Dinos, Huskies to battle live on Shaw TV

EDMONTON – Canada West football will enjoy live coverage on Shaw TV across Western Canada for at least the next two seasons, the conference and Shaw Communications announced Wednesday.

[url]http://www.godinos.com/news/2010/7/21/FB_0721102504.aspx

Highlighted by two match-ups of the conference’s heavyweights – Calgary and Saskatchewan – Shaw’s coverage in 2010 will extend throughout the regular season all the way to the 74th Hardy Cup final.

Opening week will feature a Saturday, Sept. 4 match-up between the two-time defending Hardy Cup champion Calgary Dinos and the Saskatchewan Huskies in a rematch of the 2009 classic conference final also seen live on Shaw TV. The game goes at 7 p.m. MT from McMahon Stadium in Calgary.

The Dinos edged the Huskies 39-38 in last year’s final when a last-second field goal attempt by Saskatchewan went awry. Last fall’s season-opening broadcast saw Saskatchewan hand Calgary its only defeat of the regular season, a 34-33 shootout victory decided when Dinos head coach Blake Nill made a bold but unsuccessful two-point convert attempt for the win in the extra session.

Shaw will broadcast six conference season match-ups, covering all six Canada West teams, with full coverage of at least one semi-final contest on Nov. 6 and the Hardy Cup final on Saturday, Nov. 13.

“Shaw is pleased to renew our agreement with Canada West Athletics for two more years, to provide coverage of CIS Football on Shaw TV throughout Western Canada,” said Alex Park, Vice President of Interactive Advertising and Programming for Shaw Communications. “Our customers have come to expect excellence in amateur sports coverage from Shaw and we have worked hard to improve our coverage each year. Western Canada needs every opportunity to celebrate our athletes and this is a great partnership to accomplish this.”

Other head-to-head battles through 2010 include a top Prairie battle when Alberta travels to Manitoba on Sept. 11, a rematch between the Huskies and Dinos in Saskatoon on Oct. 15, and a meeting of provincial rivals Regina and Saskatchewan on Oct. 29.

“We are pleased to renew our partnership with Shaw for another two years,” said Canada West Executive Director Val Schneider. “It has given us exposure throughout western Canada and is reflected in increased interest in Canada West football.”

The agreement will also cover the 2011 Canada West season.

The Uteck Bowl champion Calgary Dinos open training camp on Saturday, Aug. 21 before kicking off the defence of their conference title in the first Shaw Game of the Week against Saskatchewan. Dinos football season tickets are on sale now for just $25, exclusively at all Calgary Co-op customer service locations. For further information on football season tickets and other ways to catch the Dinos in action this fall, visit www.goDINOS.com.

AM 770 CHQR, the new radio Voice of the Dinos, will broadcast both Calgary-Saskatchewan contests in addition to both Calgary-Alberta match-ups Sept. 18 in Edmonton and Oct. 30 at McMahon Stadium.

2010 Shaw TV-Canada West Football Game of the Week Schedule
(all times local)

Saturday, Sept. 4: Saskatchewan at Calgary, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 11: Alberta at Manitoba, 2 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 24: Regina at UBC, 7 p.m.
Friday, October 15: Calgary at Saskatchewan, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 23: Manitoba at Alberta, 1 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 29: Regina at Saskatchewan, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 6: Canada West Semi-final
Saturday, Nov. 13: 74th Hardy Cup

About Canada West
Canada West is consistently the most decorated of the four conferences in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), winning at least 10 CIS national titles every year since 1997-98. Comprised of 13 schools, from the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, the CWUAA produces numerous major award winners and Academic All-Canadian student-athletes each year, with many going on to athletic success around the globe in pro leagues or events such as the Olympics, Paralympics and Universiade Games.