Nik Lewis bashes TSN for limited pre-season CFL broadcast schedule

Veteran CFL receiver Nik Lewis took CFL rights holder TSN to task on Twitter for not showing Tuesday’s first pre-season game between the Calgary Stampeders and the B.C. Lions.

Hate the @tsn_sports isn’t showing the preseason game. It’s been how long since we got to watch football. U got 5 channels.

— Nik Lewis (@nikel18) June 6, 2017

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It was a popular sentiment as the Tweet received more than 450 likes by game time at 9 p.m. EST and allowed those so inclined to make jokes about poker and darts (the French Open is actually being broadcast across most of the network.)

CFL on TSN producer Chris Edwards responded to Lewis.

not about # of channels Nik, these games aren’t cheap. Will do 4 other pre games, and beefing up reg season broadcasts. Stay tuned!

— Chris Edwards (@CEdwardsTSN) June 6, 2017

#CFLonTSN broadcasts 4 of 9 pre-season games nationally, NFL shows 8 of 64. Think we’re serving fans pretty well.

— Chris Edwards (@CEdwardsTSN) June 6, 2017

The network is showing Thursday’s game between Ottawa and Hamilton (7:30 p.m. EST) as well as Sunday’s game between Calgary and Edmonton (7 p.m.) They’ve got the Redblacks in Montreal next Thursday, then the Riders in B.C. at 10 p.m. on Friday, June 16.

The CFL announced Tuesday that ESPN3 would carry all four games in the U.S.

Tonight’s game is also available on the radio via TSN 1040 in Vancouver and NewsTalk 770 in Calgary (if you’re willing to brave the various pop up windows to get there.)

And TSN2 is showing a CFL game at 8:30 p.m. EST… it’s just Calgary vs. Ottawa from last season (spoiler: it finishes in a tie.)

UPDATED: Lewis has apologized to the TSN producer…

sorry about the shit show. Preseason doesn’t have to have the same broadcasters. Maybe some funny guys like me doing it

— Nik Lewis (@nikel18) June 7, 2017

no apology necessary, love a good #CFL debate with passionate fans. Going to be a great year, good luck with the pursuit of 1,030!

— Chris Edwards (@CEdwardsTSN) June 7, 2017

Nik Lewis doing commentary during CFL pre-season games? Yes, please.