DAZN subscription

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I agree that Quebec City is the most realistic option.

Yah, Maritimers had 20 years to make the Schooners a go and they did nothing, didn't even set up a both at the last Touchdown Atlantic game played out that way, I think they disbanded. Quebec city has a vibrant football culture already in existence and the rivalry with the Als would be great which would help them too.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

If they get that 10th team AND get new butts in seats, then it will have been a success.  I'm not sure even Johnston believes this is possible, thou
What happens in 2033 when it's renewal time and DAZN is broke, or has IPO'd and doesn't need to pad its numbers at a loss anymore?  That's the downside.  (And I'm assuming DAZN doesn't have an exit clause they can exercise earlier!!)

What do you not understand about being a Russian Oligarch and owning aluminum factories? Head guys is a billionaire one hundred times over, CFL money is poppycock to these guys.

[Waffler]

What do you not understand about being a Russian Oligarch and owning aluminum factories? Head guys is a billionaire one hundred times over, CFL money is poppycock to these guys.

What I understand about a Russian Oligarch is that he may change his mind on a whim. His goal is to be the big dog in online sports streaming and betting. If the CFL does not help in that he will drop it like a hot картофель.

His net worth seems to be estimated at 27 billion not 100.  He cares nothing for the CFL, if he even knows what it is, but everything about money. Sure he can afford to lose a lot but only in pursuit of the larger goal. His patience won't be endless.

[Sir Blue and Gold]

What I understand about a Russian Oligarch is that he may change his mind on a whim. His goal is to be the big dog in online sports streaming and betting. If the CFL does not help in that he will drop it like a hot картофель.

His net worth seems to be estimated at 27 billion not 100.  He cares nothing for the CFL, if he even knows what it is, but everything about money. Sure he can afford to lose a lot but only in pursuit of the larger goal. His patience won't be endless.

Man. Just so you know, he's one of the richest people on earth. Believe me, he's not signing DAZN contracts in a sweaty office or reviewing the profit / loss on this deal. It's so small it's not even a rounding error on his books. His patience has nothing to do with anything.

You guys gotta touch grass or something. Go to a library. Take a coursera class. Anything.

[Tecno]

What do you not understand about being a Russian Oligarch

DAZN has averaged over $1B loss in each of the last 3 fiscal years.  Even a $27-billionaire can only sustain that for so long before the pain is too great.

He's betting on the big "free magic money for everyone involved" IPO.  That's the only thing that matters.  If he can't get that, he'll drop the whole venture within 5 years.

The CFL is just a way to buy up "subscribers".  That's it, that's all.  He's probably doing the same for 15 other tiny leagues and obscure sports around the world.  It's the smart move.  I bet he'll get that IPO.  Still doesn't mean he'll want to pay the CFL the same money once the contract expires and he no longer needs us!

[Tecno]

The CFL I grew up loving is soon to be dead and gone with all the rule changes to try and alter the core audience and promote it as NFL-lite.  I might consider paying again if (and ONLY if) the CFL returned to it's Canadian roots, ruleset, and field size.

I totally agree, and you're not alone.  Many more would be willing to overlook the indignity of the DAZN cash grab if Johnston allowed a compromise on field changes.

Maybe we need a grassroots movement: Save The 55

P.S. After every game I go stand on those magic two-5's on the field.  I'm telling you, it's a weird feeling.  It upsets me every time.  Everyone who attends a WPG home game this season needs to stay after and try it.  Just go stand on them.  See how you feel.  And if you want a piece of history, take your pictures standing on it before the last home game of 2026...

[Tecno]

You can't be serious with the above statement.

Whoever made the decision isn't the relevant point here. It's the fact that this decision was made at all which is insulting to TSN/TSN+ customers.

I'm dead serious.  It's like when I see a shoplifter run past me at the grocery store.  That idiot just raised the price of my already crazy-priced groceries.  Just because you don't want to acknowledge cause and effect doesn't suddenly make me happier about subsidizing freeloaders.

And I 100% agree the DAZN debacle is insulting to TSN customers (of which I am one).  Both things can be true.  Two wrongs don't make a right.

Fans whose pockets are being emptied by corporate avarice who then choose not to pay for overpriced streaming platforms aren't the villains in this.

Lol, OK Che.  Viva la resistance.

And are you including WFC in that "corporate avarice"?  Because the teams and team owners are going to be the major beneficiaries of the new media deal.  Is WFC a villain too?  Do you think we should scale the PAS walls to watch the home games for free because tickets are too expensive?  That'll show them!

[Tecno]

i am still going to pause my subscription for the months of Feb, March, April and maybe May (depending on the schedule of Bomber games) New $$ for DAZN from me will be June, July and August

If you pause for 3 months, you're paying $315 a year vs $300/yr if you don't pause.  If you pause for 4 months, then it is slightly in your favor, but probably not worth your hassle ($10-$20 and have to remember to cancel/renew).

[blue_gold_84]

I'm dead serious.  It's like when I see a shoplifter run past me at the grocery store.  That idiot just raised the price of my already crazy-priced groceries.  Just because you don't want to acknowledge cause and effect doesn't suddenly make me happier about subsidizing freeloaders.

And I 100% agree the DAZN debacle is insulting to TSN customers (of which I am one).  Both things can be true.  Two wrongs don't make a right.

Lol,OK Che.  Viva la resistance.

And are you including WFC in that "corporate avarice"?  Because the teams and team owners are going to be the major beneficiaries of the new media deal.  Is WFC a villain too?  Do you think we should scale the PAS walls to watch the home games for free because tickets are too expensive?  That'll show them!

That reads like the type of unhinged, bad-faith reply one would post in throes of exhaustion at 3 am.

Unless you can provide some evidence that online piracy is the reason why streaming platforms have become more expensive, your grocery store example will remain a false equivalency.

Who said anything about two wrongs making a right? We're talking about how TSN+ lost 25% of CFL broadcasting for no other reason than to give away to another non-Canadian platform that'll cost fans/customers more money in order to watch 100% of the CFL. And that's after the fact that TSN+ just increased its monthly price in April. The math ain't mathing for us fans/customers.

And trying to label someone a communist - and a che communist at that - because they pointed out how corporate avarice is a serious and exacerbating factor during an affordability crisis is laughable at best, and intellectually destitute at worst.

[TBURGESS]

As soon as any company puts their product on the airwaves or the internet, they lose all control of the revenue stream. Using the wildly flawed grocery analogy, once the product is out of the store, it's not making any more profit; in fact, it's not theirs anymore. 

[theaardvark]

Trump Media has $400mil+ in expenses on $1mil in revenue.

Its not all about profit/loss, its what/where them money comes from and goes to.

Not suggesting DAZN is nothing but money laundering, but the idea that betting is getting involved in it, well...

[Tecno]

Unless you can provide some evidence that online piracy is the reason why streaming platforms have become more expensive, your grocery store example will remain a false equivalency.

Because it stands to reason.  Take it to the nth degree: everyone agrees with you and everyone pirates DAZN for CFL.  Not a single CFL fan pays.  Does DAZN re-up after its contract term (assuming profit motive exists then, not IPO motive).

Or, if you prefer, if not a single CFL fan pays the extra $ for the TSN channels on cable or satellite or streaming, will TSN re-up their CFL contract?  Good luck with that.

To think that media contracts offered to the CFL are inelastic versus the paying fans it brings to the table is the concept that's ludicrous.

Who said anything about two wrongs making a right? We're talking about how TSN+ lost 25% of CFL broadcasting for no other reason than to give away to another non-Canadian platform that'll cost fans/customers more money in order to watch 100% of the CFL. And that's after the fact that TSN+ just increased its monthly price in April. The math ain't mathing for us fans/customers.

And in that I totally agree (except once again, it's the CFL to blame, not TSN).  Still doesn't make it right to <insert word other than steal that makes it more palatable to you here> the content.  The correct thing to do if you are mad and decide not to pay is to go watch it at your buddy's place, or a sports lounge.  Or just boycott that game to express your displeasure.

they pointed out how corporate avarice is a serious and exacerbating factor during an affordability crisis is laughable at best, and intellectually destitute at worst.

Then you should join me in being mad at Johnston.  He's the "corporate avarice" that is putting this extra burden on CFL fans, not DAZN.  He could have kept CFL 100% at TSN at the normal prices we've all been used to for over a decade.  Join me in the discussion on how this may end up hurting the league down the road.

Arguing over piracy is pointless because the pirates have this self-image, whatever it is, and I've learned over the years it's basically impossible to shake them out of it.  And in the end I don't really care.  I just don't like how usually the only vocal ones on a thread about it are the pirates -- you should see the Riderfans one, you'd love it there.

However, I will end with this.  I can accept if you want to call piracy morally neutral.  But I take umbrage with someone trying to paint it as morally positive.  It's not.  Either it ultimately hurts the CFL, as I posit, or it has no effect, as you posit.  In no way does piracy benefit the CFL.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

Question is how does TSN benefit from this new arrangement?  I'm doubting Stuart Johnson stabbed his old employer in the back...

[markf]

He cares nothing for the CFL, if he even knows what it is, but everything about money.

Same as every other billionaire.

[theaardvark]

Question is how does TSN benefit from this new arrangement?  I'm doubting Stuart Johnson stabbed his old employer in the back...

TSN still gets good content.  Not sure what the split is on who's putting up what dollars, TSN was going to have to pay an increase for this deal, maybe the DAZN/Youtube money reduced their total buy without reducing their total viewership numbers? 

Whatever the numbers are, Johnston sold them on the value, and they are paying, and that was his job.  Whether he could get a 66% increase just from TSN, or needed the added participation to get there, who knows.  All I know is he did it, and next year we are going to see if impact both SMS caps significantly, quite probably increasing teh base salaries and the total number of jobs (expanded rosters/coaching/scouting staffs)