In November of last year, the NHL announced a new TV deal, the largest in history, worth $5.23 billion over 12 years with Rogers Media. This will forever change the way we watch hockey across Canada. Rogers takes over national TV rights from TSN and CBC- who has been Canada’s national broadcaster since 1952 for hockey on Saturday nights. CBC will continue to be able to show games but it will be produced by Rogers, leading to some changes. All revenue generated from advertising will go to Rogers. CBC has no money going in or out from these games. TSN, who has had national games since 2002, will now no longer get national games, only regional games in Toronto, Winnipeg, and Ottawa.
All of this has also changed the TV landscape in Quebec, where Montreal Canadiens fans watch their team mainly in French but have had TSN and CBC broadcast games in English too. Rogers opted to sign a deal with up-and-coming TVA Sports (instead of going with fan-favourite RDS) as the French broadcaster for 22 games. The Canadiens, in return, made their fans happy when they signed a regional contract with RDS, keeping the week night tradition alive.
Then, a month ago, Sportsnet announced a three-year deal with the Canadiens to broadcast 60 regional games in English on Sportsnet East, 360 & One, City Montreal and FX Canada. This would add onto the 22 English games on CBC and City for Saturday nights and the opening night, just like TVA Sports’ rights.
So, if you’ve been paying attention, you’ve noticed that 60 plus 22 is 82 games available for Quebecois in both English and French. Yes, that’s right, every single game for one of the most prestigious franchises in all of pro sports, can be viewed in two different languages 82 nights out of the year. But this poses a problem for many anglophone Quebecois, since all, if not most of them, like myself are fluent in both English and French. Do the anglophones tune to Sportsnet now or has Pierre Houde on RDS stolen our ears so much now that we just stick with RDS?
I asked this question on our own private Facebook group and got some interesting answers.
Shawn Wilken, Last Word On Sports hockey department head, said:
“I’ll watch wherever it is on. English, French, TVA, CBC, it doesn’t matter to me. Speaking and understanding both languages, I’ve never had a problem. As long as you’re playing the Habs on your station, I’ll watch. Now, if both CBC and TVA are playing the game at the same time, I’ll likely stick with TVA.”
Ben Kerr, the COO of Last Word on Sports, then ranked the best commentators, mixing English and French, with Houde being the highest out of the commentators that will be calling games this season. CBC’s Bob Cole and Dave Randorf, who made the switch over from TSN, are his next favourites.
It may be the biggest debate amongst English-Quebeckers prior to the start of the season: where will you watch Habs games? Anyone can make an argument for all four channels; RDS has Houde has some tradition, Sportsnet will have John Bartlett, the former local radio play-by-play man who was loved during his four seasons working for TSN 690. TVA Sports will bring something new to fans who like change and the new producers of Hockey Night in Canada at Rogers will likely be less biased than their predecessors.
The number one reason why anglos turned away from CBC on Saturday nights and during the playoffs last year was because the insane biasses and idiotic remarks by all the commentators, except the great Jim Hughson, of course.
It starts with the Coaches Corner duo, Ron MacLean and Don Cherry, two people who try not to hide their hate for the Habs and love towards the Bruins and Leafs.
Glenn Healy is dumber than a dummy in a crash test with the stuff he says sometimes and Craig Simpson keeps forgetting to get the media books every year, when he say incorrect stats. Then there’s P.J. Stock, who was never meant for TV after his short-lived hockey career. He states the most outrageous opinions known to hockey panels. The guy went to the same elementary school as I did and clearly the teachers fixed something before I showed up.
Lastly, Cole, what a great voice. He had his prime in the 90’s, no one will forget the “look at Lemieux! Oh my goodness, what a goal! What a move! Lemieux! OH BABY!” when Mario scored against the Minnesota North Stars in 1991. But it’s time for Cole to retire. He’s one of the great voices in hockey history but he unfortunately sounds like he’s struggling up in the booth.
All three other channels have the chances to attract many viewers, especially with Sportsnet’s recruitment of Bartlett. His energy spills into your ears and he describes the game perfectly. A mile-a-minute talker, he can visualize the game for anybody while he was on the radio and there’s no doubt he’ll do well on TV.
TVA Sports’ Felix Seguin is new at this but he has an ear-candy voice and speaks a French anybody can understand, very well-articulated. Former NHL players Patrice Brisebois, Patrick Lalime and Jose Theodore join the crew over there, in what should be a fun presentation to watch. Paul Houde, brother of Pierre, will be on the panel during the second intermission.
All in all, Canadians will have many channels to watch hockey this season but Quebeckers have even more choice with more languages. At least Quebec is split on which channel to watch hockey on and not on the separation issue. Regardless, all the channels and media corporations will try their best with some competition to attract viewers and from a business standpoint, competition only makes the product better. Wherever you may watch Canadiens’ games this year, just sit back and enjoy, Habs fans!
Where will you be watching hockey this year? Comment which channel and why right below.
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