CSA
The Canadian Soccer Association has announced that Rogers Sportsnet will broadcast four matches live and across Canada from the 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship.
The three-club tournament features defending champions and Voyageurs Cup holders Montreal Impact, Major League Soccer club Toronto FC, and 2008 USL First Division champions Vancouver Whitecaps.
Rogers Sportsnet's live broadcast schedule will feature the May 6 championship opener between Toronto FC and the Whitecaps at BMO Field in Toronto (5:00 p.m. PT), the May 27 match between Vancouver and Montreal at Swangard Stadium (7:30 p.m. PT), the June 2 contest between the Whitecaps and Toronto FC at Swangard (7:30 p.m. PT), and the tournament's final match between the Impact and Toronto FC at Montreal's Stade Saputo on June 18 (5:00 p.m. PT). Along with the live broadcasts on Rogers Sportsnet, each one of the four live games will also be available as a delayed broadcast on Setanta Sports Canada.
"The Canadian Soccer Association is pleased to announce that Canadian soccer fans from coast-to-coast will be able to follow the 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship live on Sportsnet," said CSA general secretary Peter Montopoli. "Sportsnet is a committed partner in promoting the sport of soccer in Canada and a natural home for the Nutrilite Canadian Championship. The soccer expertise provided by Sportsnet will further enhance the Nutrilite Canadian Championship property."
"Sportsnet welcomes the opportunity to expand our coverage of Canadian soccer, as we move forward with our partnership with the Canadian Soccer Association," said Dave Akande, vice-president of content, Rogers Sportsnet. "The Nutrilite Canadian Championship will present Canadians with a compelling tournament of the country's top professional soccer clubs."
Of note, the final match in Montreal has been rescheduled to June 18 to ensure a live broadcast for Canadian soccer fans across the country. The Impact earned the right to host the tournament's last match after winning the inaugural Nutrilite Canadian Championship title in 2008.
All three clubs will play four matches in the 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship - two home and two away against each opponent. Each side receives three points for a win and one point for a draw. The first-place team will win the Voyageurs Cup and advance to the 2009-10 edition of the CONCACAF Champions League. The winner of the CONCACAF Champions League will then advance to the annual FIFA Club World Cup.
