<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">After an absence of four years, the Toronto Raptors are returning to main network television. The club announced yesterday a three-year agreement with the CBC to air games on Sunday afternoons during 2007-08. The network will carry eight to 10 games in the first year of the contract. The schedule will be increased to 15 to 20 games for the second and third years. "It's terrific to be on the CBC," Tom Anselmi, the chief operating officer of Raptors owner Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, said. "The CBC's interest illustrates the improved performance of the team. And we get into 11 million homes." Raptors audiences on television have been slow to grow, partly because of limited distribution, particularly on club-owned Raptors NBA TV, a digital service reaching less than one million households. Sources describe the deal as a time buy. The Raptors will purchase air time on the CBC and sell their own advertising. Decisions about on-air personnel haven't been reached. CBC Sports will want to use its own people. MLSE will make a strong case for Raptors voice Chuck Swirsky in the booth. This is a good deal for the CBC as well as the Raptors. It gives the network a sports property that attracts a young, diverse audience. And it bolsters the CBC's lineup of sports properties, which includes the NHL, Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto FC. "The Raptors, to me, are similar to soccer in that they bring a different audience to the CBC," Scott Moore, the head of CBC Sports, said. "I think that's important. I'm also interested in the synergy of airing Sunday afternoon noon Raptors games after we've had Hockey Night in Canada on Saturday night. I think MLSE liked that combination. And the team is playing great." The CBC's 2007-08 schedule of games will be taken from those earmarked for Raptors NBA TV. The Raptors already have 2007-08 television agreements in place with TSN, The Score and Rogers Sportsnet, and they can't be changed. Specifics, such as when the CBC's season will begin, are unavailable. The 2007-08 NBA schedule has yet to be released. Global Television, which pulled out after 2002-03, was the last broadcaster to carry Raptors games.</div> <div align="center">Source: The Globe and Mail</div> Good news all around.
Yea, great news. No more Raptors TV, and CBC is a great channel. The one thing is I hope CBC gets Chuck, I hate watching Raptor games and hearing some other guy who isn't as colourful as Chuck is.
I think Chuck is going to call the games because it's part of his agreement with MLSE, or that MLSE gets to pick the play-by-play man, or some mumbo jumbo like that.
I could see CBC getting the CFL announcers or something, which would suck. All I'm saying is it better be Chuck, or I'll just watch it in mute.
