Toronto Raptors Return to Sportsnet with 29 Games in 2011/2012 Season; Coverage Includes Additional 50 NBA Games and 22 Playoff Games

– Multiplatform coverage across all Sportsnet properties –

– Coverage features Raptors season opener, and pre-season tilt on Dec. 18 vs. Celtics –

– Sportsnet 590 official radio broadcaster of Toronto Raptors with live game coverage –

TORONTO (December 14, 2011) – Sportsnet will have full-court coverage of the Toronto Raptors with 29 regular-season games in 2011-2012, with integration across all Sportsnet platforms – television, radio, digital, mobile and print. Broadcast coverage features 20 games on Sportsnet ONE and nine games on the Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific channels, all in High Definition. Sportsnet’s television coverage gets underway with the season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday, Dec. 26 at 7 p.m. (ET)/4 p.m. (PT) on SNE, SNO, SNW and SNP. Play-by-play will be handled by Matt Devlin, with former NBA player Leo Rautins as analyst. Sportsnet Connected will have post-game reaction following each Raptors broadcast. As the Raptors get ready for the season, Sportsnet will air the pre-season game vs. the Boston Celtics on Sunday, Dec. 18 at 1 p.m. (ET)/10 a.m. (PT) on SNE, SNO, SNW and SNP.

On radio, Sportsnet 590 The FAN is the official radio station of the Raptors with live broadcasts featuring play-by-play announcer Paul Jones and analyst Eric Smith. Complementing the live game coverage, Sportsnet 590’s weekly show ‘Hoops’, hosted by Smith and Jones, returns Thursday nights throughout the season, beginning January 12.

On sportsnet.ca, full Raptors and NBA highlights will be available, along with columns by basketball expert Michael Grange and weekly blogs by Jones. Basketball fans can join the conversation on the “Fan Fuel” blog and participate with the in-game twitter talk from Smith and Jones. Features on all six divisions as well as an in-depth look at both the Raptors and the Miami Heat will begin on Monday, Dec. 19.

In Sportsnet magazine, coverage of the NBA and Raptors will appear regularly throughout the season. The current issue on newsstands now features Grange’s look at the new crop of young superstars, led by MVP Derrick Rose, taking over the NBA.

In addition to Raptors games, Sportsnet ONE will air 50 regular-season NBA match-ups involving U.S. teams, plus 22 playoff games. The slate of regular-season games include 16 with Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns, 12 with the high-octane Los Angeles Lakers and six with the Heat featuring All-Stars LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. For the full NBA schedule on Sportsnet ONE, visit sportsnet.ca.

Highlight of the Raptors schedule on Sportsnet includes:

• Atlantic Division Rivals – Toronto will have eight divisional match-ups throughout the season on Sportsnet, including three with the Boston Celtics, starting on Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 7:30 p.m. (ET)/4:30 p.m. (PT).

• Running with the Bulls – Toronto looks to contain last year’s MVP Derrick Rose and the Chicago Bulls for two games, first on Wednesday, March 21 at 7 p.m. (ET)/4 p.m. (PT)

• Bringing the Heat – The Raptors face the high-powered Miami Heat and James on Wednesday, April 18 at 7:30 p.m. (ET)/4:30 p.m. (PT).

The broadcast schedule for the Toronto Raptors on Sportsnet is as follows:

All dates and times subject to change

About Sportsnet

Sportsnet connects Canadian sports fans to their favourite teams and athletes, using five platforms: TV, Radio, Print, Online and Mobile. Sportsnet is Fuelled By Fans, and delivers storytelling on a local, regional, national and global level. The multiplatform brand consists of Sportsnet, sportsnet.ca, Sportsnet 590 The FAN, Sportsnet 960 The FAN, Sportsnet magazine, Sportsnet Mobile and the Hockey Central app on iPad and Playbook. Sportsnet is the Canadian leader in NHL and MLB television broadcasts and is home to 162 Toronto Blue Jays games, plus MLB Playoffs and the World Series. Sportsnet is an official broadcaster of the London 2012 Olympic Games, and also offers an exciting sports lineup including the NFL, the Rogers Cup tennis tournament, the Memorial Cup, and soccer programming with UEFA Champions League, Barclays Premier League, MLS Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and Canadian national team matches for men and women. Sportsnet Connected is the network’s nightly news program, providing regional and national coverage of the day’s events in the world of sports.

Social Media Links:

Twitter: @RogersSportsnet

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/Sportsnet

-30-