TSN: Show Curling, Please

Last year, when we learned that TSN would have the exclusive (does CurlTV count?) coverage of major curling events in Canada, we speculated that perhaps with their monopoly TSN would get sloppy and unresponsive.

Judging from what we have seen, that is exactly what has happened. Let me second Alan's concerns. These particular parts of his live-blogging from tonight's game struck me as both hilarious and spot on:

I am getting really peeved not seeing any shots in an end until the last lead shot. Thanks, TSN, for this useless coverage. ...

This really pisses me off. Several rocks are in play and I have no idea how they got there. ...

TSN decide to babble with Pia Lindholm, skip of a team that did not make this championship. Thanks, idiots. Nice to know his wife is birthing, Sheesh, I hardly now want to report this end. What excuse is this for sports coverage? Is this the worst of the NBC Olympic Coverage again? ...

I am sure we are all already missing the first couple of shots of the next end. Is there anyone out there willing to admit he/she would get a Capital One card because of Jennifer Jones shouting hard and easy? In fact, my own reaction is that I will studiously avoid getting such a card. Sorry, TSN, they seem to be your sole advertiser, an ominous thought. ...

This is ridiculous - we are almost halfway into the end? What isin their brains? Do they actually get a large audience who find the early shots irrelevant? I guess they think so. ...

Maybe TSN could just put a bunch of rocks out and let the thirds and skips play out the ends. Like limited-overs cricket it could speed the sport up.

Let me just add that the problem with TSN's coverage is not just that they are missing the early shots (though that is VERY annoying). It's also that Ray, especially, but the others, too, seem bored. As a result they blather about all sorts of things and divert attention away from the curling. I don't watch the coverage to hear cute little in-jokes and repartee between the announcers.

This is clear evidence of the value of competition. TSN seemed much better when they had to prove they were as good as, or better than, CBC.

Well, At Least We'll Get the 2nd half

I have no idea what happened but finally we are able to watch the second half of draw 4 via cbc.ca/sports. If you want to do so, it is working now, but the resolution is downright putrid. Luke is doing a good job with his announcing, but the video leaves more than a little to be desired.

And while we're watching, it looked initially as if Canada was going to have some trouble with Sweden, but after a miss in the 6th by Sweden and a failed double by their skip, Martin was able to score and take the lead 4-3 without the hammer after six.

Webcasting? Internet Streaming? CBC? WCF? WTF?

I swore I wouldn't write about this topic any more, but wtf is going on??? We have been told that CBC is streaming the WCTV webcast of the 2008 World Curling championship round robin games involving Canada, and indeed the cbc sports website says they will be carrying the webcast. But (and perhaps I'm missing something) WTF is it???

Canada Defeats Denmark in round one* of the 2008 Worlds

Martin missed a couple of shots early in the draw, but made a spectacular draw to the button in the 8th end as Canada defeated Denmark 9-3 in the second draw of the round robin. To see the difference between the teams, check out the curling percentages between the two teams:
Overall, Canada curled 86% while Denmark curled only 62%.

Too bad we couldn't see the end of the Sweden-Australia match which looked as if it must have had an exciting finish. But CBC-Bold ended their coverage at 20 minutes to the hour, when Canada's game was over. What an odd time to end their coverage.

*clarification: It was Canada's first draw, but the second draw of the championship.

WCF vs. CCA

The telecasting travesty from the 2008 Men's World Championship is the result of contract negotiations carried out by the World Curling Federation, not the Canadian Curling Association, according to this:

Please note that World Championships convened outside of Canada are not owned or operated by the Canadian Curling Association.

The 2008 World Men’s Curling Championships in Grand Forks, North Dakota is entirely governed by the World Curling Federation. The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has contracted to televise the semi-final and the final on CBC Television (main network) as previously published.

TSN is not on-site or involved in any way with this event.

The WCF produces a number of round robin broadcasts via their subsidiary World Curling Television (WCTV) for European television consumption. CBC has arranged with the WCF to access some of these productions for the Canadian market to be broadcast on Bold TV (a CBC affiliated network previously known as Country Canada) and CBCSports.ca (web streaming).

But who negotiated a nearly as bad broadcasting contract for the Women's Worlds? The CCA is not completely off the hook about these contracts.