Season of Champions on TSN

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.

Canadian Curling Association

TSN originally broadcast Curling Canada events, including the opening rounds of the Tim Hortons 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 due to health reasons.[5] Since then, Rauter and Howard have been joined by guests analysts Cheryl Bernard (2014 Canada Cup of Curling, 2015 Scotties Tournament of Hearts, and 2015 Tim Hortons Brier) and Stephanie LeDrew (2015 Canadian Junior Curling Championships).[6][7][8]

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 serve as the announcing team for the second game.[8]

Other broadcasters TSN have used for curling include Rod Black, 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 Farrell's new movie, Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.allbusiness.com/services/motion-pictures/4776868-1.html
  2. ↑ "Curling association inks 6-year deal with TSN". CBC News. June 15, 2006.
  3. ↑ Ken McKee (Feb 26, 1989). "All that you can hack in curling coverage is coming up on tube". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2010-02-28.
  4. ↑ George Karrys (December 2, 2010). "Russ set to rock mic". Toronto Sun.
  5. ↑ "Longtime TSN curling analyst Moore retires from broadcasting". TSN. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Homan looks for a three-peat at Scotties". TSN. Retrieved February 21, 2015.
  7. ↑ Kearsey, Dave (January 30, 2015). "Stephanie LeDrew hoping transition to broadcast is a smooth one". The Western Star.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Jones, Terry (February 26, 2015). "TSN's plan to show two matches per draw adds to ticket-sales challenge". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved March 6, 2015.