NBA TV Canada is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE). It is the Canadian version of NBA TV, broadcasting programming focused on the National Basketball Association, and its Canadian franchise, the Toronto Raptors.
In December 2000, MLSE was granted approval by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) for a Category 2 digital specialty channel licence tentatively known as Raptors Basketball Channel, a channel described as being devoted primarily to the Toronto Raptors basketball franchise and the National 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, as Raptors NBA TV, with programming focused on the NBA and other basketball-related programming, although it maintained a particular emphasis on the Toronto Raptors. On 1 November 2005, the high-definition version of this channel, named NBA TV Canada HD, was launched, originally named Raptors NBA TV HD.
On 15 October 2010, the channel was renamed as NBA 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 its American counterpart.[2]
The channel was valued at $21 million on behalf of the CRTC in mid-2012.[3]
NBA TV Canada broadcasts programming primarily related to the NBA and the Raptors, as well as coverage of other leagues including the NBA G League, Summer League, and the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Regular hosts for local studio programming include David Amber, Sherman Hamilton, Matt Devlin, Leo Rautins and Jack Armstrong. The channel broadcasts NBA games sourced from NBA TV and ESPN, 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 of TSN and Sportsnet—which are owned by the co-majority owners of MLSE, Rogers Communications and Bell Canada), but does broadcast full and abbreviated encores of Raptors telecasts.