CBC slams door on 50 years of continuous curling coverage

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This article was published 20/01/2012 (5308 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CALGARY — Curling’s Capital One Grand Slam circuit will continue to be a presence on national television, vowed the man in charge of making that happen.

But after a day of stunned reaction to the news CBC was immediately cancelling its contract with the Slam and its main backer iSport Media and Management over what it considered a refusal by iSport to pay broadcast fees, it’s still not clear if or when that will happen.

iSport chief executive Kevin Albrecht said Thursday the Slam, a four-event series of cashspiels that play a major role in determining Canada’s Olympic team, is close to a deal with expanded coverage from the old CBC arrangement with a new broadcast partner, and while he declined to name it, it’s been widely speculated Rogers Sportsnet will take over the broadcast rights, as soon as Friday.

“We’re dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s,” said Albrecht, who insisted the Pomeroy Inn and Suites National, which begins Wednesday, will be available to watch on television, and that the new deal will dramatically increase the amount of Slam curling on the air.

“We’re looking forward to a significant announcement in the coming days. We’re very excited about it and we believe that our new partnership will take us to a new level with the Capital One Grand Slam of Curling.”

That would be the good news. But late Thursday afternoon in an emailed statement, Sportsnet director of communications Jennifer Neziol made it clear no deal is done: “At this time, Sportsnet does not have any confirmed plans to broadcast the Grand Slam of Curling series.”

While Sportsnet’s future involvement was anything but clear, CBC’s was cut and dry. It won’t be broadcasting curling, ending an uninterrupted streak of coverage dating back to 1962.

— Postmedia News