Joel Darling, the head of production for CBC Sports, said the digital channel, to be called CBC SportsPlus, is likely to be launched in the first half of 2009. "Obviously, there is a lot of work to be done to get there," he said. "But we've got some infrastructure in place that will make that happen quickly."
The licence approval is a significant win for CBC. In addition to amateur content, the channel will be allowed to air professional sports programming. In addition, the sports service will help the CBC compete against CTV-TSN for future Olympic rights.
Under the proposals, which were approved by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), CBC said it would air a minimum of 30-per-cent amateur sport, measured over a year, and no more than 30-per-cent professional sport, measured over a year. The CRTC stipulated those percentages needed to be met on a weekly basis.
The CBC has also promised to air 80-per-cent Canadian content, measured over a year, and also 80-per-cent Canadian content each day during prime time.
