Future of Hockey Night in Canada

[hf101]

The CBC has been the exclusive broadcaster of Saturday Night Hockey in Canada since 1953, as a public broadcasting company funded partially by taxpayer's money. They are currently in negotiations for another 10 year contract with the NHL. As is always the case when rights are up for renewal, Bell Media -- owner of CTV and TSN -- would love to step in and take the package away, but as always, they can't commit the programming time to the NHL that CBC can.

Funding another $100-million a year for a new contract is a challenge to CBC at time when its annual budget is in decline – the federal government said last year the CBC would need to cut $115-million within three years as part of broader spending cuts.

TSN apparently has decent relationship with the league, with a deal that gives it exclusive rights to Wednesday night games featuring a Canadian team, as well as more than 70 other games through the year and games from the first three rounds of the playoffs.

Is the NHL squeezing out the CBC? Who do you want to broadcast Hockey Night in Canada?

[jammer2]

@hf101 I would prefer to see CBC retain the rights, but I don't think that is gonna happen. Operating with tax payer dollars, the CBC simply can't afford to to match some of the other media powerhouses. It goes deeper than that, as a whole the CBC continually loses money, hockey is the only thing that makes the network money. The real question is, considering the tough financial times, can the taxpayers afford to keep the CBC afloat? It would be a HUGE cultural loss, it's the only nationwide station that inforces Canadian content. It's the only station that is not influenced by the large US networks. Canadians as a people would lose valuable programs like David Suzuki's the Nature of Things. The Fifth Estate (Canada's version of 60 Minutes) among many, many other important programs.

I love the CBC, would love to see the rights to hockey stay intact, HNIC is more than a just a show to Canadians, it's a part of our heritage, it's closely inter-woven with the fabric of our socieity. It would be a monumental loss, but I don't see how it's gonna stay afloat. The CBC loses hockey, the network will cease to exist, and that would be a horrible thing for our country. A part of my childhood will die with that network, it means that much to me.

[JR Ewing]

I have a strong preference for TSN's broadcast over CBC, as I feel HNIC has really slipped over the years. That said, I would prefer if CBC were able to keep the games they cover, if for no other reason than that I wouldn't want to see NHL hockey become the sole domain of cable/sat subscribers and lock out those unable or unwilling to spend the money.

JR

[flyerrod]

Who ever Bettman wants to have get the contract, I want the opposite.....Being in Florida my only option is satellite tv to watch hockey so I really don't have a horse in this race.

[goalnut3133]

It would be a HUGE cultural loss, it's the only nationwide station that inforces Canadian content. It's the only station that is not influenced by the large US networks.

So true...though I must admit, I don't watch a ton of CBC programming in the off-season, (yah I'm one of those Canadians!) but just to stand on principle & keep an all-Canadian content station. Like you say so well, HNIC is so ingrained into our lives since our childhood, & I would forever miss that HNIC theme song coming on before every game (btw- I actually still prefer the original 'old' theme song!)....that song is absolutely synonymous with hockey!! It takes on such a unique character of its own for hockey...something that TSN is lacking in that regard. Let's face it, CBC & in particular, HNIC, is symbolically a part of our culture as the Maple Leaf flag. Would be a heart-wrenching loss to so many.