Canada vs USA To Air Free For Bell, Rogers, and Telus Subscribers

When the Canadian national team kicks off against its southern neighbour in CONCACAF Nations League action next week, the game won’t be exclusive to OneSoccer subscribers: some six million Canadians who get their television from Bell, Rogers, and Telus will also be able to tune in at no cost.

Through a partnership with OneSoccer, all three service providers will offer the match live in high-definition at no additional cost, with the broadcasts also including the pre-and-post match analysis provided by the streaming service itself. The match will feature commentary from Gareth Wheeler and Terry Dunfield, who have been mainstays throughout the first year of the OneSoccer service.

French commentary will also be provided by Philippe Germain and Valerio Gazzola. It won’t be the first time that OneSoccer has stepped up to represent Canada’s other official language.

For Canada, the game is just about as high-profile as it gets: Les Rouges recorded a historic 2-0 win at BMO Field last month that snapped a 34-year winless streak against the USA. It also went a long way in helping John Herdman’s team break into the illusive six-team Hex. In less confusing terms, the last game saw Canada take a huge step towards World Cup 2020 qualification, though the team must perform well in the upcoming away leg to protect its hard-fought spot in the Hex.

The US will be eager to prove that last month was an exception rather than the new norm. As both sides take to the field this November 15 at the Exploria Stadium in Orlando, it’s more than likely going to be a fiery affair. One couldn’t pick a better match to offer to the masses, so the collaboration with the three aforementioned service providers seems like a smart move from Mediapro Canada.

The partnership may have an additional benefit for OneSoccer, too: Mediapro Canada CEO Oscar Lopez recently revealed that the global streaming service is considering launching its own 24/7 live television network, which would make its content much more accessible to consumers who may not otherwise go out of their way tune into the likes of the Voyageurs Cup, Canadian Premier League, Liga MX, or the Chinese Super League. Offering this match to the likes of Bell, Rogers, and Telus could be a trial run for this kind of venture.

Lopez also revealed that news regarding that potential television channel will likely come before the calendar year wraps up. While it’s likely that the prospective 24/7 OneSoccer channel would come at a similar price point to OneSoccer’s subscription-based streaming service, no price points have been discussed as of yet.

Whatever happens, the Canadian national team is poised for a nice bump in viewership with the free offering. The match will kick off on November 15 at 7:00PM EST, though those who tune in even earlier can catch OneSoccer’s pregame coverage. The global streaming service also allows fans to tune in to every single 2019-2020 CONCACAF Nations League game, which includes 102 group stage matches alone.

Header Image Credit: Martin Bazyl for Canada Soccer

Source: Mediapro Canada