![]() “It’s just a reflection of the structure of TV today.” “This isn’t a story about ‘Tim & Friends’ being a bad program - or even being a bad piece of content,” said Seaborn, whose company competes with the sports networks for eyeballs in the digital space. "I knew from jump that all good things must come to an end, but that doesn’t make this any less bittersweet." with an announcement on the future of Tim & Friends. They are up against “SportsCentre,” at TSN, as well as the CBC’s work from the Beijing Winter Olympics. Micallef and the staff at “Tim & Friends” have been nominated for “Best Sports Program or Series” for the 2023 Canadian Screen Awards. “Tim remains a leading figure and contributor at Sportsnet,” said Corte. On Sportsnet 360, the network will carry simulcast programming from Sportsnet 590 The Fan. ![]() In the written message, Corte said the network is putting a sharpened focus on “Sportsnet Central,” its flagship news program, because it “accounts for more than 50 percent of the network’s daily programming schedule.”Īdding to that program’s resources, he said, “will ensure we continue to provide our audiences with the best possible pre-and post-live event coverage.”īeginning on April 17, the slot that used to hold “Tim & Friends” will be filled through the NHL postseason with “NHL Now,” from the NHL Network. “Tim and the entire crew of that show should be very proud of what they achieved as a group, and we are equally excited to see what they will accomplish in their new roles.” “’Tim & Friends’ achieved everything it set out to accomplish as a program,” Corte said. He responded to questions from The Athletic through a spokesperson. An interview with Rob Corte, vice-president, Sportsnet & NHL Production, was canceled because of a scheduling conflict in his calendar. That show - which will launch April 18 - will loop through the morning across all of the network’s channels.Īn interview request for Greg Sansone, the senior executive at Sportsnet, was declined. It began with Micallef and Seixeiro, who had already become a tandem from their time at The Score, and continued after the latter departed in 2021 to become co-host of “Breakfast Television.”Īccording to Sportsnet, Micallef will move to an evening shift from his role in the afternoon, moving to anchor the late-night edition of “Sportsnet Central” on weeknights. Some version of “Tim & Friends” had been appearing on Sportsnet platforms for more than a decade, spanning both radio (The Fan 590) and television. “Beyond that? Any of the debate shows or sports talk or incremental kind of sports features that used to exist … those have all either moved into podcast or YouTube or digital form.” “The reality is today, if you look at the biggest sports networks in Canada - TSN and Sportsnet - they really exist to broadcast live games and to show highlights. “I think ‘Tim & Friends’ going off the air in Canada is a large nail in the already-built coffin for linear sports TV,” said Adam Seaborn, head of North American partnerships for Playmaker Capital, a digital media company. ![]() Its removal, the observers say, was tied to cost, rather than the product. ![]() The network’s decision falls in line with what industry observers view as a growing trend in Canada, as non-core programming - anything other than live events or highlight shows - falls prey to budget cuts in a changing media landscape. ![]()
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