All the schedules note that the NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) will carry the Battle of Alberta — Edmonton at Calgary — on Labour Day with a special 5 pm Eastern kickoff.
The TV listings show that NBCSN will carry three hours of "Star Spangled Sundays" between 5 pm and 8 pm on Monday.
So which is correct?
As we have learned from NHL coverage, set your DVRs to record what NBCSN will broadcast during that time period. If you find there is CFL football, then we'll want to know why the TV listings were off.
If you find "Star Spangled Sundays" on your DVR, then you'll ask the same question we would ask, which is "why the f--- would you carry that over a live CFL game on a holiday?"
And if you want to watch the game live because, hey, it's a holiday, then you'll know sooner rather than later whether the game is on the air.
Previous coverage:
NBC Sports Network announces 2013 CFL television schedule
ESPN3 does NOT list Monday's game in its schedule, so that should mean that NBCSN would carry the game. But the fact that the game is not on NBCSN's schedule is a very bad sign.
Holiday telecasts should be a no-brainer. Inexplicably, NBCSN isn't carrying the Canadian Thanksgiving games. Seriously, what could NBCSN be carrying on the second Monday in October that could get better ratings than live CFL football. And the CFL could be a great lead-in to NHL coverage that night (no conflicts at all).
Please check the Twitter feed for more details as they come. And let's hope for a brain freeze on the part of NBCSN for bad TV listings.
As I sat at home laid up after minor surgery, I discovered channel 490 which is free for all Directv subscribers. 490 is solely dedicated to rugby. So far I have seen games from New Zealand and South Africa. This again begs the question in my mind - why the hell is it so hard to get CFL broadcasts live? There is no way more people watch rugby than the CFL in the US. Not that I am complaining about seeing this sport that is new to me.
Posted by: Tim | August 31, 2013 at 10:41 AM
Sorry to hear about your surgery, Tim. So you actually need more TV while recovering. I'm frustrated as NBCSN is blowing off the Labour Day CFL game for reasons unknown. I would love to have the old days with C-band satellites where if you could find it out there, you could watch it.
Posted by: Chad | September 02, 2013 at 12:11 PM
Well, if we can't get the Banjo Bowl maybe I will get the Hawke's Bay Ranfurly Shield defense this weekend. Not that I understood much of what was going on during any rugby union games. Intruiging though.
Posted by: Tim | September 03, 2013 at 07:44 PM
NBCSN and ESPN2 are reluctant to show the Prairie teams, so the idea of either of them showing the Banjo Bowl isn't likely.
If you ever start a rugby blog, I'll leave comments for you. :)
Posted by: Chad | September 03, 2013 at 09:34 PM