GATINEAU – The CRTC today approved an application from Rogers Broadcasting for a new digital channel tentatively called Sportsnet 2.
The channel is to be a national, English-language Category 2 specialty service that would be devoted primarily to the coverage of soccer, cricket and rugby.
The programming would include exclusive international soccer matches from professional leagues and tournaments and the service would also provide coverage of national Canadian teams, including junior programs, sports news, in-depth analysis or instructional programs.
Rogers also stated that no more than 10% of all programming broadcast during the broadcast year would be devoted to sports other than soccer, cricket and rugby, and that with the exception of soccer, cricket and rugby, no more than 5% of the broadcast year would be devoted to live coverage of any one particular sport. Finally, Rogers requested the authority to offer 10% of its programming content in high definition (HD) format.
