The Globe and Mail:
Not only had Rogers Communications Inc. wrenched the Canadian national broadcast rights to NHL games from the CBC’s grasp with a stunning $5.2-billion payout over the next 12 years, but the Visigoths were actually at the gate.
Part of the ensuing deal, in which those in charge of the CBC meekly handed over the company’s airwaves for free, was that the Rogers people connected to Hockey Night, along with some people hired from rival TSN, would use the CBC’s studios and take over the show’s office space on the north side of the eighth floor – the plushest in the building thanks to the show’s status as the network’s biggest money spinner.
Truly appalling how Canada’s national broadcaster completely blew the deal by ignoring the importance of hockey to not only their bottom line but to the nation. Thanks to my friend Greg for the link.
That good old private-sector magic.
It’s good to see that capitalism and its egregious excesses is not limited to the good old USA. I was developing a complex over this.
The NHL has been an American organization for some time.
You state that it is “[t]ruly appalling how Canada’s national broadcaster completely blew the deal by ignoring the importance of hockey to not only their bottom line but to the nation.” This shows that you lack perspective on broadcasting politics in Canada and the fact that CBC’s financial foundation has been eroded by the federal government to the point that it was impossible for the national broadcaster to compete with the private sector. CBC recognized the value of Hockey and Hockey Night in Canada but were financially powerless to do anything. You can place that blame, not on CBC, but squarely in the lap of Stephen Harper and the rest of the conservative right who fail to see the immense value of a national public broadcaster.
Makes sense. Fiscal conservatives in powerful positions around the world, crippling public infrastructure to make a better case for privatization of everything taxpayers built over the past century.
Canada, Australia, UK, US.
up until 1950 Canadians were almost 100% of the league,after 1950 America became involved in Hockey,we Canadians have steadily been on a decline on how much of a % Canadians do play we are as of 2015 just over 50%,with America at 25% the rest is world.
http://www.quanthockey.com/TS/TS_PlayerNationalities.php
So you can see where i based this on.
For someone like myself who is Canadian, this will always be our game.But you can play too =))
harper gotta go, bring on justin and the weed.