For almost 100 years Hockey Night in Canada has been a staple for Canadians and is one of the most famous television shows in history. The program airs Saturday nights during the National Hockey League season and has been a significant source of revenue for the CBC. In recent times however the show has been struggling and rumors are flying that it is about to get axed completely.
The first Hockey Night in Canada aired on Feb 8, 1929. It was called Young Canada Night and featured eight-year-old Bill Hewitt who broadcasted the game from the Toronto Arena Gardens on CFCA. Hewitt would go on to become the voice of the Toronto Maple Leafs and remain with them for over two decades until his death. In the 1970s, the show started to expand into other cities and broadcasters. It also saw the birth of instant replay with producer George Retzlaff who invented wet film replay and revolutionized sports broadcasting. CBC would eventually sign up over 200 NHL teams for regular season and playoff games.
By the 1980s Hockey Night in Canada was a household name and the popularity of the show continued to rise. This was when the popular Coaches Corner segment debuted. The controversial former Boston Bruin coach Don Cherry became an icon for the show with his loud rants and tangential comments. He would frequently insult players from Europe and those who wore face visors as well as people who were concerned about health issues related to the game such as fighting and concussions. Despite the controversy, CBC and later Sportsnet tolerated him due to the high ratings he generated.
Until recently, Hockey Night in Canada was an important part of the CBC budget and a major contributor to the organization’s overall revenue. Its loss will mean the CBC loses a significant chunk of its revenue and will likely be forced to cut many jobs. In addition, the CBC will no longer be able to broadcast NHL games on its own and will instead have to pay rights fees to Rogers for their Sportsnet production of NHL games that will air on Citytv and their own network of channels.
While the show is currently a staple for many Canadians, it will be interesting to see how it continues to evolve under new ownership. Hopefully, it will continue to be an integral part of the country’s culture for years to come.
CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada is currently hosted by Ron MacLean and a panel of experts including former NHL players Kelly Hrudey, Jennifer Botterill and Kevin Bieksa. However, rumours are swirling that the CBC is planning to replace the cast with new faces. If this is true, the show will be in for a dramatic change next year. The CBC will then have to figure out how to make the show appeal to a younger audience and compete with other networks like the NFL and NBA.