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| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Nationwide |
| Headquarters | Toronto, Ontario |
| Programming | |
| Language | English |
| Picture format | 1080iHDTV (downscaled toletterboxed480i for theSDTV feed) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (Toronto Raptors Network, Ltd.) under license fromNational Basketball Association |
| Sister channels | Leafs Nation Network (defunct) |
| History | |
| Launched | September 7, 2001; 24 years ago (2001-09-07) |
| Former names | Raptors NBA TV (2001–2010) |
| Links | |
| Website | NBA TV Canada |
NBA TV Canada is aCanadianEnglish languagediscretionaryspecialty channel owned byMaple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE). It is the Canadian version ofNBA TV, broadcasting programming focused on theNational Basketball Association, and its Canadian franchise, theToronto Raptors.[a]
In December 2000, MLSE was granted approval by theCanadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) for aCategory 2 digitalspecialty channel licence tentatively known asRaptors Basketball Channel, a channel described as being devoted primarily to theToronto Raptors basketball franchise and theNational Basketball Association (NBA), with additional programming related to other aspects of basketball.[1]
With the launch of other Canadian channels, the channel was launched on 7 September 2001, asRaptors NBA TV, with programming focused on the NBA and other basketball-related programming, although it maintained a particular emphasis on the Toronto Raptors.[citation needed]Paul Graham became a senior producer for Raptors NBA TV in 2003.[2] On 1 November 2005, the high-definition version of this channel, named NBA TV Canada HD, was launched, originally named Raptors NBA TV HD.[citation needed]
On 15 October 2010, the channel renamed Raptors NBA TV toNBA TV Canada, being the current and second name of the channel, as the channel began to air more programming devoted to the NBA and international basketball in general, sourced from itsAmerican counterpart.[3]
The channel was valued at $21 million on behalf of the CRTC in mid-2012.[4]
NBA TV Canada broadcasts programming primarily related to the NBA and the Raptors, as well as coverage of other leagues including theNBA G League,Summer League, and theWomen's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Regular hosts for local studio programming includeDavid Amber,Sherman Hamilton,Matt Devlin,Leo Rautins andJack Armstrong. The channel broadcasts NBA games sourced from NBA TV andESPN, and NBA TV series and studio programs.
NBA TV Canada does not broadcast live Raptors games outside of the pre-season (which are split between the networks ofTSN andSportsnet—which are owned by the co-majority owners of MLSE,Rogers Communications andBell Canada), but does broadcast full and abbreviated encores of Raptors telecasts.
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