Sportsnet announces 2017-18 Flames broadcast details
By Ryan Pike
6 years agoOur chums at Sportsnet have released the broadcast details for the 2017-18 Calgary Flames season. As has become customary, the announcement is notable in that nothing has really changed from prior years. All 82 games will be broadcast on radio and television via Sportsnet properties, as well as being available for in-person viewings at a variety of hockey arenas throughout the continental United States and Canada.
Radio
All 82 games, plus all the preseason games, will be broadcast on Sportsnet 960 The Fan – my guess is that the Calgary side of the home-and-home split squad series on Sept. 18 against Edmonton will be carried, but we haven’t confirmed that detail just yet.
As per usual, Derek Wills and Peter Loubardias will have the call, with our pal Pat Steinberg hosting the pregame, game, post-game, and the Overtime call-in show. They’re also trying out an extended two-hour pregame show on weekends this season according to the press release.
Television
All 82 regular season games will be televised, plus both preseason games against Vancouver.
Rick Ball and Kelly Hrudey will call the regional games – though like last year, I suspect that Hrudey will sub off with Louie DeBrusk (or others) here and there to facilitate his Hockey Night in Canada panel duties. Roger Millions is back as host, with Eric Francis helping out during home games. Expect the same format as we’ve seen in the last year or two.
The Flames are featured on 36 national broadcasts:
- 13 on Hockey Night in Canada
- Seven on Sportsnet’s national feed
- Two on Sportsnet West
- Three on Sportsnet ONE
- 11 on Sportsnet 360
The regional games are split between 37 games on Sportsnet West and nine on Sportsnet Flames. Now, before anyone starts freaking out about the nine games on Sportsnet Flames, here’s the deal:
- Four games are bumped to Sportsnet Flames due to baseball playoffs: Oct. 9, Oct. 13, Oct. 19 and Oct. 24.
- Four games are bumped to Sportsnet Flames because an Oilers game is on Sportsnet West at the same time: Nov. 9, Nov. 24, Dec. 14 and Jan. 12.
- One last game (Feb. 21) has an unspecified scheduling conflict.
Before anybody starts scouting about favouritism, here’s the gist of the Oilers’ Sportsnet schedule: they have 37 national broadcasts overall and eight regional games bumped to Sportsnet Oilers. That said, five of their eight games are bumped because of conflicts with existing Flames broadcasts, two for baseball, and one for an unspecified reason. The scheduling give-and-take seems fairly balanced on Sportsnet’s side.
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