSN, Rogers Sportsnet and The Score.
The commission will now require CBC SportsPlus to devote a minimum of 30% of the broadcast week to category 6(b) programming, rather than of the broadcast year as first proposed. Similarly, CBC SportsPlus must restrict category 6(a) programming to 30% of the broadcast week, rather than of the broadcast year.
The commission also imposed a 10% limitation on the broadcast of professional stick and ball sports, including hockey, baseball, basketball, football, tennis, golf and soccer in each broadcast week.
The CRTC says it expects the CBC to abide by its commitment to broadcast 80% Canadian content in each broadcast year and in the evening broadcast period. However, consistent with its approach for Category 2 services, the commission is not imposing the CBC’s commitment as a condition of licence.
The regulator says it will rule at a later date whether carriage of the new service will be discretionary or must-carry.
