CFL on CTV
{{Short description|Telecasts of the Canadian Football League}}
{{Infobox television
| image = CFL on CTV.png
| starring = The CFL on CTV game commentators
| country = Canada
| runtime = 360 minutes+
| network = CTV
| first_aired = {{Start date|1961}}
| last_aired = {{End date|1986}}
| first_aired2 = {{Start date|2024}}
| last_aired2 = present
}}
CFL on CTV is a presentation of Canadian Football League football airing on the CTV Television Network produced by Bell Media's The Sports Network. It was previously a standalone independently produced program on CTV from 1961 to 1986. CTV dropped coverage of the CFL after the 1986 season; and this coverage was replaced by TSN and the newly-created Canadian Football Network.
History
= 1961–1986 =
In February 1961, CFTO-TV, outbid the CBC for the rights to the CFL's Eastern Conference regular season and playoff games.{{cite news |title=Loss of television rights disappoints CBC officials |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2qFUAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA62&dq |access-date=25 August 2024 |work=The Leader-Post |date=February 22, 1961}} The station was allowed to broadcast only in Toronto and could only air Ottawa Rough Riders and Montreal Alouettes games, as the Toronto Argonauts and Hamilton Tiger-Cats were blacked out in that market. CFTO-TV's owner, John W. H. Bassett applied to the Board of Broadcast Governors for permission to set up a temporary network to broadcast the games in other markets, while another broadcaster, Spence Caldwell, set out to form a permanent network.{{cite news |title=CBC Without Big Four League, Playoff Coverage |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CCtgAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA18&dq |access-date=25 August 2024 |work=Saskatoon Star-Phoenix |date=April 15, 1961}} On April 22, 1961, the BBG rejected Bassett's application and gave Caldwell permission to start the county's first private television network. Caldwell reached an agreement with Bassett to broadcast the games on his new network, which launched as the CTV Television Network on October 1, 1961.{{cite news |last1=Hanright |first1=Don |title=Private TV Network Gets Approval |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-44tAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA4&dq |access-date=25 August 2024 |work=The Montreal Gazette |date=April 22, 1961}}{{cite news | title=Filmed Accolades Put Private TV Network on the Air | work=The Globe and Mail | date=October 2, 1961 | first=Dennis | last=Braithwaite | page=4}} After losing the CFL, the CBC acquired the rights to the National Football League and aired their games against the CFL on CTV.{{cite news |title=Channel Hopping |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dmRAAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA71&dq |access-date=25 August 2024 |work=The Windsor Star |date=December 26, 1970}}
In 1962, CTV purchased the rights to the Grey Cup.{{cite news |title=CTV Purchases Rights To Grey Cup Telecast |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HqUtAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA30&dq |access-date=25 August 2024 |work=The Montreal Gazette |date=May 31, 1962}} The BBG proposed that all stations in the country be required to carry CTV's feed of the game, however the CBC objected because the Corporation did not want to broadcast the game with CTV's sponsors.{{cite news |title=Grey Cup TV for all proposed |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BddUAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA28&dq |access-date=25 August 2024 |work=The Leader-Post |date=August 20, 1962}} The BBG eventually ordered the CBC to carry CTV's broadcast of the game and threatened network president Alphonse Ouimet with jail time if the network refused to comply.{{cite news |last1=Lynch |first1=Charles |title=CBC Loses Battle |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b2lkAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA1&dq |access-date=25 August 2024 |work=The Calgary Herald |date=November 8, 1962}}
On March 15, 1963, the CBC and CTV reached an agreement that saw the two networks split coverage of the Canadian Football League. The CBC had first rights to Saturday games and CTV had first rights to games played on any other day of the week. If two games were scheduled for the same time, the other network had the right to air the game not picked up by their competitor and if a network had to cancel a broadcast, the other network could air the game. Both networks would spilt playoff coverage and the Grey Cup would be aired on both the CBC and CTV.{{cite news |title=Rival Networks In Agreement On Football Broadcast Plans |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PzRgAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA1&dq |access-date=25 August 2024 |work=Saskatoon Star-Phoenix |date=March 15, 1963}} The two sides continued this arrangement until the end of the 1972 season, when the CBC outbid CTV for the rights to the CFL. The CBC still allowed CTV to cover some games and the two networks had a near even split of regular season games and both aired the Grey Cup.{{cite news |title=CBC will telecast CFL games |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iG1kAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA82&dq |access-date=25 August 2024 |work=The Calgary Herald |date=December 1, 1972}}{{cite news |title=...Sports...And More Sports |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b08xAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA122&dq |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=The Montreal Gazette |date=September 8, 1973}}
In 1980, brewery Carling O'Keefe, outbid the CBC and CTV for the broadcast rights to the Canadian Football League. Carling O'Keefe sold the rights to the CBC and CTV.{{cite news |last1=Powers |first1=Ned |title=Will brewery provide fair coverage? |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=375jAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA68&dq |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=The Phoenix |date=October 24, 1980}} The brewery won the rights again in 1983.{{cite news |title=CFL signs sweet deal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q3ZkAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA144&dq |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=The Calgary Herald |date=October 15, 1983}}
After the 1986 season, the CFL and CTV were unable to reach an agreement on broadcasting rights and the league chose to form an independent network, the Canadian Football Network, to broadcast games not aired on CBC or TSN.{{cite news |title=CFL, CTV to part company |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=akJgAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA19&dq |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=The Phoenix |date=March 2, 1987}}
= 2024–present =
In June 2024, Bell Media announced that CTV would air on digital terrestrial television a package of TSN-produced CFL coverage beginning late in the 2024 season. CTV aired Saturday 3 p.m. ET games beginning on September 7, shared in coverage of the playoffs (CTV broadcast the earlier time zone East Division playoff games), and simulcast the 111th Grey Cup with TSN.{{Cite web |title=Star-Studded New Series, Returning Hits, and Live Events to Anchor CTV's 2024/25 Schedule |url=https://www.bellmedia.ca/the-lede/press/star-studded-new-series-returning-hits-and-live-events-to-anchor-ctvs-2024-25-schedule/ |access-date=2024-06-06 |website=bellmedia.ca |publisher=Bell Media |language=en-CA}}
The TSN-produced coverage airing on CTV returned in the 2025 season, now starting from the beginning of the season, and including West Division home games. CTV will air Saturday 7 p.m. ET games beginning on June 7, switching to Saturday 3 p.m. ET games beginning on August 2; again broadcasting the East Division playoffs and simulcasting the 112th Grey Cup with TSN. The Labour Day Classic weekend games and their rematches the following week, during August 31 – September 6 inclusively, will not be included in the CTV package and will remain exclusive to the TSN channels.{{Cite web |title=2025 CFL on TSN Broadcast Schedule |url=https://www.tsn.ca/cfl/cfl-on-tsn-broadcast-schedule-1.1951231 |date=2025-05-07 |website=tsn.ca |publisher=TSN |access-date=2025-05-27 |language=en-CA}}
Commentators
= Eastern broadcasts =
- Johnny Esaw, play-by-play (1961–1973){{cite news |title=Kinsella's Corner: For Want Of $15,000, Horse Escaped Barn |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oP0xAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA15&dq |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=Ottawa Citizen |date=February 20, 1961}}
- Annis Stukus, colour commentator (1961–1967)
- Joe Spence, host/reporter (1967–1972)
- Bill Bewley, colour commentator (1968–1970){{cite news |title=Channel hopping |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C5kuAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA70&dq |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=The Montreal Gazette |date=June 26, 1971}}
- Pat Marsden, host/reporter (1968–1973), play-by-play (1974–1986){{cite news |last1=Walker |first1=Hal |title=World of Spot |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HG5kAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA87&dq |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=The Calgary Herald |date=June 17, 1974}}
- Dick Shatto, colour commentator (1970–1973){{cite news |title=Football Stars Join Network |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=CWxkAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA69&dq |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=The Calgary Herald |date=July 17, 1970}}
- Wally Gabler, colour commentator (1974)
- Bill Stephenson, host/reporter (1974–1986)
- Mike Wadsworth, colour commentator (1975–1981){{cite news |title=Sports in Brief: Hunsperger sent to jail |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vSJlAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA61&dq |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=Edmonton Journal |date=March 29, 1975}}
- Leif Pettersen, colour commentator (1982–1986){{cite news |last1=Wood |first1=Larry |title=Sports |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YXZkAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA49&dq |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=The Calgary Herald |date=April 26, 1982}}
= Western broadcasts =
- Brad Keene, play-by-play (1962–1966){{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=Gorde |title=One Man's Opinion |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bWlkAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA13&dq |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=The Calgary Herald |date=November 6, 1962}}
- Jack Wells, play-by-play/colour commentator (1962, 1967){{cite news |title=Gridirons and Two-Irons |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=helUAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA28&dq |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=The Leader-Post |date=June 23, 1967}}
- Al Shaver, play-by-play/colour commentator (1962)
- Stewart MaePherson, colour commentator (1963){{cite news |last1=Hunter |first1=Gorde |title=No title |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yWBkAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA20&dq |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=The Calgary Herald |date=July 20, 1963}}
- Frank Anderson, colour commentator (1963–1964)
- Vic Chapman, colour commentator (1965–1966)
- Al McCann, play-by-play (1967–1972), host/reporter (1970–1986)
- Ken Newans, play-by-play (1967–1972), host/reporter (1971–1972)
- Gene Filipski, colour commentator (1967–1970)
- Reg Whitehouse, colour commentator (1967)
- Bob Gillingham, host/reporter (1967–1968)
- Johnny Bright, colour commentator (1970)
- John Wells, play-by-play (1971–1975){{cite news |title=No title |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dkM_AAAAIBAJ&pg=PA63&dq |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=The Windsor Star |date=June 24, 1971}}
- Hal Ledyard, colour commentator (1971)
- Bernie Pascal, play-by-play (1972),{{cite news |last1=Powers |first1=Ned |title=$750,000 tab on Russia-Canada series |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MzlgAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA52&dq |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=The Phoenix |date=July 21, 1972}} host/reporter (1974–1975)
- Fred Fleming, colour commentator (1972–1977)
- Peter Young, play-by-play (1976–1979){{cite news |title=Speculation on Grey Cup Confrontation Running High |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w7FTAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA8&dq |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=The Val d'Or Star |date=September 15, 1976}}
- Frank Rigney, colour commentator (1978–1986){{cite news |title=Sunday focus on Belafonte |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=65NjAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA54&dq |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=The Phoenix |date=February 3, 1978}}
- Dale Isaac, play-by-play (1980–1986){{cite news |last1=Powers |first1=Ned |title=Heavy sports week upcoming |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u71jAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA60&dq |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=The Phoenix |date=July 4, 1980}}
- Jack Gotta, colour commentator (1984){{cite news |title=Gotta reported hired to coach Saskatchewan |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OvBfAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA20&dq |access-date=26 August 2024 |work=The Saturday Windsor Star |date=December 13, 1984}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{CFL}}
{{CFL on CTV}}
Category:Sports telecast series
Category:CTV Television Network original programming
Category:Canadian Football League on television
Category:1962 Canadian television series debuts
Category:1986 Canadian television series endings
Category:1960s Canadian sports television series
Category:1970s Canadian sports television series