TSN huddles up with the CFL and the Toronto Argonauts Football Club as Canada’s Sports Leader announced today it has started production on a CFL documentary series that gives fans unprecedented access inside one of the League’s most-storied franchises.
Commissioned by TSN and produced by Aquila Productions in association with TSN, the four-part documentary series follows the Argonauts from this season’s training camp to the team’s Labour Day Weekend game against the BC Lions on September 2. From rookies trying to make the cut to veterans holding on for one more year, each 60-minute episode delivers exclusive behind-the-scenes footage to CFL fans as the Double Blue hits the gridiron against the league’s top teams. The series also goes inside both the dressing room and boardroom for unfiltered access to players, coaches and executives.
The first of its kind for the CFL, the documentary series will premiere at the start of the 2011 CFL regular season and air throughout the summer.
“The CFL prides itself on being accessible to Canadians, and this documentary series will bring fans closer to the game than ever before,” said Stewart Johnston, President of TSN. “It is very rewarding for TSN to partner with the CFL and the Toronto Argonauts on a project that will truly capture the blood, sweat and tears of Canada’s league and showcase everyday life on and off the field.”
“A CFL team takes an incredible journey together during a season, full of highs and lows, adversity and accomplishment,” said Mark Cohon, Commissioner of the CFL. “Really sharing that journey with our fans, with the help of the master storytellers at TSN, will bring our fans even closer to our game.”
“The Toronto Argonauts are extremely excited to be the focus of this television series and are looking forward to working with both TSN and Aquila Productions,” said Bob Nicholson, President and CEO of the Toronto Argonauts. “We know how hard our coaches, staff and players work to take Argos football to the highest competitive level and strive to be the Grey Cup champions. We know what a great and diverse group of characters we have on our team. We know how much we do in the community to help mentor youth in the GTA. Now, with this series, all Canadians will have a chance to go inside and see what we already know. We look forward to exposing more fans to Double Blue football.”
TSN.ca and Argonauts.ca complement the documentary series with footage and clips from the show on both websites. TSN RADIO 1050, the official radio station of the Toronto Argonauts, will also feature interviews with key individuals featured in the four-part series this summer.
TSN has partnered with Aquila Productions to produce original Canadian programming on several occasions, most notably on the network’s critically-acclaimed 12-hour documentary series 100 YEARS OF CANADIAN SPORTS in 1999 and the six-part documentary series OIL CHANGE, which featured an exclusive look inside the Edmonton Oilers organization during the 2010-11 NHL regular season.
