Season of Champions on TSN explained

Country:Canada
Language:English

TSN's coverage of Curling consists of the Curling Canada, Continental Cup of Curling, the TSN Skins Game, the World Curling Championships, and Olympic Curling.

Curling Canada

TSN originally broadcast Curling Canada (known through February 2015 as the Canadian Curling Association, or CCA) events, including the opening rounds of the Montana's Brier, the Scotties Tournament of Hearts from 1984-2003. CBC Sports, who had previously shared rights with TSN, became the sole broadcaster of CCA tournaments in 2004. The CCA terminated their deal with the CBC after one season. The CBC was criticized by the CCA, curling fans, and sponsors after the network moved some of its coverage to the digital cable channel CBC Country Canada.[1] In 2006, the CCA and TSN signed an exclusive six-year contract which would take effect in 2008, ending CBC's 42-year relationship with the CCA.[2]

Announcers

Lead announcers

Don Chevrier and Ray Turnbull made up TSN's first broadcast team, calling matches from 1984 to 1985. Chevrier was succeeded by Vic Rauter. Rauter and Turnbull were later joined by Vera Pezer. In 1989, Linda Moore replaced Pezer on TSN's announcing team.[3] Turnbull retired in 2010 and was replaced by Russ Howard.[4] In December 2014, Moore announced that she was retiring from broadcasting for health reasons.[5] Since then, Rauter and Howard had been joined by Cheryl Bernard, until Bernard left the booth in 2022.[6]

Secondary announcers

Bryan Mudryk and Cathy Gauthier currently serve as TSN's broadcast team for the morning draws of the Tim Hortons Brier and the Scotties Tournament of Hearts. In 2015, TSN increased its coverage to two games at the same time twice a day. Mudryk and David Nedohin served as the announcing team for the second game.[7]

Other broadcasters TSN have used for curling include Rod Black, Stephanie LeDrew, John Wells, and Glenn Healy. Will Ferrell, in character as Ron Burgundy, also appeared in the broadcast booth alongside Rauter, Moore and Howard during the 2013 Canadian Olympic Curling Trials as a publicity stunt for Ferrell's new movie, .

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Cbc, Tsn To Share Curling Coverage Business solutions from AllBusiness.com. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20091110132919/http://www.allbusiness.com/services/motion-pictures/4776868-1.html. 2009-11-10.
  2. News: Curling association inks 6-year deal with TSN . CBC News . June 15, 2006.
  3. News: Ken McKee . All that you can hack in curling coverage is coming up on tube . https://web.archive.org/web/20110604143935/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/thestar/access/470357341.html?dids=470357341:470357341&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Feb+26,+1989&author=Ken+McKee+Toronto+Star&pub=Toronto+Star&desc=All+that+you+can+hack+in+curling+coverage+is+coming+up+on+tube&pqatl=google . dead . June 4, 2011 . . Feb 26, 1989 . 2010-02-28 .
  4. News: Russ set to rock mic . George Karrys . Toronto Sun . December 2, 2010.
  5. Web site: Longtime TSN curling analyst Moore retires from broadcasting. TSN. December 2014. February 21, 2015.
  6. Web site: Homan looks for a three-peat at Scotties. TSN. 12 February 2015. February 21, 2015.
  7. News: Jones. Terry. TSN's plan to show two matches per draw adds to ticket-sales challenge. March 6, 2015. Edmonton Sun. February 26, 2015.