The Toronto Raptors, National Basketball Association (NBA), and TVA Sports announced today they have agreed to a multi-year deal that will bring NBA games to the newest French-language sports network in Quebec. The announcement of TVA Sports' broadcast schedule will follow in the coming days.
TVA Sports will broadcast a mix of regular season NBA games, including live play-by-play coverage and analysis of the Toronto Raptors by knowledgeable basketball experts Paul Rivard (an experienced journalist and sports commentator) and Pascal Jobin (a former professional basketball player and coach). The channel will also feature match-ups of legendary teams like the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, and Chicago Bulls, as well as the NBA Playoffs and The Finals. Live French broadcast of these games will be exclusive to TVA Sports.
“This two-year agreement brings basketball back to French-language TV after a 13-year absence,” comments Pierre Dion, President and CEO of TVA Group. “Francophone audiences from Quebec and across Canada deserve the opportunity to appreciate the thrilling spectacle of NBA basketball.”
“We’re thrilled to work with the NBA and TVA Sports on this exciting new initiative that allows us to better connect with Raptors fans across the country,” said Chris Hebb, Senior Vice President, Broadcast and Content, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. “After the success of our preseason game in Montreal last year, we feel this is another step to better engage our French-speaking fans.”
“TVA Sports is a great destination for French-speaking sports fans in Canada and we are excited to bring NBA games to their new line-up,” said Dan MacKenzie, Vice President and General Manager of NBA Canada. “Quebec is an important market for the NBA in Canada, and this partnership will help build a strong presence for basketball in the province.”
About the NBA in Canada The NBA, founded in 1946, is a professional sports league and global business that features 30 teams in the United States and Canada. During the 2010-11 season, more than 300 games were broadcast nationally in Canada on TSN, TSN 2, The Score, Rogers Sportsnet, Sportsnet One and NBA TV Canada. Canadian fans can access the NBA digitally on NBA.com, on Facebook and Twitter and through the websites of our broadcast partners. The NBA has 10 marketing partners in Canada with adidas, Coca-Cola, Cisco, Gatorade, Haier, HP, Nike, Right Guard, Take Two Interactive, and Spalding. NBA Jam Session, a national fan-fest and 3on3 tournament, visited six Canadian cities this offseason and just completed its 2nd year. Through NBA Cares, the league, its teams and players have donated more than $165 million to charity, completed more than 1.7 million hours of hands-on community service, and created more than 615 places where kids and families can live, learn, or play.
About TVA Sports The all-new TVA Sports station will offer a wide range of sport events, with sports newscasts worthy of the TVA Group’s news reputation, along with bold coverage and opinions, and a broadcast team that stays close to sports fans. The station has already signed long-term agreements with several highly prestigious sports properties that enjoy a tremendous fan following, including the Ottawa Senators, the Canadian Hockey League, the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, the Toronto Blue Jays, the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the Interbox Group, GYM, the Montreal Impact, the Champions League, the Red Bull Crashed Ice, the Dew Tour, the Trois-Rivières Grand Prix, the Quebec City Volleyball Open and the Quebec City Velirium.