A new curling deal that could include TSN returning to its former role as a broadcasting partner of the CBC is expected to be announced shortly by the Canadian Curling Association.
Dave Parkes, the CCA's chief executive officer, said yesterday that television negotiations with the CBC have gone well.
He expected a deal to be reached soon.
"We're pretty optimistic," he said, adding, "There will be an announcement shortly."
Parkes would not confirm TSN's involvement, but said, "We're working toward a resolution that's good for the fans and the sport and the CBC."
Curling fans reacted angrily last year when TSN, the long-time carrier of weekday draws, lost curling rights to the CBC.
That was just the beginning of the problems. The CBC's decision to use the small, subscription-based channel CBC Country Canada to carry Scott Tournament of Hearts telecasts incited complaints from sponsors and viewers.
Then, the CBC and CCA fought over costs involved in the broadcasting of the men's world curling championship in Victoria. When the CBC presented a bill of $300,000 to the CCA for assisting in the host broadcast, the association balked.
The CCA subsequently terminated its deal with the CBC, accusing the network of failing to meet minimal broadcasting standards. The CBC responded by threatening legal action. When other networks refused to bid for curling rights because of a potential lawsuit, the CCA moved to make peace.
According to a source, the CBC approached TSN last week about a renewed relationship.
Although scheduling could be a problem -- TSN has already programmed the week of the Olympic qualifying tournament in December -- a deal is expected to be reached.
In the new arrangement, the CBC would broadcast the weekend playoffs and final of the major tournaments. TSN would provide coverage of the weekday draws.
Hockey Night's audio
The National Hockey League will not comment on the possibility of the CBC airing Hockey Night in Canada games without play-by-play audio. A league spokesperson said it was premature to discuss the CBC's plans.
Still, the NHL's season is less than two weeks away and there has been little progress made on the main issues separating CBC management and the locked-out Canadian Media Guild members.
One CBC staffer was not optimistic.
"When you've got a union that's naive and management that's arrogant, it's not a good situation," the staffer said.
The locked-out employees include producers, directors and on-air personnel. As a result, management people would need to produce Hockey Night in Canada. Announcers are members of the CMG and therefore unable to work.
Sources said the CBC managers are planning to produce one Hockey Night game and transfer the second to TSN. However, a CBC spokesman said yesterday that TSN had not been contacted.
Hockey Night, which is the CBC's biggest revenue producer, is scheduled to open Oct. 8, with the Montreal Canadiens playing the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Air Canada Centre. The second telecast would be the Vancouver Canucks at the Edmonton Oilers.
There's plenty of speculation about what may or may not be done by the CBC if the lockout is still in effect. It's rumoured NHL Productions in New York could get involved by providing play-by-play audio.
There's also the issue of how unionized employees in the Canadian arenas would react to CBC management coming in to produce the games.
Given the dubious options, some of the locked-out staffers believe management will move next week to get an agreement reached in time to have employees back at work no later than Monday, Oct. 3. That would give Hockey Night a week to prepare for the season opener.
The new rules
TSN hockey commentator Pierre McGuire has been hired as a studio analyst for the hockey broadcasts on the U.S. Outdoor Life Network. McGuire will work with host Bill Clement, a long-time hockey analyst.
Calling the games will be announcer Mike Emrick and colour commentator John Davidson. Emrick, Davidson and McGuire also will work on the NBC broadcasts.
McGuire, on the new rules outlawing stick obstructions: "If you don't have speed, you have very little chance of winning. One of the reasons the Ottawa Senators are going to be so tough to play against is their defence has great catch-up speed. They can establish body positioning because of their speed and lateral mobility. A lot of teams don't have that with their defence."
Mike Murphy, the NHL's vice-president of hockey operations, met with Rogers Sportsnet broadcasters this week to apprise them of the new rules and crackdown on obstruction. Analyst John Garrett said to Murphy: "The NHL has tried to stop obstruction in the past and failed. What makes you think you can succeed this time?"
"Because if we don't, we're all going to get fired," Murphy said.
The Toronto Maple Leafs' American Hockey League farm team, the Toronto Marlies, will have 42 games televised this season: The Score television network will carry 15, starting Oct. 7 with Toronto playing Rochester; Leafs TV will air 19 and Rogers Sportsnet eight.