Public documents filed for this week's hearings into
CTV's planned takeover of TSN produced some "fascinating
facts," according to Chris Zelkovich of the TORONTO STAR.
CTV SportsNet pays about C$140,000 per game for Blue Jays
rights, while TSN pays C$120,000 a game. The TV rights fees
make up 25% of the team's income. During the Blue Jays'
World Series season in '93, advertising spots on TSN's 79
Jays games were sold out, while last year, only 41% of the
commercial spots were sold. Each Jays game means about
C$50,000 in production costs for TSN on top of the C$120,000
in rights fees. Zelkovich adds that "since each game pulls
in about" C$85,000 in advertising, TSN loses C$85,000 during
each Blue Jays broadcast. Documents showed that TSN gets
14% of its programming from partner ESPN, down from about
20% "or so" in the 80's (TORONTO STAR, 12/10).
THE EARLY LINE: In Toronto, William Houston reports
that after observing this week's hearings on CTV's proposed
merger with TSN, "industry insiders" say that CTV's
"presentation was weaker than some expected," and the
Canadian Radio-TV Telecom Commission's approval of the deal
is "no longer a slam dunk" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 12/10).
