By Greg Douglas, Vancouver Sun February 14, 2015
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The thought of B.C. Lions owner David Braley purchasing a Lower Mainland radio station might be worthy of more than the brief mention it received in print last week.
Photograph by: Jimmy Jeong , THE CANADIAN PRESS
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SCENE & HEARD: The thought of B.C. Lions owner David Braley purchasing a Lower Mainland radio station might be worthy of more than the brief mention it received in print last week. The Lions’ broadcast rights with Bell Media-owned TSN 1040 expired at the end of the 2014 season and industry insiders are suggesting it might be more advantageous financially in the long-term for Braley to literally buy his way onto the airwaves in a potential partnership capacity.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) limits to four the number of radio stations a company can own in one market in Canada. Interestingly, Rogers Broadcasting — Bell Media’s archrival — owns three stations in Vancouver: News 1130, 96.9 Jackfm and Sonic FM.
It isn’t as though Rogers, owners of Sportsnet, is foreign to sports properties with 100 per cent ownership of Canucks’ games on television and 100 per cent of all naming rights at Rogers Arena. In addition, Rogers Media operates the Toronto Blue Jays through Rogers Blue Jays Baseball Partnership and Rogers Centre in Toronto.
Nobody, least of all Braley, has to be reminded of the intense competition involving Bell and Rogers media sports properties.
Three words to David Braley: Buy CKNW, please.