After losing a national television package in 2007, the National Lacrosse League finally has regained a national television package.
On Tuesday, the NLL announced a deal with TSN2, the Canadian sports network, that will feature a a weekly game to be broadcast live and on tape-delay throughout Canada. The deal involves nine games: four games will be shown live, three shown on tape delay, and two with air-times still to be determined. The deal will start with opening weekend's Toronto Rock versus Boston Blazers game held at the TD Garden on January 9 at 7:30pm.
During the 2010 season, TSN2 will broadcast from Boston, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton, and Buffalo - all arenas that also host NHL broadcasts. TSN2 and sister channel TSN are also large NHL broadcasters, thus it would make sense they would pick arenas that they would have familiarity with, or that are used to broadcasting games.
TSN2 is akin to ESPN2 in the United States, although the station is more based on carrying "alternate programming" that would be shown on TSN due to time conflicts, as well as showing programming for the Western time zones of Canada. Due to Canadian broadcast regulations, it must be careful how much "original" programming it must show.
As I mentioned in my previous article about NLL broadcast deals, the last time the NLL had a national television package was during the 2007 season, with a Game of the Week on Versus.
NLL on TSN2 Schedule
Toronto at Boston - Saturday, January 9 at 7:30 p.m.
Boston at Toronto - Friday, January 15 at 10:30 p.m. (tape delay)
Rochester at Toronto - Saturday, January 23 at 7:00 p.m.
Toronto at Calgary - Sunday, February 14 at 6:30 p.m.
Toronto at Edmonton - Sunday, February 21 at 7:00 p.m. (tape delay)
Orlando at Toronto - Saturday, February 27 (broadcast time TBD)
Calgary at Toronto - Friday, April 2 at 10:30 p.m. (tape delay)
Toronto at Buffalo - Saturday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m.
Rochester at Toronto - Friday, April 16 at (broadcast time TBD)
Comments