Breaking: Sportsnet, TSN, RDS Partner with CBC for 2014 Olympics

The 2014 Olympics begin in 365 days in Sochi, Russia. Today Sportsnet announced that they are the official cable broadcaster of the Games in Canada. This is just the latest partnership between the two networks which also includes the 2014 FIFA World Cup. I’ll have a lot more on this later, but for now here is a statement from Sportsnet.

Today marks the official one-year countdown to the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia and Sportsnet is pleased to announce it has reached a sub-licensing deal with CBC to provide Canadians with comprehensive coverage of the Games.

Further platform distribution announcements are to come, but under the agreement Sportsnet is now an official cable broadcaster of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.

As part of the sub-licensing deal, Sportsnet and Sportsnet ONE will carry approximately 200 hours of 2014 Olympic Winter Games coverage, including coverage in prime time

And as did TSN and RDS, evidently. Somehow I missed this. Worth noting that TSN and RDS have shown every Olympics since 1998. Very impressive.

TSN and RDS are partnering with CBC/Radio-Canada to provide coverage of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

Through the partnership, both networks will be able to bring viewers access to live events and coverage across TSN and RDS’s sports, news, and entertainment platforms.

TSN and RDS have been part of Canada’s Olympic tradition for the past three decades, setting the standard of excellence for delivering Olympic coverage during the Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 Games.

TSN and RDS will provide more details on this partnership and broadcast information in the near future.

And here is CBC’s press release with all that news and more. Read the bolded section closely. What’s coming next? Netflix for highlights?

Today marks the official one-year countdown to the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, and CBC/Radio-Canada is thrilled to bring the Olympic Games home to Canadians. As Canada’s Official Broadcaster, CBC/Radio-Canada brings Canadians cross-platform coverage of the top news and stories in the year leading up to Sochi 2014, running from February 7 – 23, 2014. With exclusive license arrangements, TSN, RDS, and Sportsnet will also present coverage of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. Stay tuned – more platform distribution announcements to come.

“We’re incredibly proud to be the official home of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games,” said Kirstine Stewart, Executive Vice-President, English Services, CBC. “As we count down to Sochi 2014, we are committed to sharing the inspirational stories of our athletes, while providing Canadians with a robust Olympic Games experience, across all platforms.”

Louis Lalande, Executive Vice-President, Radio-Canada, added: “The Olympic Games have been part of Radio-Canada’s DNA for over fifty years. It is with great anticipation that we prepare for Sochi 2014. We aim to offer viewers from coast to coast a distinct coverage that will allow them to live and breathe with our athletes on this most prestigious stage.”

Click here for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games English Promo.

CBC/Radio-Canada is the place to be as we count down to the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. With coverage across all platforms – including TV, radio, online, and mobile – Canadians can connect with the biggest stories and the latest content whenever and wherever they want it. Through world-class storytelling and the best performance coverage available, CBC/Radio-Canada will introduce viewers to Canadian athletes poised to take on the world in 2014. Canadians can engage with CBC/Radio-Canada leading up to and throughout the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games online in English at CBC.ca/Olympics and in French at Radio-Canada.ca/Olympiques, as well as on Twitter in English at @cbcolympics (#cbcolympics), and in French at @RC_Sports (#RColympiques).

The countdown to the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi was in full-swing this week on CBC, with extensive programming on all platforms. Throughout the week, viewers have enjoyed extensive coverage, with stories from Sochi and beyond, as well as a look at Canada’s Olympians as they prepare for the Games.

2012 Olympics on CTV Commentators

With the release of their broadcast schedule yesterday, Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Consortium also released a full list of commentators. In total CTV’s English-language production will feature 60 on-air personalities. Here is the full list.

The play-by-play commentator is listed first, followed by all analysts.

Commentators
Athletics: Gord Miller, Michael Smith & Dave Moorcroft; Lisa Bentley (Marathons), Roger Burrows (Race Walks)
Beach Volleyball: RJ Broadhead & Mark Heese
Boxing: Jim Van Horne, Kara Ro & Russ Anber
Canoe/Kayak Slalom: Vic Rauter & David Ford
Canoe/Kayak Sprint: Rob Faulds & Larry Cain
Cycling: Jamie Campbell & Curt Harnett (Track), Brendan Arnold (BMX), Leslie Tomlinson (Mountain Bike)
Diving: Rod Smith & Blythe Hartley
Equestrian: Jim Van Horne & Nancy Wetmore
Gymnastics: Rod Black & Kyle Shewfelt (Artistic), Erika-Leigh Howard (Rhythmic)
Judo: Bryan Mudryk & Frazer Will
Rowing: Rob Faulds & Barney Williams
Swimming: Rod Smith & Joanne Malar
Synchronized Swimming: Rod Smith & Carolyn Waldo
Triathlon: Paul Romanuk & Barry Shepley
Taekwondo: Bryan Mudryk
Volleyball: Kevin Quinn & Emily Cordonier
Water Polo: Gerry Dobson & George Gross Jr.
Wrestling: Bryan Mudryk & Christine Nordhagen

Hosts
CTV Morning: Dave Randorf & Catriona Le May Doan
CTV Daytime: James Duthie & Jennifer Hedger
CTV Prime: Brian Williams
TSN Morning: Kate Beirness
TSN Daytime: Michael Landsberg
TSN Prime: Darren Dutchyshen
Sportsnet Morning: Don Taylor
Sportsnet Daytime: Daren Millard
Sportsnet Prime: Brad Fay

Studio Analysts
Donovan Bailey (Athletics)
Kara Lang (Soccer)
Marnie McBean (Rowing)

Reporters
Arash Madani
Dave Naylor
Farhan Lalji (Athletics)
Gene Principe
Genevieve Beauchemin (Rowing, Canoe/Kayak)
Katherine Dolan (Gymnastics)
Perry Solkowski (Diving/Swimming)
Sheri Forde

Continue to check back on the Canadian Sports Media Blog for all the latest Olympic broadcasting news. I will also post sport-by-sport schedules for the Canadian networks as well as NBC. Check for those daily (I will post a couple each day) beginning on the weekend.

NBC Will Show 272.5 Hours of 2012 Olympics; still less than CBC in 2008

NBC has revealed it’s broadcast plans for the 2012 London Olympic Games. The main network will broadcast 272.5 hours of coverage, much of it on tape delay. Still, that is about ten hours less than what CBC showed in Beijing. Yes, Canadian broadcasting of the Olympics is at least four years ahead of our American counterparts. CTV will show upwards of 300 hours of coverage from London (exact numbers aren’t confirmed yet). Here is NBC’s press release with more information.

NBC will broadcast 272.5 hours of London Olympic coverage over 17 days this summer, the most extensive coverage ever provided by an Olympic broadcast network, and nearly 50 hours more than the 225 hours for Beijing in 2008. Swimming — including Michael Phelps’ quest to become the most decorated Olympian ever — track and field, gymnastics, diving, and beach volleyball, among other sports, will serve as the centerpieces of NBC’s coverage, which begins with the Opening Ceremony at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT on Friday, July 27.

Olympic coverage on NBC will again be divided into three day parts: daytime, primetime and late night. NBC’s primetime program, featuring the traditional, award-winning Olympic storytelling coverage that viewers have come to expect, will air 8-11:30 p.m. or Midnight ET/PT on most nights.

Daytime coverage has increased significantly for London. Coverage will begin on most weekdays at 10 a.m. ET/PT, immediately following TODAY, which is originating from London. On weekends, NBC’s daytime coverage will begin as early as 5 a.m. ET/PT. A one-hour late night show will begin 30 minutes after the conclusion of the primetime program. Primetime will be replayed following the late-night show.

It was announced in April that Bob Costas, a 22-time Emmy Award-winning broadcaster, returns as the primetime host for NBC’s coverage. For Costas, London marks his 10th Olympic broadcast assignment and his ninth as the primetime host (Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Salt Lake City, 2002, Athens 2004, Turin 2006, Communist China 2008, Vancouver 2010).

Al Michaels, who hosted daytime coverage at the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, and Dan Patrick, making his Olympic hosting debut, will host NBC’s weekday and weekend daytime coverage, and Mary Carillo will once again host the NBC late night show.

Additionally, top TV broadcaster Ryan Seacrest, tennis legend John McEnroe, famed gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi, and Carillo, broadcasting her 11th Olympic Games, will serve as Olympic correspondents during primetime coverage on NBC.

What is most interesting is two bullets from elsewhere in the press release.

• Daytime coverage has increased significantly for London. Coverage will begin on most weekdays at 10 a.m. ET/PT, immediately following NBC News’ TODAY, which is originating from London.
• On weekends, NBC’s daytime coverage will begin as early as 5 a.m. ET/PT.

Primetime and latenight should account for about 90 hours of NBC’s coverage. The other 182.5 hours will probably come from daytime coverage. It sounds like NBC’s weekday afternoon coverage will expand to cover 10am-4pm (double what they showed in 2008). This is during the late afternoon London time, so NBC can cover many secondary events (that aren’t saved for primetime) live. This will almost certainly include a daily beach volleyball match.

Canada Qualifies Swimmers for London This Week

Ryan Cochrane was Canada's lone swimming medallist in Beijing.

Canadians will get a little advance taste of the 2012 Olympic Games this week as the Canadian Olympic Swimming Trials take place Montreal. The swimming trials are the first major Canadian championship in 2012 to qualify athletes for the London Olympics. All of Canada’s top swimmers are in Montreal in hopes of making the team. The winner of each “A” final will automatically clinch a spot in London for that event. Canada can also qualify a second place finisher in each event, if they hit the pre-detirmined qualifying time.

Ryan Cochrane, the 1500m freestyle bronze medallist in Beijing, leads a strong group of Canadian swimmers into the trials. Cochrane won silver in the same event at the World Championships last year. He is also competing in the 400m freestyle.

Brent Hayden is among the other Canadians who have medal hopes in London. Hayden finished second at the World Championships in the 100m freestyle last year. He won gold at the same event in Melbourne at the 2007 World Championships.

Mike Brown is former World Championship silver medallist (2005 in Montreal) and Commonwealth Games gold medallist (2006 in Melbourne) in the 200m breaststroke. He competed in Beijing in the 100m and 200m breaststroke events. He set a Canadian record in the 200m final, finishing just out of the medals in fourth.

Martha McCabe was a surprise to win bronze at the 2011 World Championships in the 200m breaststroke. At 22 she is one of Canada’s up and coming stars in swimming. Annamay Pierse is also a force in the 200m breaststroke. She won silver at the 2009 World Championships in Rome and is the defending Olympic Trials champion from 2008. This is the marquee event at the 2012 Trials; the final is on Saturday night.

Audrey Lacroix is among the hometown favourites in Quebec. She won silver in the 200m butterfly at the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

Julia Wilkinson (who writes an excellent blog on CBC.ca) won two individual bronze medals at the 2010 Commonwealth Games. She will try to qualify in multiple disciplines this week.

Sportsnet and Radio- Canada will broadcast coverage of the 2012 Trials. Rob Faulds, who called swimming at the 1992 Olympics for CTV (and is calling rowing in London) will work play-by-play alongside CTV’s London 2012 swimming analyst Joanne Malar. Catriona Le May Doan will host the broadcasts and report poolside.

Here is Sportsnet’s broadcast schedule. There are repeats later in the evening on the various Sportsnet channels.

Tuesday March 27 from 7-8pm ET on One/East
Wednesday March 28 from 7-8pm ET on One/East/Ontario
Thursday March 29 from 7-8pm ET on One
Friday March 30 from 10-11pm ET on One
Saturday March 31 from 8-9pm ET on One (repeat at 9pm local on regional channels)
Sunday April 1 from 7-8pm ET on One/East/Ontario/Pacific