Sportsnet one to carry 4 of 6 WCQ matches

[Stuart]

By: Steve Sandor

Four of Canada’s six opening-round World Cup qualifiers will be available on Rogers Sportsnet One.

The Canadian Soccer Association announced Tuesday that all three qualifying games at BMO Field will be broadcast live on Sportsnet One, while the Sept. 6 away match to Puerto Rico will also be carried live.

But Sportsnet will not be picking up the Oct. 7 away match to St. Lucia and the Nov. 11 trip to St. Kitts and Nevis. This isn’t unusual; in qualifying for the 2010 World Cup, Sportsnet didn’t pick up the broadcasts for Canada’s early-round away fixtures in the Caribbean, either.

The CSA stated that there would be some video coverage of Canada’s two road trips to the Caribbean on its YouTube channel, CanadaSoccerTV (youtube.com/CanadaSoccerTV).

The Oct. 7 date puts the Canada game in direct conflict with one of Rogers’ most prized properties, the Major League Baseball playoffs. Two National League division series are slated to be contested on that night.

On Nov. 11, four Canadian NHL teams are in Friday-night action — both the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames are on eastern road trips, while the Ottawa Senators are in Buffalo. Those games would pose potential conflicts for Sportsnet. Vancouver plays in Anaheim that night, but that game wouldn’t likely face off until a game in the Caribbean was over.

[Tuscan]

I know we have to like what we get, but shiiiiiiiiiiit get it off Sportsnet damnit!

[Keegan]

Really, pretty ridiculous. let's hope another channel can get the rights and step up? Long shot?

[Greatest Cockney Rip Off]

Don't they own a channel dedicated to soccer? They seem to have no problems putting CCL games live on Setanta, so why can't they add these?

[djcuse]

Don't they own a channel dedicated to soccer? They seem to have no problems putting CCL games live on Setanta, so why can't they add these?

Most likely the reason the games are not being put on Setanta is because there is just isn't anyway to broadcast the games from these tiny islands... If you remember, the game @ St Vincent wasn't broadcast because there was no way of feeding it back,.

[CanadianSoccerFan]

It's doubtful St Lucia or St Kitts are even going to provide a host feed anyway

[Sam]

Most likely the reason the games are not being put on Setanta is because there is just isn't anyway to broadcast the games from these tiny islands... If you remember, the game @ St Vincent wasn't broadcast because there was no way of feeding it back,.

So send down a broadcast crew and record it!! This is World Cup Qualifying not some friendly

[djcuse]

So send down a broadcast crew and record it!! This is World Cup Qualifying not some friendly

I don't disagree, but clearly from a business standpoint there is no point in doing that so early in the qualification process... The ratings will not substantiate such a $ move..

[Hard Canadian]

Pathetic really. I'd like to see GOLTV or The Score step up and take over the rights. Then we wouldn't have to hear Dobson & Forrest either.

[Footscray]

Disappointing, but I'm holding out hope for low qual video streaming from the CSA, paid for it before for some youth friendlies in distant locales if I remember correctly and I'd do it again for a WCQ if there's nothing else. At least we get Puerto Rico but I'd be curious just to see the surroundings and stadiums in St. Lucia and St. Kitts.