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TVA Sports

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TVA Sports
CountryCanada
HeadquartersMontreal, Quebec
Programming
Language(s)French
Ownership
OwnerTVA Group
(Quebecor Media)

TVA Sports is a Canadian French language Category C specialty channel. The channel is owned by the TVA Group, a publicly traded subsidiary of Quebecor Media. The channel is a general-interest sports network, and the first major competitor to RDS, the only other French-language sports channel in the country.

TVA Sports obtains much of its programming via sub-licensing and resource-sharing agreements with the English-language network Sportsnet and its owner Rogers Communications. As of the 2014-15 season, TVA Sports is the official French-language broadcaster of the National Hockey League in Canada, and also carries coverage of the Montreal Impact, Canadian Hockey League, Toronto Blue Jays baseball, and other events.

History

TVA Sports' original logo, used until 2013.

The formation of TVA Sports was first announced at a press event in May 2011, where TVA announced its plans for the network, and some of its launch programming. TVA made numerous efforts to acquire content for the network in the years prior to the launch; including Quebecor's failed attempt to purchase a stake in the Montreal Canadiens, and the company's backing of a proposed National Hockey League expansion franchise in Quebec City—which included acquiring naming and management rights to a new arena in Quebec City built to potentially house a new or relocated NHL team.[1]

On August 18, 2011, Rogers Media, owners of the English-language sports channel Sportsnet, announced that it would partner with TVA Sports to provide production resources, and sub-licensing of French-language rights to some of Sportsnet's event programming.[2] Rogers had obtained CRTC approval for its own French-language sports network prior to the announcement.[3]

The channel was launched on September 12, 2011[4] in both standard definition and high definition.

Concurrently with the announcement that TVA would obtain French-language rights to the NHL through Rogers' 12-year deal with the league, an multiplex channel known as TVA Sports 2 was announced.[5] To alleviate scheduling conflicts during the early rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, a temporary feed known as TVA Sports 3 was added.[6]

Programming

Event programming aired by TVA Sports includes the Montreal Impact (24 games during the 2012 season),[7] Toronto Blue Jays baseball (60 games during the 2012 season[2]), the Canadian Hockey League,[4] as well as Toronto Raptors basketball games, plus other NBA matches, including the playoffs and Finals.[8] TVA Sports aired French-language coverage of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi through a sub-licensing deal with Radio-Canada.[9] In 2013, again in tandem with Sportsnet, TVA Sports acquired French-language rights to the IndyCar Series.[10]

NHL coverage

On November 26, 2013, Rogers announced that it had reached a 12-year, $5.2 billion deal to become the exclusive national rightsholder for the National Hockey League, beginning in the 2014-15 season. Quebecor Media sub-licensed national French-language rights to the league for $110 million per season, making TVA Sports the official French-language broadcaster of the NHL. RDS retains regional rights to Montreal Canadiens games not broadcast by TVA Sports.[11][12][13][14][15] Former Montreal Canadiens goalie José Theodore joined the network as an analyst.[16]

NHL games occupy a significant portion of TVA Sports' programming during the season, with a particular emphasis on the Canadiens and other teams popular in Quebec, such as the Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Toronto Maple Leafs. Certain nights will feature themed selections of games, such as a viewers' choice game on Monday nights, rivalry games, and games focusing on star players. TVA Sports' flagship Saturday night broadcast, La super soirée LNH, will air 22 Montreal Canadiens games per season, along with a second game on TVA Sports 2. TVA Sports also airs the All-Star Game, Winter Classic, and Stanley Cup Playoffs.[17][18]

Past programming

Prior to its full NHL rights package, TVA Sports carried a package of Ottawa Senators hockey games (25 games during the 2011-12 season).[2] From its launch until 2015, TVA Sports carried French-language coverage of the UEFA Champions League and Ultimate Fighting Championship events.[2][1] Rights to both have since been acquired by Bell Media and RDS.[19][20][21]

Carriage

Major carriers which added TVA Sports on launch included national satellite provider Shaw Direct, and regional cable provider Vidéotron (which is also owned by Quebecor Media, TVA's parent company)[22] A carriage deal with Bell TV for TVA Sports was announced on November 22, 2011, part of a deal that also included Bell TV carriage of Mlle, Yoopa, and Sun News Network (Bell TV dropped the latter channel the previous May in a carriage dispute with Quebecor).[1][23] Optik TV added TVA Sports on September 15, 2014 and Bell's FibreOP TV added it on September 24, 2014.

Channels

As a Category C service, TVA Sports is permitted to operate multiple feeds.

Channel Launch date Description and programming
TVA Sports September 12, 2011 Main channel.
TVA Sports 2 September 14, 2014[18] Secondary national feed
TVA Sports 3 April 15, 2015[6] Part-time, tertiary national feed.

References

  1. ^ a b c Magder, Jason. "New TVA Sports channel takes a shot at RDS". The Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d Pollard, Dave. "TVA Sports partners up with Sportsnet". The Toronto Sun. Retrieved 22 August 2011.
  3. ^ "Rogers gears up for French sports channel". Calgary Sun. Retrieved 19 March 2011. {{cite web}}: |first= missing |last= (help)
  4. ^ a b TVA Sports gets CHL rights Toronto Sun 2011-08-26
  5. ^ "New NHL TV deal a shot in the arm for TVA Sports". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
  6. ^ a b Faguy, Steve. "TVA Sports to expand to three feeds during NHL playoffs". Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  7. ^ Vlessing, Etan (14 July 2011). "Quebecor Media Wins Montreal Impact TV Rights". The Hollywood Reporter.
  8. ^ TVA Sports Signs With Raps, NBA
  9. ^ "CBC/Radio-Canada seals agreement with TVA Sports for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games". Canada Newswire. 2 May 2013. Retrieved 3 May 2013.
  10. ^ "Blanketing Canada with in-depth series coverage". IndyCar.com. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
  11. ^ "NHL signs 12-year TV, Internet deal with Rogers; CBC keeps 'Hockey Night in Canada'". Toronto Star. 26 November 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  12. ^ "Rogers reaches 12-year broadcast deal with NHL worth $5.2-billion". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. 27 November 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  13. ^ "What the new NHL broadcast deal means for hockey fans". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. 26 November 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2013.
  14. ^ Cousineau, Sophie (2013-11-28). "TVA to pay Rogers $120-million a year to be NHL's French-language broadcaster". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Retrieved 2013-12-20.
  15. ^ "RDS, Canadiens announce 12-year regional rights deal". TSN.ca. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
  16. ^ "Hickey on Hockey notebook: Habs fail to earn day off". Montreal Gazette. Archived from the original on 7 January 2014. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  17. ^ "TVA SPORTS DÉVOILE SON CALENDRIER". TVASports.ca. Groupe TVA. 2014-08-05. Retrieved 2014-09-20.
  18. ^ a b "NHL, TVA Sports launch French-language agreement". NHL.com. Retrieved 21 September 2014.
  19. ^ "UFC reaches Canadian broadcast deal with TSN, RDS". Postmedia News. Retrieved 23 December 2014. UFC reaches Canadian broadcast deal with TSN, RDS
  20. ^ "TSN, RDS, and Fight Network become new Canadian home for UFC". TSN.ca. Retrieved 23 December 2014.
  21. ^ "TSN, RDS announce new media rights agreement for Champions League, Europa League". TSN.ca. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
  22. ^ http://www.cartt.ca/news/PrinterFriendly.cfm?NewsNo=12299
  23. ^ "Quebecor, BCE settle spat over news channel," from The Globe and Mail, 11/22/2011
Preceded by NHL French network broadcast partner
in Canada
2014 - present 		Succeeded by
none
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