GolTV (Canada)

GolTV is a Canadian English language Category B specialty channel. GolTV is exclusively dedicated to association football (soccer), with live and recorded sporting events from around the world, and news programs. GolTV is owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) and GOL TV USA, a division of Tenfield.

GolTV also distributes a Spanish language feed available through select television providers. It broadcasts the same schedule as the English feed, only with Spanish audio.

History

In August 2005, Insight Sports (on behalf of a corporation to be incorporated) was granted a television broadcasting licence by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) for The Soccer Net, described as "a national English-language Category 2 specialty programming undertaking devoted to soccer and soccer enthusiasts. The programming will focus on instruction from beginner to advanced play and on amateur and professional soccer games. All of the programming will be devoted to soccer or soccer-related subjects."^[1]

The channel was launched on November 1, 2005 as GolTV.^[2] At some point, GOL TV USA purchased a minority interest in the channel.

On January 23, 2009, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, owners of Major League Soccer franchise Toronto FC (along with other major sports teams in the city), announced they would acquire Insight Sports' interest in GolTV.^[3] The deal was approved by the CRTC on June 2, 2009.^[4]

Programming

GolTV Canada features live and taped events from the following leagues and competitions:

• Brazil: Campeonato Brasileiro, Campeonato Paulista
• Canada / USA: Major League Soccer (including team-specific coverage of Toronto FC)
• Germany: Bundesliga
• Mexico: Liga de Ascenso (2nd division)
• Spain: Copa del Rey (final only), Supercopa de España

GolTV broadcasts international matches, including friendlies and qualifiers, including:

• CONCACAF: Women's Pre-Olympic Tournament
• CONMEBOL: South American Youth Championship
• FIFA: Selected World Cup Qualifiers

Other programs

• Bundesliga Magazine
• Canadian Football Weekly
• Foot Brazil
• Football Today
• GolTV News
• Hallo Bundesliga
• Liga BBVA
• MLS Weekly
• Off The Pitch
• Oh My Gol!

Past programming

GolTV previously aired coverage of Spain's La Liga. Since mid-2012, the Canadian broadcast rights to that league have been owned by the upstart Al Jazeera-owned channel beIN Sport.

High definition

GolTV announced on December 5, 2011 that it will launch HD programming in partnership with the RealSports and Xbox 360. HD programming will be available via a free app for the Xbox 360 with a monthly subscription fee.^[5]

GolTV officially launched its HD service on television systems in November 2012 with EastLink. GolTV Canada HD is now available on Ch.428 on Rogers.

Rival channels

• beIN Sports
• Sportsnet World

Logos

2005 - 2007	2007 - 2009	2009–present

See also

• GOL TV (Latin American)
• GOL TV

References

External links

• GolTV

Sports television in Canada Broadcast networks Full sports divisions CBC Sports Radio-Canada Sports Occasional or U.S. simulcasts only City CTV Global TVA V CHCH Mainstream specialty English Sportsnet One East Ontario West Pacific TSN 1 2 3 4 5 French Réseau des sports RDS2 TVA Sports TVA Sports 2 Sports news English FNTSY Sports Network Sportsnet 360 French RDS Info Niche specialty (English) Archival ESPN Classic Sport specific ATN Cricket Plus ATN Sports beIN Sports EuroWorld Sport Fight Network GolTV HPItv Leafs TV NBA TV Canada NHL Network Sportsnet World Ten Cricket WWE Network Lifestyle and recreation Wild TV World Fishing Network Occasional broadcasts Commonwealth Broadcasting Network EastLink TV Rogers TV Shaw TV TVCogeco Defunct Breakaway PPV Canadian Football Network Fox Sports World Canada Sens TV WTSN X-Treme Sports Foreign Afro Sports (USA) Big Ten Network (USA) CBS Sports Network (USA) Fox Sports Racing (USA) Golf Channel (USA) KHL-TV (Russia) MLB Network (USA) NFL Network (USA) Sport Plus (Greece)