The Canadian Football League has found a new American broadcast partner, announcing a multi-year deal that will see CBS Sports Network carry 34 CFL games on its network in 2023.
“We’re looking forward to working closely with CBS Sports Network to serve our loyal fans in the U.S. and grow our base there,” CFL commissioner Randy Ambrosie said in a statement.
“CBS Sports is synonymous with the finest in sports broadcasting and we’re proud to showcase our product on its network.”
The commissioner had teased a new American broadcast deal for the league since January, intending to improve on their previous arrangement with ESPN. According to 3DownNation reporter John Hodge, that deal was worth between $100,000 to $200,000 USD annually.
According to a report from Farhan Lalji, CBS is paying $1 million for the rights, of which each team will receive. $100,000. The league’s exclusive Canadian rights holder, TSN, pays approximately $50 million annually for their broadcast privileges.
“The CFL is an exciting brand of football, with a great history that has long included some of the stars of the game,” Dan Weinberg, executive vice president of programming at CBS Sports, said as part of the announcement. “We are excited for the CFL to join our robust line-up of live events on CBS Sports Network and we look forward to showcasing the current generation of CFL stars.”
A tentative schedule of CFL on CBS Sports Network broadcast will feature the league’s season opener on June 8, Canada Day and Thanksgiving matchups, as well as the traditional Labour Day Weekend rivalry slate. A full broadcast schedule will be announced closer to the season.
“We’re confident that, working together, we can serve our American fans and continue to grow their numbers,” Ambrosie said.
“We’re looking forward to a partnership that brings together the best of Canadian football and one of the great brands in American sports television.”
The CFL included in its release that information about how American fans can watch games not being broadcast on CBS Sports Network will be available at a later date. Ambrosie recently floated the idea of testing direct-to-consumer streaming in the U.S. market.
More information on the terms of the new broadcast agreement will be reported as it becomes available.
