AUS and Eastlink TV announces 2014 broadcast schedule

Halifax, NS – Atlantic University Sport and Eastlink TV are pleased to announce the 2014 football broadcast schedule, which will kick off on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 2 p.m.

Ten AUS football games in total will be shown live and in high definition. Eight regular season games will air each Saturday throughout September and October. These will be followed by the Nov. 1 showing of the AUS semifinal and the Nov. 8 broadcast of the Subway AUS Loney Bowl championship game.

“Atlantic University Sport is proud to once again work with Eastlink TV to provide broadcasts of AUS football live and in HD each week this season,” says Phil Currie, executive director of Atlantic University Sport. “Thanks to the commitment to quality from the team at Eastlink TV, our fans know they can always look forward to enjoying an extremely professional production. They to a tremendous job showcasing our product to fans throughout Atlantic Canada and are a key partner in helping us achieve our vision of being Canada’s ultimate student-athlete experience.”

First up on Eastlink TV’s AUS football broadcast schedule, the Acadia Axemen, led by head coach Jeff Cummins, will visit Coach Kelly Jeffrey and his defending champion Mount Allison Mounties Saturday, Sept. 6 at 2 p.m. in Sackville, N.B. The Mounties will raise the 2013 AUS championship banner at the home opener as they look to build on last season’s momentum. Their 2013 Loney Bowl victory marked the team’s first championship win since 1997. The Axemen, meanwhile, look to topple the Mounties who ended their season in last year’s AUS semifinal matchup.

The following Saturday, the Eastlink schedule features the Acadia home opener as the Axemen host the Saint Mary’s Huskies at Raymond Field. Fans will get their chance to get up close and personal with the Vanier Cup as it stops at Acadia that afternoon as part of the 50th TELUS Vanier Cup Tour. The historic trophy will visit 15 schools across the country before arriving in Montreal for the milestone CIS championship game.

The 2014 broadcast schedule will also include the Mount Allison Mounties’ homecoming game Sept. 20 where they will take on the Saint Mary’s Huskies in a rematch of the 2013 Subway AUS Loney Bowl. Interlock coverage will follow the next weekend as the Huskies host the Concordia Stingers of the RSEQ conference on their new turf field installed during the offseason.

Fans who aren’t able to make it to what is often the best-attended regular season game in the conference can catch the StFX homecoming game on Eastlink on Oct. 4.  Last year, 4,200 fans filled Oland Stadium to watch the X-Men defeat the Mounties. This year the X-Men will host the Acadia Axemen.

Acadia’s own homecoming will air Oct. 18 on Eastlink as they take on the Mounties.

The game to be broadcast Oct. 25, during the final week of regular-season play is being labeled a ‘flex’ game, where Eastlink will have the option to air either contest that Saturday. It will be contingent upon which of the two games has greater playoff implications.

“We’re excited to begin what promises to be another exciting season of local and regional sports on Eastlink TV,” said Eastlink TV’s vice president, Michael Smith. “We know how passionate sports fans are in Atlantic Canada, and we’re proud to deliver exclusive coverage of many of their favourite local teams and athletes.”

The AUS post-season will begin on Nov. 1 at 2 p.m., when the second-place team hosts the semifinal game. In the final Eastlink TV AUS football broadcast of the season, the winner will advance to the 2014 Subway AUS Loney Bowl which will take place on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 2 p.m.

The Atlantic conference champion will then advance to the 2014 CIS Mitchell Bowl which will be hosted Saturday, Nov. 22 by the OUA champion. The Uteck Bowl and Mitchell Bowl winners will advance to play each other in the 50^th Vanier Cup Nov. 29 at 1 p.m. at the Percival Molson Memorial Stadium in Montreal, Que.

The on-air team of Dan Robertson and John MacNeil will return once again to provide the play-by-play and colour commentary for the eleventh consecutive season, while Cecil Wright will patrol the sidelines to provide in-game interviews.

Don’t miss the exciting season available in high definition on Eastlink TV HD channel 610, or Eastlink TV channel 10, beginning Saturday, Sept. 6 at 2 p.m.

The complete 2014 Atlantic University Sport football schedule, now available here, is listed below:

Week 1:
Friday, Sept. 5 – StFX at Saint Mary’s, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 6 – Acadia at Mount Allison, 2 p.m. (Eastlink TV)

Week 2:
Saturday, Sept. 13 – Saint Mary’s at Acadia, 2 p.m. (Eastlink TV)
Saturday, Sept.  13 – Mount Allison at StFX, 2 p.m.

Week 3:
Saturday, Sept. 20 – Saint Mary’s at Mount Allison, 2 p.m. *Homecoming (Eastlink TV)
Saturday, Sept.  20 – StFX at Acadia, 2 p.m.

Week 4:
Saturday, Sept. 27 – Montreal at StFX, 2 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 27 – Concordia at Saint Mary’s, 2 p.m. (Eastlink TV)
Saturday, Sept. 27 – Mount Allison at Bishop’s, 2 p.m. (EST)
Saturday, Sept. 27 – Acadia at Sherbrooke, 4 p.m. (EST)

Week 5:
Saturday, Oct. 4 – Mount Allison at Saint Mary’s, 2 p.m. *Homecoming
Saturday, Oct. 4 – Acadia at StFX, 2 p.m. *Homecoming (Eastlink TV)

Week 6:
Saturday, Oct. 11 – Saint Mary’s at Mount Allison, 2 p.m. (Eastlink TV)
Saturday, Oct. 11 – StFX at Acadia, 2 p.m.

Week 7:
Saturday, Oct. 18 – Mount Allison at Acadia, 2 p.m. *Homecoming (Eastlink TV)
Saturday, Oct. 18 – Saint Mary’s at StFX, 2 p.m.

Week 8:
Saturday, October 25 – Acadia at Saint Mary’s, 2 p.m.
Saturday, October 25 – StFX at Mount Allison, 2 p.m.
(*FLEX GAME: Eastlink TV broadcast TBD)

Week 9: AUS Semifinal
Saturday, Nov. 1 – Third Place at Second Place, 2 p.m. (Eastlink TV)

Week 10: AUS Championship (Subway Loney Bowl)
Saturday, Nov. 8 – Semifinal Winner at First Place, 2 p.m. (Eastlink TV)

Week 11: Off Week

Week 12: Mitchell Bowl (Location TBA)
Saturday, Nov. 22 – AUS Champion at OUA Champion, TBA (Sportsnet)

Week 13: Vanier Cup (Percival Molson Memorial Stadium – Montreal, Que.)
Saturday, Nov. 29 – Mitchell Bowl Winner vs. Uteck Bowl Winner, 1 p.m. (Sportsnet)