''CFL on CBC'' was a presentation of

Canadian Football League The Canadian Football League (CFL; french: Ligue canadienne de football—LCF) is a professional sports league in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football. The league consists of nine teams, each located in a ...

football aired on

CBC Television CBC Television (also known as CBC TV) is a Canadian English-language broadcast television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster. The network began operations on September 6, 1952. Its French- ...

. CBC held broadcast rights for the CFL from

1952 Events January–February * January 26 – Cairo Fire, Black Saturday in Egypt: Rioters burn Cairo's central business district, targeting British and upper-class Egyptian businesses. * February 6 ** Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh ...

2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto ...

. The exclusive broadcasting rights for the league moved to TSN starting from the

2008 CFL season The 2008 CFL season was the 55th season of modern-day Canadian football, the 51st season for the Canadian Football League. It was also the first CFL season in which all of the league's regular season and post-season games, including the Grey Cup ...

Schedule

The broadcast schedule changed several times in its history, but in the final years of the run, CBC showed a game every Saturday. CBC also showed the Labour Day Classic, a Labour Day Monday CFL Doubleheader which always featuring the

Toronto Argonauts The Toronto Argonauts (officially the Toronto Argonaut Football Club and colloquially known as the Argos) are a professional Canadian football team competing in the East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL), based in Toronto, Ontario ...

versus the

Hamilton Tiger-Cats The Hamilton Tiger-Cats are a professional Canadian football team based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. They are currently members of the East Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The Tiger-Cats play their home games at Tim Hortons Fiel ...

and the

Edmonton Eskimos The Edmonton Elks are a professional Canadian football team based in Edmonton, Alberta. The club competes in the Canadian Football League (CFL) as a member of the league's West Division and plays their home games at the Brick Field at Comm ...

versus the

Calgary Stampeders The Calgary Stampeders are a professional Canadian football team based in Calgary, Alberta. The Stampeders compete in the West Division of the Canadian Football League (CFL). The club plays its home games at McMahon Stadium and are the third ...

. The ''CFL on CBC'' also showed the Thanksgiving Day Classic (Monday) doubleheader. From

1991 File:1991 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Boris Yeltsin, elected as Russia's first president, waves the new flag of Russia after the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt, orchestrated by Soviet hardliners; Mount Pinatubo erupts in the ...

until

, the CBC had exclusive coverage of all playoff games and the

Grey Cup The Grey Cup (french: Coupe Grey) is both the championship game of the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the trophy awarded to the victorious team playing in the namesake championship of professional Canadian football. The game is contested be ...

Championship Game. The ''CFL on CBC'' ended its run on November 25, 2007, airing the 95th Grey Cup from the

Rogers Centre Rogers Centre (originally SkyDome) is a multi-purpose stadium, multi-purpose retractable roof stadium in Downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated at the base of the CN Tower near the northern shore of Lake Ontario. Opened in 1989 on the fo ...

Toronto, Ontario Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...

, after which the CFL left broadcast television and signed a six-year contract with cable network TSN. The CFL granted a no-bid extension to the TSN contract in 2013 (and has offered additional no-bid extensions since then), after which the CBC announced it would no longer pursue professional sports broadcasting rights of any kind.

Commentators

At the end of its run, the ''CFL on CBC'' was hosted by

Elliotte Friedman Elliotte Friedman (born September 27, 1970) is a Canadian sports journalist. He currently serves as a hockey reporter for Sportsnet and as an insider for the NHL Network. He is a regular panelist on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada. Early life an ...

, and featured the panel of

Sean Millington Sean Millington (born February 1, 1968) is a former Canadian Football League fullback and currently does colour commentary for the CFL’s website and the CBC. He has also acted in several movies and television shows. Before the CFL In 1984, M ...

Greg Frers Gregory Frers (born August 4, 1971) is a former professional Canadian football player who played ten years in the Canadian Football League. Frers played defensive back for the Calgary Stampeders, Winnipeg Blue Bombers and BC Lions from 1993 to 200 ...

, and Khari Jones. Mark Lee and

Chris Walby Chris Walby (born October 23, 1956) is a retired Canadian Football League player who played the offensive tackle position almost exclusively with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He won three Grey Cups with the Bombers in 72nd Grey Cup, 1984, 76th Gr ...

formed the lead broadcast team. The secondary broadcast team was Steve Armitage and Khari Jones. From August 20 – October 4, 2005, the ''CFL on CBC'' had no on-air announcers due to a

CMG CMG may refer to: Companies * Capitol Music Group, a music label * China Media Group, the predominant state radio and television broadcaster in the PRC * China Media Group Co., Ltd., publicly listed Chinese holding company in the media sector * ...

strike.

On-air personalities of the ''CFL on CBC''

Play-by-play

* Steve Armitage (1984–1986, 1991, 2005–2007) *

Dean Brown Dean may refer to: People * Dean (given name) * Dean (surname), a surname of Anglo-Saxon English origin * Dean (South Korean singer), a stage name for singer Kwon Hyuk * Dean Delannoit, a Belgian singer most known by the mononym Dean Titles * ...

(2000, 2004) * Don Chevrier (1969–1980) *

Chris Cuthbert Chris Cuthbert (born September 20, 1957) is a Canadian sportscaster. He is the lead play-by-play commentator for ''NHL on Sportsnet'' and ''Hockey Night in Canada'', since 2021. Formerly, he worked for TSN, NBC, and CBC Sports in a multitude of ...

(1992–2004) * Dan Kelly (1964) * Mark Lee (1996–2007) * Norm Marshall (1952) *

Bob Moir Robert Munro Moir (1929December 18, 2016) was a Canadian television producer, sports commentator, and journalist. He covered the Canadian Football League for the ''Winnipeg Free Press'' from 1948 to 1958, then worked more than 40 years for th ...

(1959–1961) *

Bruce Rainnie Bruce Rainnie is a broadcaster for CBC Sports and was the host (2003 to 2017) of CBC News: Compass, the supper-hour news program on CBCT in Prince Edward Island. He has been with CBC since 1995. Rainnie began his career at CJLS Radio in Yarmout ...

(2007) * Ted Reynolds (1956–1960) * Don Wittman (1961–1997)

Colour commentary

Ernie Afaganis Ernie Afaganis (born ) is a Canadian sports broadcaster, known for his work at CBC Sports. He was born in Lethbridge, Alberta. Career After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from Eastern Washington University, Afaganis returned to Alberta where ...

(1966–1969) * David Archer (1996–1997) *

Leo Cahill Leo Cahill (July 30, 1928 – February 15, 2018) was an American head coach and general manager in the Canadian Football League, much of it spent with the Toronto Argonauts. Early life Cahill was born on July 30, 1928 in Utica, Illinois and ...

(1981–1985) *

James Curry James Curry may refer to: * James Curry (Canadian football) (born 1957), Canadian football defensive tackle *James Walter Curry (1856–1924), Ontario barrister and political figure * James E. Curry (born 1948), American bishop * James Richard Curry ...

(1993–1996) *

Chuck Ealey Charles "Chuck" Ealey (born January 6, 1950) is a former American Canadian football player for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Winnipeg Blue Bombers and Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. He became the first black quarterback to win ...

(1986) *

Terry Evanshen Terrence Anthony "Terry" Evanshen (born June 13, 1944) is a motivational speaker and former star receiver in the Canadian Football League. CFL Drafted by the Montreal Alouettes, Terry went on to have an outstanding career in the CFL playing for ...

(1979–1980) *

Darren Flutie Darren Paul Flutie (born November 18, 1966) is a former Canadian football wide receiver for the BC Lions, Edmonton Eskimos, and the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. He is the Canadian Football League's fifth all-time leader in catches, behind Nik Lewis ...

(2002–2006) *

(2007) *

Joe Galat Joe Galat was born in Painesville, Ohio and has extensive experience in professional football as a player, coach, general manager, broadcaster, and youth executive.

(1991–1993) *

Russ Jackson Russell Stanley Jackson (born July 28, 1936) is a former professional Canadian football player. Jackson spent his entire 12-year professional football career with the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He is a member of t ...

(1971–1973, 1977–1980) * Khari Jones (2006–2007) * Dan Kepley (1991–1996) *

Ron Lancaster Ronald Lancaster (October 14, 1938 – September 18, 2008) was an American-Canadian professional football player and coach in the Canadian Football League (CFL). As the starting quarterback for the Saskatchewan Roughriders for 16 seasons, he ...

(1981–1990) *Larry O'Brien (1962) *

Ken Ploen Kenneth Ploen

LAYN Torah reading (; ') is a Jewish religious tradition that involves the public reading of a set of passages from a Torah scroll. The term often refers to the entire ceremony of removing the scroll (or scrolls) from the Torah ark, chanting the ap ...

(born June 3, 1935) is a former star quarterback in United States, American college football and for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). College football In 1956, Ploen became the University o ...

Frank Rigney Frank Rigney (April 9, 1936 – June 29, 2010) was an offensive tackle for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Canadian Football League. College Rigney played college ball with another Blue Bomber great, quarterback Ken Ploen at the University ...

(1969–1977) *

(1998–2007) * Jack Wells (1954) *

Nobby Wirkowski Norbert "Nobby" Wirkowski (August 20, 1926 – October 15, 2014) was an American and Canadian football player and coach. He is best known as quarterback of the Toronto Argonauts. The touchdown he engineered in the 1952 Grey Cup turned out to be ...

(1966)

Hosts

* Steve Douglas (1953–1961) *

(2006–2007) *

Dave Hodge Dave Hodge (born January 8, 1945) is a Canadian sports announcer. Hodge worked for TSN, the CBC and CFRB 1010 radio in Toronto. Early Years Born in Montreal, Hodge began his career as a sportswriter with the ''Chatham Daily News'' in 1965, th ...

(1984–1986) *

Scott Oake Scott Oake (born 1952 or 1953) is a Gemini Award-winning Canadian sportscaster for CBC Sports, Sportsnet, and Hockey Night in Canada. Biography Early life Oake was born in 1952 or 1953 in Sydney, Nova Scotia, and raised in Sydney's "Shipyards" ...

(1995) * John Wells (1973–1983) *

Brian Williams Brian Douglas Williams (born May 5, 1959) is an American retired journalist and television news anchor. He was a reporter for '' NBC Nightly News'' starting in 1993, before his promotion to anchor and managing editor of the broadcast in 2004. ...

(1987–2005)

Studio analysts

Daved Benefield Daved Benefield (born February 16, 1968) is a former professional American football player who played thirteen seasons in the Canadian Football League (CFL) for five different teams. He also was a backup at linebacker and defensive end for the Sa ...

(2007) *

Bernie Faloney Bernie Faloney (June 15, 1932 – June 14, 1999) was a professional football player in the Canadian Football League (primarily with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats) and an outstanding American college football player at the University of Maryland. Born i ...

(1962) *

(2002–2006) *

(2003–2007) *

Joe Galat Joe Galat was born in Painesville, Ohio and has extensive experience in professional football as a player, coach, general manager, broadcaster, and youth executive.

(1993) * Khari Jones (2006–2007) *

(2003–2004, 2006–2007) *

Annis Stukus Annis Paul Stukus (October 25, 1914 – May 20, 2006) was a Canadian football player, coach and general manager, and ice hockey general manager. Stukus was born in Toronto. He played for the Toronto Argonauts from 1935 to 1941, leading the te ...

(1955) *

Glen Suitor Robert Glen Suitor (born November 24, 1962) is a Canadian sports broadcaster and retired football defensive back who played eleven seasons for the Saskatchewan Roughriders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Currently, he broadcasts CFL games ...

(1995–2002) *

Eric Tillman Eric Tillman (born July 24, 1957) is an American-born Canadian football executive who is the vice president of football operations for the Atlantic Schooners. He was previously the general manager of the BC Lions (1993–94), Toronto Argonauts ...

(2005) *

(1997)

Sideline reporters

(1966–1969) * Frank Anderson (1962–1963) * Steve Armitage (1977–2007) *

Ward Cornell Ward MacLaurin Cornell (4 May 1924 – 5 February 2000) was a Canadian broadcaster noted for hosting ''Hockey Night in Canada'' between 1959 and 1972. Biography He was born in London, Ontario where he studied at the University of Western Ontario. ...

(1959) *

Mark Connolly Mark Gerard Connolly (born 16 December 1991) is an Irish footballer who plays for Derry City. He has previously played for Bolton Wanderers, St Johnstone, Macclesfield Town, Crawley Town, Kilmarnock, Dundee United, Dunfermline Athletic and Du ...

(2007) *

(1995) *

(2006) *

(2005) *

Brenda Irving Brenda Irving is a Canadian television sports journalist employed by CBC Television. She was the first female ''Hockey Night in Canada'' rinkside reporter between 2001 and 2006, and previously served for seven years as a news reporter. She has als ...

(1996–2007) * Khari Jones (2007) * Mark Lee (2004) *

Doug Maxwell Douglas Dean Maxwell (c. 1927 – August 31, 2007) was a noted Canadian journalist and broadcaster, noted for his coverage in the sport of curling. Among his accomplishments, Maxwell served as director of the World Curling Championships for 18 year ...

(1961) *

Tom McKee Thomas M. McKee (born March 13, 1941) is an American politician and farmer who served as a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives for the 78th district from 1997 to 2017. Career McKee, a tobacco farmer and resident of Cynthiana, Kentu ...

(1958–1960) *

(1987–1994) *

Larry O'Brien Lawrence Francis O'Brien Jr. (July 7, 1917September 28, 1990) was an American politician and basketball commissioner. He was one of the United States Democratic Party's leading electoral strategists for more than two decades. He served as Postm ...

(1956–1957) *

(1984–1986)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cfl On Cbc Sports telecast series Black-and-white Canadian television shows CBC Television original programming CBC Sports Canadian Football League on television 1952 Canadian television series debuts 2007 Canadian television series endings 1950s Canadian sports television series 1960s Canadian sports television series 1970s Canadian sports television series 1980s Canadian sports television series 1990s Canadian sports television series 2000s Canadian sports television series