Frequently Asked Questions

Why does amateur sport need funding?

1. Athletes may wish to compete in high performance or elite competitions but many  families or teams cannot afford the equipment or the travel expenses to compete;
2. Canadian sport bodies rely largely on government funding which is limited; and
3. Canadian sport bodies also rely on corporate sponsorship which is difficult to acquire without measurable exposure to offer the sponsor.

How would this help Canadian athletes? Organizations who represent these athletes can apply for financial assistance to cover team expenses such as equipment and travel.

How would this help athletes who may not be skilled enough to compete a high performance level?

1. These highly skilled athletes are role models, and we will foster the development of all  elite athletes thereby positively influencing Canada’s youth;
2. If financial assistance is available to more teams, those athletes can attend more competitions and gain competitive experience; and
3. Competitive sport is an important element in developing self-esteem, team spirit, personal pride, and pride in your team and country.

Don’t the other TV networks already carry enough sports?

1. Existing networks carry mostly professional sports and the few amateur sports they do carry represent only a small segment of the sport community in Canada;
2. When major international events are broadcast, individual sports and athletes are not allocated much exposure because of the number of events involved; and
3. Because so few amateur sports are televised, families, friends and Canadians in general don’t get to see amateur athletes or teams compete.  This new network will carry many of the regional, provincial and national events that the other networks don’t broadcast.

Can my children get financial assistance?  How does this help the team that my child plays on? Individuals or teams cannot get independent financial assistance directly from the network or the COC.  However, national organizations will have a greater opportunity to support member teams and athletes through their application to the CASBF (refer to separate menu option entitled “Amateur Sport Benefits ”).

If my community or local club wants to host a national event, how do I apply for financial assistance? You should contact the national administration of your Canadian sport organization for information.  A list of recognized Canadian sport bodies is listed on the menu option entitled “Sport Links ”. 

Why is the network asking the CRTC to increase my monthly cable costs by as much as 60 cents?

1. TV production of amateur sport competitions is expensive;
2. Small facilities are not always “tv friendly”’ – i.e., they usually have sub-standard lighting, power, space for equipment and other necessary broadcasting requirements.
3. Other networks are most often not interested in incurring production costs for what they deem “small” events.

Ad revenue will not fully sustain the CASN/RSAC mission.  CASN/RSAC believes competitive sport is an integral element in the social and cultural fabric of Canada. 

 
Research conducted by TNS Canadian Facts in 2007 has proven conclusively that Canadian families want to see more amateur sport on TV and are willing to pay the proposed subscription fee.