Editing Leafs Nation Network

{{Short description|Defunct Canadian regional specialty TV channel}}
{{more citations needed|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox television channel
| name              = Leafs Nation Network
| logo              = Leafs Nation Network.png
| logo_caption      =
| logo_size         = 200px
| launch_date       = {{start date and age|2001|09|07}}
| closed_date       = August 31, 2022
| picture_format    = [[480i]] ([[Standard-definition television|SDTV]])<br />[[1080i]] ([[High-definition television|HDTV]])
| network           = 
| owner             = [[Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment]]<br/><small>(Toronto Maple Leafs Network Ltd.)</small>
| country           = Canada
| area              = [[Ontario]]; excluding the [[Ottawa Valley]]
| headquarters      = [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]]
| former_names      = Leafs TV<br>(2001–2017)
| replaced          = 
| sister_channels   = [[NBA TV Canada]]
| timeshift_service = 
| website           = [https://leafsnation.mapleleafs.com/ Leafs Nation Network] 
}}
'''Leafs Nation Network''' (formerly '''Leafs TV''') was a [[Television in Canada|Canadian]] English language [[Category B Services|Category B]] regional [[specialty channel]] owned by [[Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd.]] Leafs Nation Network broadcasts programming related to the [[Toronto Maple Leafs]] [[National Hockey League]] club and its [[American Hockey League]] affiliate, the [[Toronto Marlies]].

Leafs Nation Network was only available within the Maple Leafs' "home market" of [[Ontario]], excluding the [[Ottawa Valley]] (which is in the home market of the [[Ottawa Senators]]).

== History ==
In November 2000, MLSE (Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment), was granted approval by the [[Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission]] (CRTC) to launch a television channel called ''Maple Leaf Channel'', described as "a regional English-language Category 2 specialty television service devoted to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Programming was to include historical events, profiles of players, panel and call-in shows, classic Maple Leaf hockey games, interviews with Maple Leaf players, coaches and management, statistics, insights and analysis of the current hockey scene from a Maple Leaf perspective, and information as to the purchase of merchandise, tickets and collectibles. There was also to be a small amount of programming related to general hockey matters, including minor hockey league hockey and hockey instruction."<ref>[http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2000/DB2000-626.htm Decision CRTC 2000-626] CRTC 2000-12-14</ref>  The channel was launched on September 7, 2001 as Leafs TV.<ref>[http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=458683 Leafs TV partners with Rogers, Cogeco to air in September] Toronto Maple Leafs press release 2001-08-21</ref><ref>[http://mapleleafs.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=555508 Record Audiences Tuning In To Leafs TV] Toronto Maple Leafs press release 2011-03-09</ref>  The channel was valued at $19 million on behalf of the CRTC in 2012.<ref name="crtc-mlse">{{cite web|url=http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2012/2012-443.htm|title=Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2012-443|date=2012-08-16|access-date=2015-09-03|publisher=[[Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission]]}}</ref>

From the channel's launch until the [[2014-15 NHL season|2014–15 season]], the Leafs retained a small number of regional telecasts for broadcast on Leafs TV, typically around 12 games per season. That changed going into the [[2014–15 NHL season]] when regional rights formerly held by the channel went to [[Sportsnet Ontario]] and [[TSN4]].

On October 7, 2017, Leafs TV was renamed as Leafs Nation Network and re-launched as a multi-platform iteration of Leafs TV, with most of its programming shifting to the team's website and mobile apps and the television network slowly becoming an overall afterthought with the shift of content over to streaming and a lack of live games. It continued to carry pre-game and post-game coverage and other documentary programming.

On August 16, 2022, ''[[Toronto Sun]]'''s Lance Hornby reported that MLSE announced that the channel would go off the air on August 31.<ref name="crtc-Toronto Sun">{{cite web|url=https://torontosun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/toronto-maple-leafs/leafs-nation-network-going-off-the-airwaves|title=Leafs Nation Network going off the airwaves|date=2022-08-16|access-date=2022-08-16|publisher=[[Toronto Sun]]}}</ref> At MLSE's request, the CRTC formally revoked Leafs Nation Network's license on September 1.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.mlse.com/legal/crtc-filings | title=CRTC Filings }}</ref> Immediately after that, the channel space created in 2001 by Leafs TV ceased to exist.

== Programming ==
Programming on Leafs Nation Network included re-airings of recent and past games (both in entirety, and edited), pre- and post-game shows, biographies of players and other personalities and other related programming.

Leafs Nation Network broadcast all [[Toronto Marlies]] home games. The channel broadcast the [[2014 Calder Cup playoffs|2014 Calder Cup Finals]] between the [[Texas Stars]] (Dallas Stars AHL team) and the [[St. John's Ice Caps]] (Winnipeg Jets AHL team) which simulcasted in the U.S. on [[NHL Network (United States)|NHL Network]].

== Hosts ==
* Jody Vance - lead anchor 2006 to 2009
* [[Bob McGill]] - Network reporter, and former Leafs player
* [[Joe Bowen]] - Toronto Maple Leafs play-by-play voice
* [[Brian McFarlane]] - Toronto Maple Leafs color commentator/studio host
* Todd Crocker - Toronto Marlies play-by-play voice

== Former analysts ==
* [[Scott Burnside]] - Sports journalist<ref>{{cite news|title=What's on TV|date=March 11, 2003|newspaper=[[Toronto Star]]|page=66|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-toronto-star-burnside-2003/172497282/}}</ref>
* [[Greg Millen]] - Toronto Maple Leafs colour commentator
* [[Harry Neale]] - Toronto Maple Leafs colour commentator
* [[Mark Osborne (hockey player)|Mark Osborne]] - Toronto Maple Leafs analyst

== Leafs Nation Network HD ==
In November 2006 [[Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd.]] launched an [[High-definition television|HD]] simulcast of Leafs TV. Originally, the channel was only available during live Maple Leafs' games that broadcast in HD; however, in June 2011, the channel began broadcasting on a full-time basis. Despite being a full-time feed, Leafs Nation Network pregames, post-games and live Leafs are only carried on satellite providers such as [[Bell Satellite TV]] and [[Shaw Direct]].

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Bell Media}}
{{Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment}}
{{Sports television in Canada}}
{{Toronto Maple Leafs}}
{{National Hockey League on national television}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Leafs Nation Network}}
[[Category:Sports television networks in Canada]]
[[Category:National Hockey League on television]]
[[Category:Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 2001]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations disestablished in 2022]]
[[Category:English-language television stations in Canada]]
[[Category:2001 establishments in Ontario]]
[[Category:2022 disestablishments in Ontario]]
[[Category:Defunct specialty television channels in Canada]]