Ever since I started working for Champ Car I have heard the rumblings and have seen why, when it comes to TSN carrying the Champ Car events on their schedule. Frustrating to say the least. I count my lucky stars that I get to attend most of these events, because I know that I would probably have to stay up at some ungodly hour on Sunday night to catch the action. I feel sorry for all the Canadian fans.

When I worked for Team Players, this was obviously as concern within the team, and I know that it still is a huge concern for Mr. Johnson, Dick and the rest of the gang at champcar. Rest assured, they understand that in a country where 3 races draw north of 500 thousand people a year, the television coverage is essential for that market. My understanding is that TSN did have the rights to ChampCar up until 2005. But frankly, I really don’t know beyond that. I had always heard that the contract expired in 2005 because I was looking forward to a new television package. But I don’t know if its true or not and I haven’t heard of any negotiations taking place.

Its easy to think off the top of our heads all the other stations that could cover the races and if they lifted the broadcast from Speed then the $$ wouldn’t be that high. Personally, I’d like to see Global cover all the races (instead of their usual Sunday afternoon line-up of Will and Grace, followed by Will and Grace and then Will and Grace), but come September, they are hooked up with the NFL and aren’t going to bump those games, so we would find ourselves in the same pickle.

We are going to run into similar situations with Sportsnet and the Jays. I think the problem lies in the fact that TSN won’t lift the blackout in order to retain exclusive rights in Canada. When they can’t broadcast a race live, they should at least let Speed carry the race live and let the viewers enjoy the race.

There are many X factors involved, but the bottom line is that it shouldn’t cheat its Canadian fans. Not when you have 3 Canuck drivers and 3 huge events in Canada. It just doesn’t make much sense. Problem with TSN also is that they have rights to IRL and NASCAR, so they try and squeeze everything at the same time. TSN is no fool, they know that NASCAR draws huge numbers for them and won’t give that up (though I understand that Sportsnet will also carry some races next season after carrying some Busch races this year). It would be best if ChampCar could split the airtime between TSN and Sportsnet or something like that. Unfortunately, TSN won’t play ball. It’s not the first time that TSN has tried to monopolize the airwaves and its certainly not the last.

The part that probably urks me the most is the fact that TSN is 25 percent owned by ESPN, which goes well out of its way to promote and support the IRL. I know it’s a long line from Tony to ABC to ESPN to TSN, but its effects are obvious. I remember a couple of years back when Global showed the Molson Indy Toronto and TSN showed an IRL race at the same time. No matter what they say, the fact that ESPN is involved is a factor. At least until their contract with the I runs out in 2009.

Hopefully something can be worked out soon. The Canadian fans deserve it. ChampCar knows it and are doing what they can to make sure that Canada has the best television coverage of its races. Will TSN play ball? Or drop it?

Anybody else find the David Letterman/Sebastien Bourdais interview just plain odd? Dave is highly interested in motorsports and its obvious, but this one on one didn’t fit. I guess you can’t always get the perfect interview. Seb was all right, well spoken and whatnot. He did his job. It was Dave who was odd that night. I understand the need to bring in Danica Patrick so that everybody could somehow relate. Dave knows he needs to talk about her as much as possible because it won’t be long before she joins the ranks of Sarah Fisher.

Kurt Busch. Apparently he was very curt with the police officers and according to them, had had a few too many Busch beers.
Terrible, I’m sorry. :-)