DAZN subscription

[VictorRomano]

Starlink + Amazon Firestick + Roomba IPTV app = free everything on my TV.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

With this extra revenue coming into the CFL, I could see this being the initiative that was needed to get a 10th team to commit.

[Tecno]

Like Jesse I to find myself questioning continuing to be a hardcore fan. I'll admit there are various reasons but adding a subscription to which CFL ball just further pulls me away.

And that's the thing that is a scaring me most. Both here and on other forums there are posters that are in the upper echelons of uber fans that are expressing thoughts of quitting the CFL. Or massively curtailing their commitment and support.

Guys I would have thought would be sitting in the stands all geared up even if there was a nuclear war.

If Johnston moves are making these guys feel this way, then maybe it's even worse among the less committed fans.

This should worry everyone.

P.s. Goldie, what are the other reasons that are bothering you?

[Tecno]

Starlink + Amazon Firestick + Roomba IPTV app = free everything on my TV.

As long as you're ok with theft. Yes, many are doing this.

But it does absolutely nothing to help the league financially. And it makes everyone else's bills go up.

[blue_gold_84]

As long as you're ok with theft. Yes, many are doing this.

But it does absolutely nothing to help the league financially. And it makes everyone else's bills go up.

Piracy isn't theft.

Gouging consumers does nothing to help, either. Our bills continue to increase all the same; that's greed.

[Jesse]

Piracy isn't theft.

Gouging consumers does nothing to help, either. Our bills continue to increase all the same; that's greed.

Piracy is obviously theft, but it's well earned "robin hood" theft.

[Waffler]

And that's the thing that is a scaring me most. Both here and on other forums there are posters that are in the upper echelons of uber fans that are expressing thoughts of quitting the CFL. Or massively curtailing their commitment and support.

Guys I would have thought would be sitting in the stands all geared up even if there was a nuclear war.

If Johnston moves are making these guys feel this way, then maybe it's even worse among the less committed fans.

This should worry everyone.

P.s. Goldie, what are the other reasons that are bothering you?

I'll tell you the reason bothering me... it is no longer recognizable as Canadian football. It is some CFL/NFL hybrid that MAYBE American gamblers will bet on. We'll see how it looks on tv when every stadium has Toronto style empty seats with the people actually there not being uber fans, just casuals. I fully expect it to fail and leave us stuck. Perhaps it can't come back at that point. 

Greed. We don't make enough money they say. If true, the sensible thing is cut costs. Why is it so hard to just to pay the players what the market will bear? Is there a player shortage I don't know about? If the cap went down for a few years would the sky collapse or would teams break even and everyone still have a job?

[blue_gold_84]

Piracy is obviously theft, but it's well earned "robin hood" theft.

That's the line we've been hearing since the late 90s with music, movies, games, etc. None of those industries appear to be struggling on account of piracy, and less so with regard to them being victimized by it. Online streaming is no exception as those platforms continue to rake in record profits.

I can understand why someone wouldn't want to pay for both TSN and DAZN in order to watch the CFL. This new format is based purely on greed.

[theaardvark]

No change ever pleased everyone, everytime.  Yes, Johnston has made moves (with 100% CFL owners agreement) that some hardcore fans dislike.  But getting a 66% increase in TV revenues in a league that relies on those more than ever is worth taking some lumps over.

When you have to go to a longstanding partner and some potential new partners, and want them to pony up MORE than previously, you have to show why.  You have to give a reason.  Change is important, and while some traditionalists may say these are not in the spirit of the CFL's long and storied history, I say that if preserving and growing the league while maintaining its core values (12 men, 65 yd wide, deep endzones and ratio) means sacrificing the 55 yard line, that's a small price to pay to still have a CFL 10 years from now.

Will the league lose some diehards?  Maybe. But those are not the demographic these broadcast partners seek. And, truthfully, many diehards are aging out of viewership altogether.

Meanwhile, through new viewing venues and shifting schedules, the league is counting on putting new eyes on the product.  A product that is getting better every year, and is getting reviews from players and coaches that its dang good football. And, maybe, just maybe, they start realizing that it is more interesting/fun to watch.

Broadening access to the league, reducing the impact gate has on black ink, these are great things. 

When Johnston was hired, many were wary.  When the proposed changes were brought it, there was much ballyhoo.  But he was brought in for his media savvy, and on that he has delivered in spades.

Again, a 66% increase in TV revenue is far and above what I had dreamed he could deliver.  I can't see a team in the league now having red ink, and it makes a 10 or dare I dream, 12 team league possible.  Now, with that revenue, a 15k stadium might be profitable.  And that can be built just about anywhere.

The Schooners, and teams in Quebec City and London suddenly become in play (can't do Brampton or Markham, because then Toronto would want a team ). 

There are so many reasons this is a great thing.  There is no way lost viewership over subscriptions and the 55yard line will come close to offsetting a 66% increase in media revenue for the teams.

I can't see any downside to this.  Sorry.

[The Zipp]

That's the line we've been hearing since the late 90s with music, movies, games, etc. None of those industries appear to be struggling on account of piracy, and less so with regard to them being victimized by it. Online streaming is no exception as those platforms continue to rake in record profits.

I can understand why someone wouldn't want to pay for both TSN and DAZN in order to watch the CFL. This new format is based purely on greed.

i am tired of eating pork chops - i want some steak but don't want to pay for it...superstore makes gobs of profit so i am just going to grab a couple and walk out of the store.  superstore won't be struggling they have lots of money and i need my steak.

stealing is stealing

[theaardvark]

Pirates gonna pirate, as they make it harder to do, fewer will do it, and then someone comes up with an easy hack, and back they go.

Back in the day, my old boss used to subscribe to a pirate service that would upload the latest Direct TV hacks, and you'd burn your PROM card with the new fix to get free service.  He justified it because Direct TV did not sell Canadian subscriptions.  He rapidly became a dealer, even though he had zero tech ability, other than downloading a file and burning a card.  But Direct TV would change their codes right before any major event, dropping all the pirate cards, and it usually took a few hours for the new hack to arrive.  But the rest of the time, "free" TV.  This went of for a few years until Direct TV got too sophisticated for easy pirating.

With the way AI is going, I can see this becoming an issue again before long.

[blue_gold_84]

i am tired of eating pork chops - i want some steak but don't want to pay for it...superstore makes gobs of profit so i am just going to grab a couple and walk out of the store.  superstore won't be struggling they have lots of money and i need my steak.

stealing is stealing

I think your example is a false equivalency. Stealing food is not the same as replicating a sports broadcast for free.

If someone wants to use a VPN and an app that lets them stream sports, movies, etc. without them sending a monthly subscription to some faceless, profit-driven corporate entity, all the power to them. Piracy's not the bogeyman despite whatever propaganda corporate ghouls continue to peddle over the last few decades.

IMO, TSN could've easily kept airing all the games going forward in Canada without giving 1/4 of them away to a non-Canadian streaming service.

[markf]

Most of you aren't old enough to remember but at the beginning of cable Vision for tv,

There were two corporations that delivered it.  they divided the city into two sections;

One section each, no competition, charge what you want.

You don't have to be smart if you have a monopoly.

R

[theaardvark]

The reason CFL, NFL, NHL give streamers exclusive games is to get eyeballs/subscription driven to them.  If the CFL aired all its games on TSN, the other providers get zero access to the established fan base.  Which is what they are primarily paying for.

Local radio coverage is always available for live coverage, and no doubt CFL+ and/or Youtube will have on demand after probably 24 hours.

[Jesse]

I think your example is a false equivalency. Stealing food is not the same as replicating a sports broadcast for free.

If someone wants to use a VPN and an app that lets them stream sports, movies, etc. without them sending a monthly subscription to some faceless, profit-driven corporate entity, all the power to them. Piracy's not the bogeyman despite whatever propaganda corporate ghouls continue to peddle over the last few decades.

IMO, TSN could've easily kept airing all the games going forward in Canada without giving 1/4 of them away to a non-Canadian streaming service.

It's not the bogeyman, and it's a problem they create for themselves. So I agree with you. But strictly speaking, if someone is paying to provide a service, and you use that service without paying for it, you are stealing.

Again, under these circumstances, I'm with you that it's justified theft. Still theft though.