A little over a month ago the IIHF World U20 Championship gold medal game made television history for TSN. 12.3 million viewers tuned into the game at some point, a ratings record for TSN.

“Preliminary overnight data confirms that TSN’s average audience for the game was an outstanding 5.3 million viewers – an all-time record for the network and the largest audience recorded on Canadian television since 2005. It is the sixth largest audience for any broadcast on Canadian television in records that date back to 1994.

An astounding 12.3 million viewers – or more than one in three Canadians – tuned in to some of or the entire broadcast.”

So, where will tomorrow’s game be in terms of tv audience in Canada. I know all eyes and opinions will be on the US network audience, but my question is, what will the Canadian number be? It’s hard for me to imagine a bigger television draw for sports in Canada. I would be stunned if it didn’t blow the Wolrd Junior’s ratings number out of the water. This game is, our superbowl wouldn’t you agree?

In 2002, a Grey Cup TV record was set with a national audience of 5.435 million.

This past Grey Cup set another record, when the overnight ratings were 6.1 million viewers, making it the most watches show at the time in Canada TV for the year.

According to CTV, 13.3 million people tuned into watch the opening ceremonies of the Vancouver Olympic games. A number that clearly blew the Grey Cup out of the water. This years superbowl drew aproximately 11.1 million Canadian viewers.

Will the game outdraw the opening ceremonies? Would be pretty incredible if it did.. Can you imagine the schrill from Rod Black if it does?

TSM

Well, for the time being the Toronto Argonauts belong to David Cynamon and Howard Sokolowski, but that could change any day.

It’s no secret that the two men who have owned the boatmen since 2003 are looking to sell, and that David Braley is looking to buy. The problem in many people’s eyes is that Mr. Braley is also the owner of the B.C. Lions. The league has no rule against owning multiple teams, nor does it outlaw one team loaning money to another.

Braley helped Cynamon and Sokolowski pay half of their purchase price, half of their losses. In return, he was repaid with profits from a successful 2007 Grey Cup hosted in Toronto.

TSN’s Dave Naylor reports that the Argos are projected to lose close to $6 million this upcoming season. The reason for this comes from the mediocre product on the field. The team was a miserable 3-15 last season, and has no head coach in place after Bart Andrus was fired in December.

The team has a glorious opportunity to win back disgruntled fans this summer. The Blue Jays were marred by a brutal winter in terms of public relations. They dealt their best player (I know it was the sensible business/baseball decision to make, but the fact is it won’t get the average fan to the ballpark) and raised some season ticket prices by over 50%.

The CFL is the easiest league in which to rebound after a terrible season, what with 75% of its teams qualifying for the playoffs. My take on this is that although the $6 million mark is rather staggering — and I’m by no means a business major — it might be best to hold on for one more season. I don’t think that if Cynamon and Sokolowski wait for one more year Braley would lose interest, unless his goal is to buy low.

***

In other CFL news, commissioner Mark Cohon announced that he will once again be taking suggestions from fans on rule changes. Whereas last year he kept the floor open to all changes (thank God the single remained untouched!!), his only question to fans this winter is whether the overtime format needs to be changed.

The current format sees teams alternate possessions from the opponents’ 35-yard line. The team that scores the most points in a round wins. If after two rounds there is still no winner, the game ends in a tie.

To change this would be ridiculous. NFL fans moan and groan about how their sudden-death format is often decided by the filp of a coin. The current “shootout” overtime the CFL has is one of the reasons why three-down football is the most exciting around. I love the fairness, and it often turns into a great chess match between the coaches. If you go first, do you put the points on the board and hope your defence can hold, or do you go for the gusto?

The CFL would be nuts to change this system. The 2005 Grey Cup between Edmonton and Montreal went to double overtime, and it’s one of the most exciting games I’ve ever seen. Please Commissioner Cohon, don’t mess with a good thing.

- Marc Tessier

Here’s your bikini of the day from bikinibeat.org:

On Fan 590 Tonight

Bruce Arthur Co-hosts….

5:20 Kypreos

5:42 Doug Smith, toronto star

6:05 Don banks, si.com

6:30 Paul Kelly

6:45 John Buccigross, ESPN.COM

On 640 with Brady and Watters thanks to Mike S.

- Steven Stamkos of the Lightning

- Dave Randorf of TSN on the Grey Cup

- Hockey insiders Darren Dreger & Bob McKenzie at 6:10

Happy St. Pat’s day all!

“I don’t know what he’s doing,” Blake said. “Here I am, a 10-year vet … I just don’t know what he’s trying to do.”

Ummmm Jason, he is trying to work his ass off and impress his coaches. Please don’t try to tell me that you expect respect given your 10 years in the league??? If a younger guy is working hard in practice, good on him. Hell encourage him!

Our Pal Lyle Richardson over at Spector’s Blog has a list of potential RFA’s for the upcoming season. He is right, with the economy and the cap both in the shitter, it should be interesting to watch. In any event, here is a link to the list, some interesting names for sure.

“This year’s been a tough year personally,But all you can do is work every day; just come to the rink and try to have each day get better.”

That from Darcy Tucker talking to Adrian Dater in the Denver Post. Does that sound familiar??? I mean, haven’t we heard this tune before?

“”I’m not the type of guy who gets those things and tries to make excuses out of them,” Tucker said. “It’s part of playing hockey, and you’ve got to battle through them. And I haven’t done a good enough job of doing that.”

Didn’t Tucker say very similar things to the Toronto press recently about the decline of his play? While admirable that he doesn’t hide and fesses up, it seems that the song is getting old. Perhaps so too is Darcy.

You can read the rest of AD here

I loved Mike Hogan asking people to call in and tell the greatest sports drinking events…The Grey Cup???? Are you kidding me??????? The Grey Cup!!! Listen, it’s one thing to be a CFL slappy (it’s fine, I actually can respect it), but don’t try to put it on that stage. More drinking goes on in the parking lot of each and every home Redskins, Bills, Cowboys, Browns, Dolphins, Broncos game then in any Grey Cup. I am not bashing the CFL nor the Grey Cup here at all. Just the guy who seems to think it is a world class event.