Chronicle | What if Sportsnet saved TVA Sports from sinking? https://t.co/wrAmwZHS9M
– Radio-Canada Sports (@RC_Sports) September 9, 2023

Over the past few years, there has been a lot of talk about TVA Sports’ financial difficulties. Pierre-Karl Péladeau is the first to admit it: his sports channel is losing money by the ton(figures of $200 million and $220 million keep cropping up), and we’re struggling to keep our heads above water.
The market is tough… and the very expensive NHL broadcast rights contract doesn’t (really) help. Again, not my words, but PKP’s.
In short, we’re at the point where we need to find solutions. And in his Radio-Canada piece of the day, Martin Leclerc raised an interesting idea: what if TVA Sports were sold to Sportsnet (or, in other words, Rogers) to keep the ship from sinking?
What’s the difference? The advertising market is much bigger in English Canada than it is here.
What we’ve also noticed is that the latest negotiations for NHL broadcasting rights have really hurt Quebec channels. Both RDS and TVA Sports have ended up cannibalizing each other and paying inordinate prices.
The two cash cows have been milked to the last drop… to the point where it’s difficult for each of them right now. And imagine what it would have been like if RDS had matched Quebecor’s offer to keep the monopoly in the final negotiations. As Leclerc points out, former president Gerry Frappier really knew how to avoid catastrophe.
We can expect TVA Sports to keep quiet, considering its precarious future… unless it can afford Rogers? And even if there is a sale, we don’t know what the outcome will be.
And let’s not forget the great unknown in Apple, who is interested in ESPN (the NHL’s national broadcaster in the USA). After stealing MLS from TVA Sports, could the NHL be next?
At the same time, if the company is afraid of Apple, it might decide to stay out of harm’s way…
In full
– Hat.
Dan O’Rourke rode from Santa Clara to Chicago to raise money for the National Federation of the Blind 👏 https://t.co/hHhSdD0FMJ
– TVA Sports (@TVASports) September 9, 2023
– Very nice gesture.
The selection and staff travel to donate blood after the earthquake in Morocco pic.twitter.com/DepL1SSUR0
– Nilton Jorge (@NiltonJorge) September 9, 2023
– A professional trial in Pittsburgh for Colin White.
Colin White will be at @penguins camp as he signed a tryout contract with the team. @TVASports
– Renaud Lavoie (@renlavoietva) September 9, 2023
– Not strong.
À VOIR | Mack has completely lost his cool 😠😠 https://t.co/YtmNvYT5X5
– TVA Sports (@TVASports) September 9, 2023
– He’ll be the talk of the town for the next few months.
Adds teams to the race. https://t.co/ibbpZZLxMg
– Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) September 9, 2023