Toronto, ON (TSN) – TSN travels to Calgary as the best in Canadian men’s curling get set to compete for the national championship at the 2009 TIM HORTONS BRIER, March 7 to 15, live on TSN. Coverage on TSN begins today(Saturday, March 7) at 4 p.m. AT and includes more than 60 hours of exclusive live curling coverage from Calgary, featuring – for the first time ever on TSN – all morning, afternoon and evening draws, as well as playoffs and the final (see complete broadcast schedule below). Encore presentations of TIM HORTONS BRIER coverage will air on TSN2 on a three-hour delay.
In addition to live coverage on TSN, all weekday morning draws are available live on TSN.ca. All of TSN’s television coverage is also available on-demand at TSN.ca following the conclusion of each live broadcast.
TSN also tees up the BRIER final with its TIM HORTONS CHAMPIONSHIP SPECIAL on Sunday, March 15 at 8:30 p.m. AT, prior to the championship draw of the tournament at 9 p.m. AT.
Three-time and defending BRIER champion and defending World champion Kevin Martin and his Alberta rink headline the tournament’s impressive 12-team field, featuring previous BRIER champs in Ontario’s Glenn Howard (2007, 1993, 1987), New Brunswick’s Russ Howard (1993, 1987), Quebec’s Jean-Michel Ménard (2006), Nova Scotia’s Mark Dacey (2004) and Manitoba’s Jeff Stoughton (1999, 1996), along with 2006 Olympic gold medallist Brad Gushue and his Newfoundland/Labrador rink.
This year’s tournament also showcases sibling rivalry at its best, as Ontario’s Glenn Howard takes on his older brother and TSN curling analyst Russ and his New Brunswick rink – marking the second time in BRIER history that two brothers are facing each other as skips. In addition, Russ’ son Steven plays second for Team New Brunswick, making this year’s BRIER a family affair for the Howards.
TSN’s acclaimed curling broadcast team is on-site with Vic Rauter calling the action alongside analyst and Olympic gold medallist Linda Moore and analyst and BRIER champion Ray Turnbull. Three-time TOURNAMENT OF HEARTS winner, Cathy Gauthier, serves as analyst for the morning draws alongside SPORTSCENTRE’s Bryan Mudryk, who makes his BRIER debut in the broadcast booth handling the play-by-play duties. Gauthier also provides rinkside updates during the tournament’s evening draws.
TSN’s coverage of the TIM HORTONS BRIER follows the network’s record-setting coverage of the 2009 SCOTTIES TOURNAMENT OF HEARTS, which included every draw, the playoffs and the final. A record 928,000 viewers watched the tournament’s dramatic final, as Team Canada’s Jennifer Jones defeated B.C.’s Marla Mallett to repeat as women’s national champion. This marked a 6% increase compared to last year’s final on CBC (878,000 viewers) and contributed to a 7% increase in overall audiences on TSN (400,000 viewers), compared to last year’s average of 374,000 viewers when the playoffs and final were broadcast on CBC.*
TSN’s broadcast schedule for the TIM HORTONS BRIER is as follows:
Saturday, Mar. 7
· Draw 1 at 4 p.m. AT on TSN
· Draw 2 at 9 p.m. AT on TSN
Sunday, Mar. 8
· Draw 3 at 11:30 a.m. AT on TSN
· Draw 4 at 4 p.m. AT on TSN
· Draw 5 at 9 p.m. AT on TSN
Monday, Mar. 9
· Draw 6 at 11:30 a.m. AT on TSN
· Draw 7 at 4 p.m. AT on TSN
· Draw 8 at 9 p.m. AT on TSN
Tuesday, Mar. 10
· Draw 9 at 11:30 a.m. AT on TSN
· Draw 10 at 4 p.m. AT on TSN
· Draw 11 at 9 p.m. AT on TSN
Wednesday, Mar. 11
· Draw 12 at 11:30 a.m. AT on TSN
· Draw 13 at 4 p.m. AT on TSN
· Draw 14 at 10:30 p.m. AT on TSN
Thursday, Mar. 12
· Draw 15 at 11:30 a.m. AT on TSN
· Draw 16 at 4 p.m. AT on TSN
· Draw 17 at 9 p.m. AT on TSN
Friday, Mar. 13
· Tie-Breaker(s) (if required) at 4 p.m. AT on TSN
· Page Playoff at 9 p.m. AT on TSN
Saturday, Mar. 14
· Page Playoff at 1 p.m. AT on TSN
· Semifinal at 9 p.m. AT on TSN
Sunday, Mar. 15
· Final at 9 p.m. AT on TSN