Watching UofM Football in Toronto?
Any recommendations on places that will be guaranteed to have the Bama game?
Help would be appreciated.
August 22nd, 2012 at 9:47 PM ^
August 22nd, 2012 at 9:54 PM ^
http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/um-friendly-bar-locations-across-us-and-els…
August 22nd, 2012 at 9:57 PM ^
Real Sports bar is a great place
i live in Vancouver now but when i lived in Ontario watched a few games there..
August 22nd, 2012 at 9:57 PM ^
Real Sports might have it - it's an ESPN Zone location, I think, which may mean the ABC coverage by extension. It's on York Street south of Front a few blocks. Shoxs on Dundas is essentially a billiards lounge (that's how I remember it anyway) but they are fairly democratic about what is on the television, so you might have a shot there as well.
I might also check with the our Canadian alums to see if there is a meetup. I would imagine they would do something as well.
August 22nd, 2012 at 9:59 PM ^
Ane we love us some college football up in here north pole...
August 22nd, 2012 at 10:02 PM ^
last year tsn picked up the cowboy classic. i'm sure they will this year too. it's the first weekend for ncaa football and it's before the start of the nhl season. ...if tsn picks it up you'll be able to find the game everywhere.
August 22nd, 2012 at 10:10 PM ^
Maybe a naive question, but doesn't Canadian cable have American networks (ie: ABC)?
August 22nd, 2012 at 10:13 PM ^
ABC yes but it's tough to find ESPN. If the game is on ABC you'll be fine but if they happen to put it on ESPN it'll be tough (they did this with the Notre Dame game last year. Caused a bit of a commotion).
August 22nd, 2012 at 10:25 PM ^
a commotion? I would have totally lost my shit. Canadian TV blows for college football.
August 22nd, 2012 at 10:33 PM ^
it was still on the super sports pack which i happen to have. typically they don't put the espn national broadcasts on the super sports pack though (because the super sports pack is the direct tv feed from the states...and if it's a national espn game it's not on the direct tv package). enough of a commotion was made though that they made an exception.
it's getting better. i had all michigan games on my tv last year. i'm in windsor so i still get the detroit regional abc, i've got big ten network. the only problem now is the national broadcasts on espn.
August 22nd, 2012 at 10:20 PM ^
It will for sure be on Canadian cable tv. I've been a diehard UM fan since i was 8 years old, only games i have to "illegally" stream are the B1G network games and ESPN3 games (a la Lesser teams like UMass.)
The Cowboy Classic will likely be on TSN or if not TSN, ABC where this region (Southern Ontario) picks up the Detroit WXYZ feed.
If you want to figure out which channel is which, zap2it is your friend. Just find a Toronto postal code and it will show you which channel each is for either satellite or regular cable.
August 22nd, 2012 at 10:23 PM ^
college football in Canada absolutely blows beyond your wildest imagination. To start, ESPN is not available. They have an affiliate, TSN, that occasionally plays college football games. ABC sometimes has a game on as well.
I have become so frustrated that I have been on the phone with ESPN customer support, questioning their decision making. For example, ABC showed a game featuring an SEC team vs. directional WAC game while Michigan vs. B1G team game was no where to be found. People in southwestern Ontario that watch college football would much prefer to B1G football than SEC slaughtering a crappy team.
To cap everything off, TSN is a Canadian owned broadcast company, and as such, is required to show a certain amount of Canadian content. I vividly remember looking for the Michigan game one week, only to find a pretaped lumberjack competition!!! TSN also regularly progams curling and figure skating Saturday afternoons.
Thankfully, I have season tickets and was able to go to the UTL game, because...wait for it....it wasn't available in my area.
/rant
If you want to watch the Bama game, I expect that to be on ABC and Real Sports Bar is a great place to watch. For me, AppleTV streaming to my TV through firstrowsports.eu has saved me many times.
Good luck.
August 22nd, 2012 at 10:33 PM ^
I just check out zapit from my area code and it's on both ABC feeds. I'm in Montreal and do not get the Detroit feed. I usually get some small New York feed. If can get it then definitely you'll get in anywhere in Toronto.
August 22nd, 2012 at 10:36 PM ^
Looks like TSN will be showing the US Open.
http://tvschedule.zap2it.com/tvlistings/ZCSGrid.do?sgt=list&fromTimeInM…
And TSN 2 has the MLS
http://tvschedule.zap2it.com/tvlistings/ZCSGrid.do?sgt=list&fromTimeInM…
August 22nd, 2012 at 10:41 PM ^
tsn won't pick it up if it's on abc. they'll only do it if it's on espn. ...and abc/espn usually announce the channels week of.
my 2 cents - it'll be on abc but if it's on espn then tsn will pick it up.
August 22nd, 2012 at 11:28 PM ^
way TSN picks it up if it's carrying the US Open. If not on ABC, good luck.
August 22nd, 2012 at 10:51 PM ^
I'll be there on 9/8 (Air Force) and will be looking to find. I think I am staying near Real Sports bar, so maybe? maybe on my laptop (like UTL last year)... Flying home on 9/15, cutting it close to arrive in time for UMass. So glad the ND game is later this year and Bama comes early...
August 22nd, 2012 at 10:54 PM ^
College football is not great from a tv perspective in Canada.
You will get that game at grandma's on ABC at 8pm.
Most of the time in Ontario at least, the internet has to be your friend.
That is regrettable.
August 22nd, 2012 at 11:10 PM ^
Add to the fact that my grandmother has limited TV package as her interests are limited to Soaps, Wheel of Fortune, Price is Right and stations in satellite stations in her native language, therefore I am apprehensive to go.
It is on AbC, therefore I should be good even I I stay at her house.
August 22nd, 2012 at 11:12 PM ^
Game is on ABC, so Toronto ABC cable feed (Bell Fibe is from either Buffalo or Seattle) will both be carrying the game. Real Sports (next to the ACC where the Leafs/Raptors play) will be your best option. Jack Astor's at Front & University downtown is also a good option. Have a Sleeman's or a SteamWhistle Blonde or a Cameron (or ten) and yell really loud. Canadians are very jealous of the passion Americans have for college sports.
I will be in Dallas myself but help Toronto represent. GO BLUE!
August 23rd, 2012 at 1:00 AM ^
where is a good bar to watch in Seattle?
I'm visiting my brother during the alabama game
August 23rd, 2012 at 1:00 AM ^
we are apparently going to the university of washington SDSU game.... They overlap....!$!@#!@#
August 23rd, 2012 at 2:12 AM ^
August 22nd, 2012 at 11:32 PM ^
I've watched college football from Toronto on several occasions, since I have family there, and my Grandfather still takes in the occasional Michigan game when it's on.
Obviously, the viewing experience is not the same; college football is not significant there the way it is here. As people have said, ABC is available both on cable and over the air, since you are close to Buffalo. Many Canadian markets get American television in this fashion. You'll be fine for the Michigan game.
If I lived in Toronto and needed to see a lot of football, and a local facility wasn't showing them, I could always make the hour-or-so drive down to Buffalo and surrounds.
August 23rd, 2012 at 1:34 AM ^
If we can't get U Conn in Ford Field Rogers Centre would be awesome. MSU is a little more creative in their sports marketing than Michigan, sadly. The U Conn game would be one to try to get somewhere else. Hard sell but that's why you are Captain America, Dave Brandon.
August 23rd, 2012 at 8:06 AM ^
Always a good choice.
August 23rd, 2012 at 10:26 AM ^
I have been to Toronto several times and most college games are televised there. Actually I have found out that there is a good amount of michigan fans in the Toronto area