Rogers Corporation does it again!

Rogers Sportsnet One has stolen most of the rest of the Blue Jays season by moving the games to the new station (like what was wrong with Rogers Sportsnet?).

A full one-page ad in today's newspaper claims that the new channel is available right across Canada -- FREE -- just contact your supplier. WRONG!

It is not availabe through Shaw Satellite (my provider).  So I called to find out why, in light of today's ad.  They told me they were in negotiations with Rogers for the channel, but until a deal was reached ...  They provided the phone number for Rogers.

That led to an e-mail address, inviting "feedback."

They got feedback alright.

To quote Rogers' response:

"We have made Sportsnet One available to all distributors in Canada for the FREE preview period, which started on Saturday, August 14.  All distributors in Canada were given notice of this new channel in June. It is up to them to make this channel available to their subscribers as we do not control the distribution of the channel."

Back to my supplier.

Why am I getting the run-around?  Shaw says they're in negotiations.  Rogers says it's been made available.  What's the truth?

Here's the truth.

Shaw has not taken up the "free" offer.

Telus has not taken up the "free" offer.

Bell has not taken up the "free" offer.

Cogeco has not taken up the "free" offer.

Currently, the only distributor airing Sportsnet One is Rogers.

So, Rogers' full page ad is an outright lie!  Blatant false advertising if you ask me.

Rogers has indeed offered the channel to all distributors in Canada for the free preview period, but none has taken up the offer.  Why?  Because Rogers won't allow them to carry the "free" channel unless they first enter into a contract to carry the channel in one of their packages after the free period is up.  In other words, you can have it free only if you first agree to buy it.

That is not quite free.

Naturally, other providers are not going agree to carry a channel that they can't sell so they first have to ensure that there is a market for another sports channel (which would add to the cost of a sports package for which we already pay).

Why did we need another all-sports channel?

 Did we not have enough of them already?

What was wrong with Rogers Sportsnet?

What was wrong with TSN?

Rogers Corporation simply wanted to find another vehicle to freeze out other carriers.

So, all you Rogers subscribers, please cheer on my boys.

Because, apparently, I won't be able to.

Rogers has done it again.

I wrote here last year that I was convinced that Rogers' bigger plan was to end major league baseball in Canada altogether.

I rest my case.

Now I don't know how my boys will win if I can't watch them!

Feel free to tell Rogers what you think: feedback@sportsnet.rogers.com