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Canadian ESPN launches new SportsCentre graphics


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TSN, ESPN's pseudo-Canadian counterpart and self proclaimed "Sports Leader" has launched brand spanking-new graphics and music for its flagship program SportsCentre.

 

The press release states: "Featuring an energetic, contemporary design, SPORTSCENTRE’s new look includes a complete visual modernization of all in-show elements, including fan-favourite SPORTSCENTRE segments."

 

SportsCentre2016.jpg

 

The graphics are obviously ripped from Troika/ESPN's project - altered in a brighter red/white palette to suit the network look. Most of the graphics from this package are actually unused concepts. For instance, the Top 10; ESPN opted for a fly-in dynamic look utilizing After Effects.

 

Under a positive light though, This comes as a welcome change for TSN considering their on-air presentation has been scrambled for more than a decade.

were a hodgepodge of looks dating back to 2008 and 2006.

 

However, this isn't the white knight of all things. TSN still has a lot of cleaning to do: the BottomLine is stuck in 2008, their telecasts are using shoddy in-house graphics, the set (despite the 2014 update) is dated as hell, and the list goes on.

 

Despite the network's minority partnership with ESPN, they are really trying to not scream ESPN.

 

Instead, they should be probably focusing how their name "The Sports Network" ironically reflects the name of a competitor. ;)

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TSN, ESPN's pseudo-Canadian counterpart and self proclaimed "Sports Leader" has launched brand spanking-new graphics and music for its flagship program SportsCentre.

 

The press release states: "Featuring an energetic, contemporary design, SPORTSCENTRE’s new look includes a complete visual modernization of all in-show elements, including fan-favourite SPORTSCENTRE segments."

 

SportsCentre2016.jpg

 

The graphics are obviously ripped from Troika/ESPN's project - altered in a brighter red/white palette to suit the network look. Most of the graphics from this package are actually unused concepts. For instance, the Top 10; ESPN opted for a fly-in dynamic look utilizing After Effects.

 

Under a positive light though, This comes as a welcome change for TSN considering their on-air presentation has been scrambled for more than a decade.

were a hodgepodge of looks dating back to 2008 and 2006.

 

However, this isn't the white knight of all things. TSN still has a lot of cleaning to do: the BottomLine is stuck in 2008, their telecasts are using shoddy in-house graphics, the set (despite the 2014 update) is dated as hell, and the list goes on.

 

Despite the network's minority partnership with ESPN, they are really trying to not scream ESPN.

 

Instead, they should be probably focusing how their name "The Sports Network" ironically reflects the name of a competitor. ;)

 

About time they launch something similar to ESPN for SC. As for the network's name... yeah. TSN or SN?

 

And be aware that TSN doesn't have a 24/7 sports news channel, unlike their Francophone counterparts at RDS which have RDS Info. In fact, the only English one they got is SN 360 and even that airs sports events from time to time.

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As for the network's name... yeah. TSN or SN?

 

The Sports Network. Sportsnet. Rings a bell? (that pun is not intended)

 

And be aware that TSN doesn't have a 24/7 sports news channel, unlike their Francophone counterparts at RDS which have RDS Info. In fact, the only English one they got is SN 360 and even that airs sports events from time to time

 

I'm aware. Having a separate news network for TSN ala RDS Info is largely redundant, since they can alternate SportsCentre through the 5 available feeds.

 

SN360 on the other hand, it barely passes the books on how a sports news network should operate...but I'll save that discussion for later.

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The Sports Network. Sportsnet. Rings a bell? (that pun is not intended)

 

 

 

I'm aware. Having a separate news network for TSN ala RDS Info is largely redundant, since they can alternate SportsCentre through the 5 available feeds.

 

SN360 on the other hand, it barely passes the books on how a sports news network should operate...but I'll save that discussion for later.

 

But here in the US, we have ESPNews when it used to be 24/7 sports news. There easily could've been a Canadian version of it. TSNews perhaps?

 

But they never alternate SC. According to TV schedules, they mainly air them at the exact same time. For example, the 5:00pm SportsCenter is seen at the same time (ET) everywhere on 1, 3, 4 and 5. Its not like 5:00pm ET and then 5:00pm PT, its 5:00pm ET/4:00pm CT/3:00pm MT/2:0pm PT and so on... So basically, if you have access to TSN 1, 3, 4 and 5 in the GTA, you're getting SC at 5:00pm and not at 4:00 or 3:00 or any other time.

 

They should've done TSNews if you ask me since there's truly no 24/7 sports news channel anymore. And here in America, it no longer exists and I wish ESPNews did so again.

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But here in the US, we have ESPNews when it used to be 24/7 sports news. There easily could've been a Canadian version of it. TSNews perhaps?

They should've done TSNews if you ask me since there's truly no 24/7 sports news channel anymore. And here in America, it no longer exists and I wish ESPNews did so again.

 

Considering the fragility of the Canadian television industry, I doubt the idea of an actual 24 hour Canadian sports network is feasible. The financials and audience numbers simply doesn't add up.

 

I can assure you that graphic uses more than just After Effects....

 

;)

Oops, error. Must this mean they using software that can launch rockets???

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Considering the fragility of the Canadian television industry, I doubt the idea of an actual 24 hour Canadian sports network is feasible. The financials and audience numbers simply doesn't add up.

 

Yeah, I know. However, RDS found ways to do so in 2004. But the way things are now, I think TSN is too late into doing TSNews.

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TSN is clearly doing everything within their power to appear to be ESPN Canada. Why don't they just license the ESPN name and official graphics and such? Is the "brand equity" that strong in the TSN name?

 

(asked, knowing nothing about the Canadian market)

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TSN is clearly doing everything within their power to appear to be ESPN Canada. Why don't they just license the ESPN name and official graphics and such?

Quite the contrary. TSN is the least ESPN-like network of the bunch. It took more than 5 consecutive years for TSN to upgrade to the likes of its American counterpart.

 

 

Is the "brand equity" that strong in the TSN name?

You've brought up a good point about brand equity. The simple answer is yes, however that is based on TSN's licencing deal with ESPN. It is most likely the current owner of TSN are using the ESPN deal as an incentive to secure top-dollar licencing, while disregarding other important aspects that were initially taken into consideration by the network's previous owner 15 years ago.

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Actually, TSN does have a lot of brand equity. They were one of Canada's first cable networks, period.

 

Also, I don't consider their current graphics to be that "shoddy" (it was only shoddy when they used an equally patchwork quilt of older elements whilst transitioning to the red/white graphics. And when they pull off a major typo during a championship game). The newer "metal" scoreboard they've been using lately is pretty good (it looks like a thinner version of NBC's current style). They pushed it to curling today with the start of the main season of tournaments; it looks a bit like Fox's MLB scoreboard when it was in the bottom-left, though I kind of agree with the person who thinks that how they're displaying the rocks remaining makes it a bit unnessecarily wide (the black tray does retract as they go)

 

[MEDIA=twitter]803972909991624704[/MEDIA]

 

The World Junior Hockey Championships are coming up; you begin to wonder if they'll ever change the L3s to use that metal style too...

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