The 2023 CFL Draft took place on Tuesday night, though not many Canadians took the opportunity to watch it unfold live on television. TSN’s two-hour TV broadcast garnered an average audience of 25,000, a 44 percent decrease from last year’s Canadian pick-fest.
There was stiff competition for viewers as the Toronto Maple Leafs drew an average audience of 3.32 million on Sportsnet and CBC for the blue and white’s 4-2 loss to the Florida Panthers. The contest marked the first game of the seven-game series between the two teams as both look to clinch a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals.
It’s the first time the Leafs have advanced beyond the first round of the NHL playoffs since 2004.
The Toronto Blue Jays garnered an audience of 526,000 during the team’s 7-6 loss to the Boston Red Sox. The Jays currently sit third in the American League East standings with an 18-12 record.
TSN’s CFL Draft broadcast recorded an average audience of 45,000 last year, facing less competition for eyeballs.
That broadcast went up against two NHL playoff games featuring the Dallas Stars visiting the Calgary Flames and Pittsburgh Penguins visiting the New York Rangers. The Toronto Blue Jays also hosted the New York Yankees, generating a rating of 733,000.
The 2021 CFL Draft average audience checked in at 57,000 viewers, down 22 percent from the 2020 version which registered 73,100.
