UEFA Sells Canadian Broadcast Rights for Champions League Soccer

[Cacat]

Outrageous behaviour - Rogers cuts off soccer - makes you fork out 20 bucks a month for DAZN

Nasty surprise - Champs/Europa Leagues started this week and not on TSN. Soccer on TSN took a major hit, a clear statement that if you want it you must pay 20 bucks a month plus 13 % for DAZN. I am am amazed nobody mentioned this - like sheep following each other over the cliff, Canadian soccer fans either pay or gave up the best games in the world!?

*** Edited Labels ***

[RogersYasmine]

Greetings @Cacat,

We certainly understand how such a drastic change to your cable TV viewing would be a bit of a shock! Especially if you are used to curling up on your couch to enjoy a good soccer game.

We regret to advise that UEFA has sold the Canadian broadcast rights of the Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and Europa League to a video streaming service effective as of June, 2018. Unfortunately, these games are only available online and not available through any TV service provider in Canada at this time.

Our sincere apologies for any disappointment. ☹️

Kind regards,

RogersLaura

[Lurker]

This, literally has nothing to do with the cable arm of Rogers.

TSN is owned by Bell. If you're angry at them, go to their message board to complain.

[Pauly]

Complaining to TSN also wont get you very far either. Just because TSN had the rights prior does not mean they are guatenteed tv rights indefinately. Broadcasters like TSN and Sportsnet Ontario make bids to UEFA who is the one sellng the rights. They happened to choose DaZn we dont know what the reason is because these negotiations are confidential and not disclosed to the public. Complain to DaZn who runs the streaming service and to UEFA for sellng to a non conventional provider.

[Cacat]

Just like a very old cigarettes commercial from the States - Canadians who care about soccer decided to switch rather than fight. No wonder this British Crown Colony has made the World Cup tourney just once. I predict they never will again. Imagine having the best competition not on TV. Incredible for me but, sheep will meekly pay!

[Lurker]

You seem to be under the impression that Rogers is getting money from forcing people to DAZN.

A) the main culprit here is UEFA. They own the product and seek the rights. For some reason, they saw fit to bypass Canadian TV and sell rights to DAZN.

B) Rogers has no stake in DAZN, so there's no benefit to them that this is happening

As someone rightly pointed out, your complaint is with UEFA. Take it up with them that they're forcing you to pay.

[Cacat]

Not what I’m saying at all! It was a cynical corporate decision that’s all. Something is offered at a price and corporate entities bid for it to resell it to Canadians. Media monopolies in Canada have once again sold Canadian soccer fans down the river. Not at all remote from saying that they kicked Canadian soccer in the teeth once more.

[Lurker]

Given that Canada doesn't play in UEFA, I have trouble understanding how this hurts Canadian soccer or how it keeps us from the World Cup.

[Pauly]

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@Cacat wrote:
Not what I’m saying at all! It was a cynical corporate decision that’s all. Something is offered at a price and corporate entities bid for it to resell it to Canadians. Media monopolies in Canada have once again sold Canadian soccer fans down the river. Not at all remote from saying that they kicked Canadian soccer in the teeth once more.

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We actually are not privy to the negotiation discussions behind the UEFA and it's actually really bad idea to assume or speculate the true reason why the rights were sold to someone else.

In my experience of working with contract negotiations, it can be quite funny to read spectuation from the public why one company did not get the bid, and the fact that I KNOW the true reason when I worked in that industry but can't disclose it, the public is wrong on their speculation but im held by a NDA so I often can not go write on forums to correct them, and because of that their bad speculation keeps growing and people start to believe that is the reason why.

[Cacat]

This is the harbinger of not understanding the dynamics of soccer when you live here in the British Crown Colony in North America. EVERYBODY who knows soccer follies UEFA and FIFA. Everyone is following the aging superstars they send to play here. Everybody knows that, by far, the highest example of soccer is played by the best players in the world and each and everyone of them plays Champions Cup. Not showing it hurts all involved in soccer education in Canada and shows those who love the truly universal sport that they are SECOND class when it comes to soccer education and knowledge, plain and simple.

[TheArcher]

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@Cacat wrote:
This is the harbinger of not understanding the dynamics of soccer when you live here in the British Crown Colony in North America. EVERYBODY who knows soccer follies UEFA and FIFA. Everyone is following the aging superstars they send to play here. Everybody knows that, by far, the highest example of soccer is played by the best players in the world and each and everyone of them plays Champions Cup. Not showing it hurts all involved in soccer education in Canada and shows those who love the truly universal sport that they are SECOND class when it comes to soccer education and knowledge, plain and simple.

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First of all - Canada is NOT a British Crown Colony!

Secondly - DAZN obtained the broadcasting rights to UEFA soccer games in Canada simply because they were willing to bid more than Bell or Rogers.  It is a straightforward commercial decision.

DAZN obviously has very ambitious plans to become a major soccer TV player in Canada and other countries. 

[Validemi]

It won’t hurt Canadian soccer but it hurst is that we paid Rogers to watch champions league. Simple I just got back from Europe and my bill for Rogers’s is over 200$ and I’m canceling it right now and then you go complaint to UEFA

[jagger18]

As co-hosts, Canada should automatically qualify for 2026 World Cup.

[kioui98]

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@Validemi wrote:
It won’t hurt Canadian soccer but it hurst is that we paid Rogers to krogerfeedback watch champions league. Simple I just got back from Europe and my bill for Rogers’s is over 200$ and I’m canceling it right now and then you go complaint to UEFA

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I think, DAZN obtained the broadcasting rights to UEFA soccer games in Canada simply because they were willing to bid more than Bell or Rogers.  It is a straightforward commercial decision.

[Johnny1985]

When BELL takes my money I'll complain. Wait are you telling everyone to cancel rogers and go to bell? Deal with the complaints your the service provide so provide service. We have the RIGHT to be upset and its your job to provide excellent customer service and not be a jerk!!

[Johnny1985]

It hurts Canadian Soccer by removing high level exposure duhhhhhhh! MLS is low level that's not inviting anyone to play... Jesus use common sense

[Cacat]

I had to pay DAZN to watch the best soccer live in play today - incredible late equalizer by DeMaria for PSG , eh! As a British Crown Colony possession, at least we can still see the Barclays Premier that the Bell Rogers Alliance get from the Limeys for our servitude and money we pay to the British Institutions and their parasites here , disguised as the Monarchist League! DAZN had numerous interruptions - very poor transmission and app - no matter the device you stream it on - one can read the hatred Canadian subscribers feel towards them as a UK based streaming station, as we get no more cable! But we got legal pot like those on soma in Aldous Huxley's utopia so as to keep us in line and complacent and stoned. Imagine living from now on without Champions Cup and Europa League on Canadian cable? Neither can I!

[Pauly]

I just want to comment on this from a non partisan non biased view. As a TV customer yes it bothers me that a company like DAzN was able to out bid both canadian sports networks for exclusive rights to Champions League.

This not only hurts viewers but it hurts establishments like restaurants and bars.

Now here the good news. It will back fire. If u remember, DAZn did this for football 2 years ago and everybidy was pist they could not watch NFL Sunday Ticket on ANY cable company. So eventually after all the complaints from disgruntled customers the TV rights for sunday ticket came back to every cable company. So a win for cable companies and their customers.


I suspect DaZN knows there will be backlash and will give in but they want to shake up the tv industry even if its the wrong way but it is for their own political gain.


So just to sum it up. I predict it will come back to cable next year after all the complaints against DazN.

[Peppy1]

This  is precisely the point they sold the broadcasting rights A corporate decision.  Another dumb corporate decision no different than the dumb corporate decision our federal liberals have done to the oil patch young man. And don’t feed your lies on this not being a colonized country because the attitudes from a business perspective are colonized. It’s about money.... always is and goodbye my Bell account and good buy TSN. An economic deflationary environment and you have the gull to cancel international football/soccer and force Canadians to PAY to watch the best sport on earth. Instead I watch boring CFL NFL and NHL ( watered down over the years ) and the egg head broadcasters ....NOT. Disgusted to the core, a minor reflection of a far larger looming issue, selling out to the biggest bidder. Corporations do not care. Take that upstairs young man. 

[tpietrzak]

Simple solution . I will never sign with DAZN to watch Uefa soccer . If nobody signs with them - soccer will be back on cable

[Cacat]

Regretfully it is too late! Losses easily evidenced so far: 1. No more Canadian commentators-and they were very good!2. No between halves commentary. 3. Streamed signal is not cable-far more unreliable