JUNE 16 ALL BLACKS vs CANADA TEST TO BE BROADCAST ON THE SCORE

(Updated below.)

Terrific (and surprising!) news. Rugby Canada press release:

NSMT: NEW ZEALAND vs CANADA TEST TO BE BROADCAST ON THE SCORE

June 05, 2007
Toronto, ON

Through the efforts of the New Zealand Rugby Football Union (NZRFU), Rugby Canada, and The Score, test rugby on Canadian television is again a reality.

The Score will be showing the Canada versus the All Blacks game, on Saturday, June 16th. You can see the all the action from New Zealand starting at 10:00am Eastern, 7:00am Pacific.

If you are not already familiar with The Score, it is cable sports station that specializes in showing highlights and news, but also shows plenty of live sports.

In 2006, The Score showed its first live rugby with the Barclays Churchill Cup in June. Then in September, The Score was the host broadcaster for the Women’s Rugby World Cup, which was not only aired in Canada, but also around the world.

When not showing full games, rugby is featured regularly on The Score through Sportsworld.

A daily half-hour show hosted by James Sharman, Sportsworld focuses on sports such as rugby, soccer, cricket and Formula One. It airs at 5:30pm ET from Monday to Friday, with repeat airings most nights.

Since early 2006, the Score has also broadcast the iRB-produced Total Rugby on Sundays.

Always featuring a round-up of the week’s international, provincial and club action, Total Rugby also produces great features on some of the game’s greats and has in-depth looks on how rugby is developing worldwide.

You can get more information on Sportsworld at: thescore.ca/programs/sportsworld and more information on Total Rugby at: thescore.ca/programs/totalrugby.

As always, feedback on rugby is appreciated at the Score. Send all your comments and thoughts to rugby@thescore.ca.

Source: Rugby Canada

*******

UPDATE No. 1: AL CHARRON WEIGHS IN ON THE TELECAST

From Al's letter today:

I’m off to New Zealand this week with the team but speaking of the Score, it is great news that they will be carrying the Canada versus New Zealand game on TV.

We don’t get a lot of rugby coverage on TV here in Canada like we should, but the Score does a far better job then any of the other channels. Kudos to them and no doubt the New Zealand rugby union, for making the game available for Canadian viewers by not asking an exorbitant broadcast fee.

Now I don’t know this to be the reason for sure why the game is available but I do know that the high fee demanded by those who own the broadcasts rights (ex: England) is one of the major reasons why we don’t see other Canadian games when they are playing overseas.

If the IRB is serious about growing the game globally they should have some say in getting the broadcast fees reduced for test matches shown in countries where the IRB hopes to grow the game. Be it live or on a delay basis.

Hey it’s great for the people willing to pay for watching it via satellite, internet or going down to the pub to take in the action but we have to attract the masses to the game by making it readily available on regular TV.

The Score does its best to accommodate a relatively small rugby community and we can be thankful for at least that, but it would be nice for the other networks to front up and give rugby some air time. But then I am biased toward rugby.

Do give the Score the positive feedback they deserve for giving us at least some rugby coverage in this country at rugby@thescore.ca .

Until next week,
Al Charron.

*******

UPDATE No. 2: ALL BLACKS vs. CANADA 2nd VIEWING OPTION

The Score and Rugby Canada report a second airing of the game will now be added.

The first showing will be at 10:00am ET (7:00am PT) with a second broadcast now at 6:30pm ET (3:30pm PT), both on June 16th.

As mentioned earlier in the week, feedback on rugby is appreciated at the Score. Send all your comments and thoughts to feedback@thescore.ca.

Note: That new email is different from the earlier one (above). Just to be safe, c.c. 'em your thank-you at both email addresses!