TORONTO – TSN is bringing back the use of live mics and adding a ref-cam to select CFL broadcasts starting Friday, June 29 when the Winnipeg Blue Bombers visit the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at 7:00 PM ET.
Featured in 18 games this season, including four games for each CFL team, coaches and quarterbacks will be mic’d for the select games to catch calls, cadences, and collisions to make viewers feel like they’re part of the huddle.
A TSN spokesperson told Cartt.ca that the live mics will be on a 10-second delay to allow for any muting/censorship that may be required. The station has been called out by the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) on two occasions for allowing coarse language to air during previous CFL broadcasts – those decisions are available here and here.
The ref cam, which is video footage only, will appear in one game weekly, promising a first-hand perspective of the game as well as replay footage and unique vantage points during reviews. The ref cam will debut on Saturday, June 30 when the Montreal Alouettes take on the Saskatchewan Roughriders at 9:00 PM ET.
“The new production features being added to our CFL broadcasts provide viewers with an immersive experience that puts them in the middle of the action,” said Paul Graham, TSN’s VP and executive producer of live events, in the news release. “We value the great cooperation of the CFL, CFLPA, and all nine teams in providing a viewing experience for Canadian football fans unlike anything they’ve seen before.”
