Trade Deadline - Who will be the movers and shakers on March 5th?
Whether you prefer the crew of Dreger, McKenzie, LeBrun, McLennan and Ward on TSN, or Marek, Kypreos, Millard, MacLean and Stellick on Sportsnet one thing we know as hockey fans is on March 5th (next Wednesday) we will all somehow be glued to one of those channels like we do every August and January 31st for football's (soccer to any Northe American readers) Transfer Deadline Day on Sky Sports News.
Now that the dust has started to settle on the enormous news yesterday, that Rogers Communications is the sole rights holder of national NHL broadcasts in the "true north strong and free". Now, this means that Canadian cable network TSN, will not broadcast any national games for at least twelve years after the current season ends. They are not gone, they will be lurking in the back, trying to pick up any hockey rights that become up for grabs. They also still hold the rights to regional Winnipeg Jets and Montreal Canadiens games.
For the majority of us hockey fans, from outside of Canada, we don't realise what a big deal this thing is. To put it in UK TV terms, it's what we will experience in about 18 months time when Sky and ITV stop broadcasting UEFA Champions League games, and all games broadcast in the UK will be exclusively on BT. The FA Cup is also headed to BT exclusivity.
I'm not going to delve into the details. No doubt many people have given the facts, figures and their two pennies' worth. I'm going to focus on something that doesn't involve TSN. It involves Rogers' Sportsnet and CBC. Part of the deal is that Sportsnet control the 60 year, CBC flagship show, Hockey Night in Canada. CBC will still air the iconic institution but Sportsnet will have total control. Control over, content, on air talent, artistic and creative direction, and many other aspects that go into creating the show each week.
I know that 9/10 NHL fans, whether they have access to CBC or not, have seen the breath taking opening montages to HNiC. Tim Thompson is the man behind them. I hope, I pray, that Sportsnet make the right choice and keep him in that role. They would be very wrong to get rid of him.
I'm now going to bombard you with a selection of CBC montages. They are great to watch, and you never get bored of watching the same ones over, and over, and over.
