Skip navigation

 Login or Register | Member Centre

Time for Hockey Night to trade the Leafs

WILLIAM HOUSTON

From Tuesday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 8:17 PM EST 15/01/08

CBC should offer viewers the Senators in opening game of its Saturday doubleheader
...Read the full article

This conversation is closed

  1. dan vanman from vancouver, Canada writes: Abour friggin time! Does this mean I may get to see more Canucks instead of the Oilers and Flames too? Are we not the 3rd largest city in Canada or not? Seems the Flames are on way more than the Canucks.

    Now I know how a Senators fan feels...
  2. george mcfly from CALGARY, Canada writes: Sounds like a good idea to me!!!but they also stop spending so much time talking about the leafs during the broadcast of other teams games!!
  3. Ripley Bogle from Vancouver, Canada writes: Wow, I couldn't agree with you more, Mr. Houston. I wish so much that the Leafs weren't given so much priority on CBC. They're a terrible, terrible team going nowhere. I fully realize that it's a numbers (ie. money) game, but surely the numbers for Sens and Habs games would ultimately rise if you exposed their entertaining hockey to more hockey fans. Whatever happened, by the way, to showing Canadiens' home games on Saturday night in English? The only time it happens now is when they're playing the Leafs....

    Last Saturday Leaf Overload reached its most ludicrous point yet- somehow the CBC (in cahoots with the league, no doubt) arranged it so that the Canucks, Flames, and Oilers weren't at home that night- their beloved Leafs were about to lose yet again in California, of course, and the car crash needed to be shown...

    For the love of hockey, no more Leafs on the national HNIC feed. Let them watch the misery in southern Ontario, but give the rest of us a break. Please.
  4. David H from Outside GTA, Canada writes: Why not rerun the2007-2008 New England Pariot games instead?
  5. dallas mcquarrie from Regina, Canada writes: CBC should offer viewers the Senators in opening game of its Saturday doubleheader

    Well, DUH!
  6. Dogen . from Winnipeg, Canada writes: We've been praying for this since the Harold Ballard days. Please god let it finally happen.
  7. Billy Biroux from Polar Bear Pit, Nunavet, Canada writes: Mr. Houston is incorrect. The Leafs won the night Saturday night, easily drawing more viewers then either NFL playoff game.

    And comparing the CFL playoff numbers to the NFL playoffs, the CFL wins hands down.
  8. Philip Yu from Toronto, Canada writes: The matchup between the Red Wings and Sens ended up working well because you cover almost all the bases as far as Ontario is concerned (Detroit for the SW - ie. London-Windsor, the Sens for the North and East). If need be, then perhaps the CBC will need to divvy things up accordingly (Montreal/Ottawa for Northern Ontario viewers, the Leafs in the GTA/Toronto/Hamilton/Halton/Niagara Region, etc... and the Red Wings from Kitchener to Windsor and so on...)
  9. Kevin Young from Toronto, Canada writes: PJ Stock in my view doesn't add much insight to the Hotstove discussions. I'm not really sure what his role is and why he is there?
  10. J Norman from Toronto, Canada writes: 'Rogers Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos, on Peddie stopping Tanenbaum from changing the general manager: “It's disgusting. That whole outfit, it's such an embarrassment. But what are you going to do? That's the way they operate.'' If one employee at the Globe doesn't like how another co-worker is doing their job, why would it be an outrage if their boss doesn't fire the supposed poor employee if that boss likes the job the supposed poor employee is doing? It’s the boss’s job to make that call much more than the peer employee. It would be pretty troubling if a Globe employee was running the Globe and not the CEO. Peddie is CEO. Tanenbaum is a figurehead chairman. Peddie has the authority and power with day to day control and the backing of the majority owner, OTPP. Tanenbaum doesn't. As such, if Tanenbaum wants to remove Ferguson, he needs to step up and buy the Teachers out or convince the majority owners. Until then, Peddie and the Teachers call the shots. That isn't an outrage in terms of a decision process. That's the way it is in all business. Larry Tanenbaum understands that. Otherwise, it’s just sour grapes. Ignoring whether Ferguson should be fired or not, the biggest outrage in all of this is that Kypreos and many in the media are spewing this stuff, calling it dysfunction or an outrage without understanding it.
  11. Clark The Mighty from Canada writes: No Toronto market = no nhl in Canada.

    Bow to Toronto!

    You need Toronto or you will all be curling and chasing your cousins!
  12. yogesh thakur from london, Canada writes: What I don't understand is; why when I have digital cable and time shifting I can't sift through all the games being broadcast... this makes no sense, I should be able to watch a sens, habs, flames or any other team with digital cable...

    On another note, if Larry really wants to change Ferguson, and exert some power all he needs to do is this: SPEND $100 and take out an ad in The Star and G&M to tell all fans to boycott leaf games for the rest of the season (this means on the TV too), then go onto TSN, Sportsnet or the CBC and use the media to dampen Leaf interest, and thus profits. This should change the tune of the money hungry teachers pension fund... just a thought.

    Seeing how CTVglobemedia (the G&M) also owns the leafs, well we'll just see how long this post lasts on this site.
  13. Dan H from Alta, Canada writes: Agreed!
  14. dan vanman from vancouver, Canada writes: Wow Clark, what an astute statement. You are SOOOO smart. I wish we could all be as smart as you...

    Then I forgot, sarcasm is lost on the mentally incompetent...

    Have a nice day ...
  15. so, Living on the Right doesn't mean you're right from USA, Canada writes: then again, everyone tunes in to see the britney spears trainwreck...maybe cbc is hoping the leafs continue to follow the same path.
  16. Rob C from Canada writes: SW Ontario would love that Sens Wings game - the Wings are generally their team. (a rare treat on CBC) The Sens can't draw flies in the GTA (right Claude?)

    This is going to be a lean spring for HNIC with no leafs yet again. MLSE won't be selling the rights for much money next time around. I wonder if this will finally spell the end for Sportsnet. They spent a ton on the Leafs games - something tells me they regret it now.
  17. Bergeil DeBungie from Victoria, Canada writes: Bout time and not a moment too soon.

    Clark the Mighty likes pink panties.
  18. Bergeil DeBungie from Victoria, Canada writes: *wearing
  19. Sens Fan #11 from Kanata, Canada writes:

    faulty logic. the senators will choke in the first round of the playoffs.

  20. yogesh thakur from london, Canada writes: ' Rob C from Canada writes: SW Ontario would love that Sens Wings game - the Wings are generally their team. (a rare treat on CBC) The Sens can't draw flies in the GTA (right Claude?)'

    I really hope you're using sarcasm, the fact that a 10 pm leafs game out drew a prime-time wings-sens game speaks to the contrary. There maybe many Wings fan, predominantly in the Windsor area, but in SW Ontario? I don't think so...

    Philip Yu writes: 'and the Red Wings from Kitchener to Windsor and so on...).' Kitchener all the way to Windsor????? again their are many Wings fan in SW, but not even close to the amount of leaf fans.. oh ya, the region you are referring to is in CANADA, and therefore the CBC has all the broadcasting rights (with the 55 mile exception). Since the CBC HAS to play Canadian teams, them playing a Wings/Other American team CAN'T happen.
  21. Christopher Garrish from BC, writes: Hallelujah! No more Leaves and and I might actually start watching the 4:30pm broadcast...
  22. Pat Billings from CDN, Canada writes: As long as Maclean and Cherry stick to the leafs broadcast, it works.

    Otherwise, they'll just sit there and sulk that their heroes area bunch of losers.
  23. steven west from hamilton, Canada writes: That Detroit-Senators game was a bore until the last 5 minutes. Three hours of my life that I can never get back. They should change to the Sens....... If they want the CBC to go under. The only reason the Sens drew anything was for the same reason that I watched. People wanted to see a game between the leagues two best teams. Wow! What a dissappointment.
  24. Zaphod Beeblebrox from Regina, Canada writes: Wow! What a revelation! Most Canadians are tired of HNIC focussing on the Toronto Maple Leafs! A spokesman has been quoted as saying "Well duuuuuh!" Many thanks to the Ministry for Pointing Out the Blindingly Obvious for bringing this to our attention.
  25. steven west from hamilton, Canada writes: Most Canadians are Leaf fans. Good luck with that.
  26. greg panke from orangeville, Canada writes: It's a good start, but why stop at southern Ontario? A lot of us here would rather watch the Sens anyway, at least let us choose which game to watch, the Leafs fans can watch their game on one channel, the Sens, Habs, etc. can watch on the other CBC stations, cable carries them all anyway, they get blacked out here becasue the Leafs are embarrassed by the competition.

    Everybody, outside of the Leafs organization, knew the Leafs would be weak this year, and we were told we would see more Sens games, but it hasn't happened yet. The CBC seems to content to run with old programming that fewer and fewer people want to see instead of going to something better and more exciting, with a lot fewer disappointments for the viewers. I am sure happy viewers watch the commercials with a better perspective than the continuously disappointed Leaf fans, something for the advertisers to consider.

    The CBC seems content to follow the Leaf's soap opera along with their demoralized fans, but give them a taste of really good hockey and the real hockey fans among them will start supporting the other teams.

    Thanks for the article Mr. Houston, hopefully if we see a few dozen more of them and more people boycott the CBC they will get the message.
  27. RB Sanitation from western canada, Canada writes: leafs have been a disapointment for years and continue the tradition
    while the oilers picked up lthe bad leaf habit last season when they traded smyth the best plumber in the game to NYIslanders. The leafs and now oilers are satisfied in earning a living making a buck and coming second to last

    i quit feeling sorry for leafs fans years ago as they simply feed on medocrity while the oilers fans the best in the business better get used to losing and missing the playoffs

    Go Brady Go
  28. R. M. from Regina, Canada writes: Amen. But also give us Montreal.
  29. steven west from hamilton, Canada writes: You should be an NFL fan RB.
  30. Offshore Reg from bridgetown, Barbados writes: A good article, but stating the obvious. Still showing the Leafs in "Ontario" would be ok, so long as "Ontario" does not go past say, Sudbury (kind of like the definition used by the provincial government). I recall a time when they used to alternate Saturday games between Leafs and Canadiens. That is still a good idea....only change it to Senators and Canadiens.

    and Steven West: "Most Canadians are Leaf fans"???...Hamilton eh? I knew they grow grapes and make wine down in your region, but save me some of that spliff you must be smoking....it has to be great stuff.
  31. steven west from hamilton, Canada writes: I can't help it if we out number. If we didn't, this article wouldn't have been written. The CBC is just airing the game that will draw the most viewers. And "spliff", what a great word. I don't got to smoke none of the stuff that you'se guys smokes. Only dopes do dope.
  32. Offshore Reg from bridgetown, Barbados writes: I saw the Leafs play in Toronto in December. I watched the Moose and Rochester in Winnipeg last week. Cost me $75 in TO and $23 in Winnipeg. Winnipeg was a far better game, a great seat for a third of the price, and cheaper beer. Maybe HNIC could toss in a few Moose games for the hockey-starved fans mired in southern Ontario and stuck with watching Leaf games.
  33. Bryan Fulsom from Menlo Park, writes: Kevin Young, you're right. I miss JD and The Hat. The Hotstove has suffered greatly.
  34. Darryl Heidel from border city, Canada writes: The Edmonton Oilers have been one of the more exciting teams in the NHL since they joined.Edmonton Fans have far greater hockey sense than any leaf fan, thats why they have no problem of rebuilding procedures.Its funny how there fabulous run to the cup has already been forgotten.Ryan Smyth has already proven that he is not worth 6 mil.You say most fans are leaf fans. If this is true, it is probably becauce my children are in bed by the time the western teams are playing. Toronto make beliefs are always being shoved down there throats.The team hasn't won since 1966.What a disgrace.Lets remember CBC is a publically funded company.I cannot wait till they are finally taken of the air.
  35. Stan Palmer from Kingston, Canada writes: Get rid of all the leaf broadcasts and leave Sat. nite to playoff teams. Also keep Bob Cole on all the Leaf games! He doesn't even know the players on the other teams anyway. Sat nite it was" the Detroit guy passes to a Detroit guy- now an Ottawa guy has it- now it's on Alfredson's stick- back to an Ottawa guy." He appeared to know about one guy on each unit of five! If you can't put him out to pasture where he belongs then at least leave him on the leaf games where their fans need to hear that deep insight that informs us all that the team trailing by one goal would really like to score the next one. His blindness to Leaf penalties and mistakes matches the "Leaf Nation" perspective but not the view of most other viewers. I for one will be happy to not rear from him again until the Leafs are in the playoffs!
  36. MQ9 Reaper from Canada writes: Yes! Pleeeease - it's about time. And for Clark the not so mighty and the other GTA smugheads, here's a piece of reality for you: Suggesting that most Canadians are Leafs fans is akin to telling any self-respecting Australian that most Aussies like Fosters beer.
  37. Offshore Reg from bridgetown, Barbados writes: One of the best things about being down here in Barbados is that unlike you poor people in Canada who are burdened with the hapless/hopeless Leafs every Saturdaynight, we get to see all the Senators games. Sweet eh?
  38. K F from Canada writes: I still find it hard to believe that, living in Vancouver, I only get to see the Sens - by far the best team in Canada and definitely tops in the East - on average, once a month (on all channels), when the Leafs, nearly worst in the league, monopolize a full 50% of all CBC broadcasts. This is our national sport and this situation is a disgrace, IMHO.

    The fact that the Sens aren't even coming to Western Canada at all this year is a different issue but no less ridiculous.
  39. ivan ivanovich from United States writes: Wow, at the bottom of the article - that show "MVP" bombed? No way! You coulda fooled me into thinking it was something other than a piece of crap!
  40. Proud Canadian from Canada writes: King Rob, you are so right. There is nothing in this world that you are not correct on. I must bow to you. King Rob. Get ready your highness, the golf season is right around the corner with the bad greens, Goldie is waiting for the olive splitter, and the nook over at grannies is stocked with fresh pastries and jams. SAS 008, Airbus 340-600 Toronto to Stockholm leaves at 8PM April 5th. Reserved seats for Sundin, Kubina, Anthropov, Ponikaroski, Toskola, Rob C, 6 dot. Fill er full of fuel and take er away. Makes my day, what a laugh that team, and some of its followers.
  41. Shane Jordan from Winnipeg, Canada writes: Offshore Reg - Hell yeah! It's way past time we got a little more coverage of AHL games (plus WHL, OHL, QMJ...etc)

    At least it would be nice if they would put the standings on G&M or CBC's website. The NHL isn't hockey. Real hockey is being played by our kids on outdoor rinks. The farther you get from that, the farther you get from the real game.
  42. Andrew Stoeten from Toronto, Canada writes: Leave the Leafs to Southern Ontario???? WHY SHOULD WE GET STUCK WATCHING THAT CRAP?!? Habs and Sens for everyone.
  43. david phelan from Canada writes: What ? 7:00 p.m. EST telecast ? When did they stop televising the Saturday night game at 8:00 ?
  44. Frank Black from Syrian Arab Republic writes: Assuming the CBC/Radio-Canada can get the rights back to the Montreal games - which I doubt......

    simulcast all the games on the CBC website. This represents a small portion of the population in Canada and a MUCH wider population worldwide. The NHL would love it since CentreIce doesn't reach a similarly large pop.

    On TV - be regional. Toronto shows the Leafs (it's your bed - sleep in it). Kingston shows the Habs and Sens. Ottawa - the Sens. Vancouver - tough call, but I bet the Habs represent the best team with the best ratings. And for pete's sake - show Edmonton games in Edm, Cgy in Cgy, and Vcr in Vcr. I thought that would be the case, but apparently not. Wow - is that REALLY so hard to figure out? The East Coast would require some research on their team preference.... Yeah it means more broadcasting expenses, but I'm guessing that hockey is a cash cow for the CBC. It can't be their movies which only represents white Canada.
  45. Alberto Bayo from Canada writes: Why can't the CBC broadcast all the Habs, Leafs and Sens games...on different channels?
  46. a nicholls from Kingston, Canada writes: Monday Night Football does its homework -- you do well the year before (reg. season or playoffs), & you get a prime-time spot. Maybe two. Obviously the TO market is critical but isn't it in the best interest of the CBC to showcase the best teams at the time of broadcast? Rip/ignore/diminish, etc., the Sens all you want CBC (read: TBC), at the end of the day the fans in the US markets wonder, "What the hell? Bates Battaglia & Hal Gill instead of (insert Ottawa player here)?". The bean-counters have got a hold of the game. The CBC brass has validated the general perception of non-TO fans with their broadcast policy: We cater to Leafs fans rather than hockey fans. Clark the Mighty, ouch. How goes the battle with your shoelaces? Have you figured out how to use your toothbrush yet? Watch your eyes! Slow strokes side to side, not up'n'down! This is a massive money-making machine that has become directionless. Leafs' fans who are 'hockey 1st!', if they are really passionate about the game (THEN their team), would petition, throw tomatoes, bring nasty signs to games, wear bags on their heads a la New Orleans, boo constantly, etc. to show that they feel better hockey matters and demand results. My question is, 'Who's in the stands?'. Maybe you should get off the cell, 'Mr. $350.00-vodka-bottle-at-my-table', chatting obliviously in the 3rd row during a power play. Message: the quality of the product has become an after thought in TO. Why is it fair to say that? Because no substantial amount of Leafs fans seem organized enough to say otherwise. TO is supposed to be a - if not THE - flagship franchise of the NHL, that demands excellence instead of a cut-rate circus act. Cole 'n' Neale have strayed into novelty territory, reminiscent of Cubs' announcer Harry Carey when his mind fell apart on him & he started talking about the blimp at Wrigley lowering down beers to him on a rope. THEY ARE BAD.
  47. John - from BC Interior, Canada writes: I'd like to correct Mr. Houston on his opening statement. The time was right decades ago for Hockey Night In Canada to stop giving the Toronto Maple Leafs countrywide distribution. TSN might also consider dropping those Leafs' telecasts, because I don't watch those either.

    Give us long-suffering Westerners a break! After all, the GTA doesn't extend from Coast to Coast. Does anybody living beyond the borders of Ontario really want to watch the Leafs bumble and stumble their way through another mediocre season? I'd rather watch Florida playing Atlanta!
  48. Rob Rodgers from Dryden, ON, writes: Please rid us of Toronto fans and Toronto-centered annoucers who cannot accept they support a team owned by people who only care for the bottom line and not for the boring corpse of a once proud team. Lose the Leafs off the TV and lose the NHL off the TV? How arrogant is that? I am a life long Habs fan and have the shoulder tatoo to prove it and even I want the Leafs to improve. At the very least give us annoucers who, when 2 Canadian teams are playing ( and TO is one of them), will not act like complete homers for the Leafs. My opinion of the HNIC
  49. Rob Rodgers from Dryden, ON, writes: OOPS, pushed wrong button! My point is I watch hockey on TV to see good teams playing each other and intelligent commentators adding to the mix. Unfortunately when the Leafs are playing, it doesn't happen. Leafs and their fans should be thankful there is not a tier system that drops the worst of the teams down a division. It's too bad that there isn't, we'd lose the Leafs the first year and gain the Manitoba Moose.

    GO HABS GO...BRING BACK THE JETS....LOSE THE LEAFS
  50. N. M. from Canada writes: This was obvious years ago. Let's watch good hockey and good teams.
  51. Offshore Reg from bridgetown, Barbados writes: John from BC: Like many of the western persuasion, you assume that all of Ontario is an extension of the GTA and environs. Not true. It's a pretty big place to begin with, and to paraphrase you... the GTA does not extend to the geographic borders of Ontario, east, west, or north. In fact, the willingness of Ontario residents of sound mind and with fully functional brains to willingly subject themselves to the weekly torture of watching the Leafs on HNIC can be calculated mathematically. The Leaf Torture Index ("TI) is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the GTA (ie: d from TO). This can be expressed mathematically as: TI = 1/(d from TO)2.
    Sault Ste Marie is approximately 750km from the GTA, Thunder Bay 1500 km, Dryden 1850 km, and Kenora over 2000km. Just do the math John and you will see that many of us are just as wise as you are.

    GO LEAFS gone!
  52. Adrian Haight from Where Else..., Canada writes: If they put Montreal or god forbid Ottawa in the regular spot Saturday nights I will be distraught...Id say its most likely to come to a sharing arrangement where it switches up...theres tons of division games anyway
  53. Scott MacMillan from Toronto, Canada writes: Great idea - EXCEPT for the part about making those of us in Ontario continue to suffer the Leafs. For ages Toronto had a monopoly on hockey outside of Quebec, but since the introduction of Western teams, and more recently Ottawa, the quality of hockey in those cities has continually risen, while that in the provincial capital has continued to worsen. In the name of national unity, show the Sens from coast to coast.
  54. Bert Russell Paradox, BC from Canada writes:
    Houstan's rant continues about CBC. Guess he wants to be a news journalist with GM and is trying to get more Brownie points. The Senators might draw down the stretch but the Habs would be a sure loser for HNIC.
    For those Canuck fans in BC we have another homer Jim Huston who wouldn't know a good hockey game if he saw it. He never mentions the good plays of the other team .... the puck doesn't even have to be on net and he says "brilliant save by Luongo" and he whines constantly about penalties that should have been called on the other team.
  55. Birdy Num, Num from Canada writes: Does anyone remember the days when HNIC alternated between Montreal and Toronto games on Saturday night. These were the golden days of hockey: beer in stubby bottles, Murray Westgate and Danny Gallivan. At any rate despite growing up in Hamilton and despite the "peer pressure" from friends who were all Leafs fans, I grew up to admire and respect the Canadiens and became a dedicated Habs fan. I would think that giving the Sens more TV exposure to a national audiience would create a new generation of fans who will grow to admire a team like the Sens that s well managed, skilled and exciting to watch just as it did for a previous generation when the Habs were in their glory days.
  56. Rob Rodgers from Dryden, ON, writes: If Leaf fans really cared, they would start telling advertisers and vendors of Leaf merchandise that they will delay or deny any purchases of these items until such time as the team owners care enough to put a product on the ice worth supporting. Can't do anything about the corporate id-jits who buy season tickets as policy, but you can stop buying hats, sweaters and the like. Nothing talks like money.
  57. Martin Fedgrass from Canada writes: As much as I hate to admit it, this is the best idea. The only way to make the Teachers take notice is to start hitting back. Maybe they will decide to sell their portion to a group that actually CARES about hockey!
  58. Donny Lalouche from Vancouver, Canada writes: typical toronto-centric media idea.

    if i am stuck watching the most boring team in hockey - the Canucks and can not follow the team that generates the most pure numbers for the CBC, the Toronto Maple Leafs, but have to endure the lack lustre crap of the Ottawa Senators all because some journalists in Toronto want to make a point to the ownership group at MLSE - well, that's just about as useless and typically arrogant as it gets in Toronto and one of the real reasons that I left that city for the west coast.
  59. Bill M from Canada writes: If they don't do this, they should change the name of the show to Leaf Night In Toronto. Everyone knows Leafs fans are not hockey fans. Just look at the playoff ratings when TO is not in. They drop like a rock in Southern Ontario. These "fans" wouldn't recognize a hockey game if it came up and slapped them in the face. I gave up on these people when I heard one "fan" say on a sports call in show that Tie Domi belongs in the Hockey Hall of Fame, because he is one of the "biggest stars to ever play the game in Toronto".
  60. Ob Server from Canada writes: It's true....stinging but true...the Leafs are a pathetic bunch of over-paid under-achievers led by a handful of under-developed children. As such, it is futile to keep them front and centre when they have not, are not and will not be contenders for at least another decade and thats only if they get their s*#t together...which is highly unlikely because in Leafland, its all about the ROI....nothing else matters.
  61. Sandy Hum from Toronto, Canada writes: No Leafs.
    No HNIC for me.
    I was glad Anaheim won the cup and not Ottawa.
    My Canada doesn't include Montreal or Ottawa.
    (Van, Cal and Edm are cool)
  62. Birdy Num, Num from Canada writes: Sandy Hum writes: from Toronto, Canada writes: No Leafs.
    No HNIC for me

    Then you shall remain mired in mediocrity.
  63. Chris S from Canada writes: Frank, CBC already owns the rights to Montreal games in English. Only the French rights were lost to RDS. Not that CBC has any interest in using them it seems. Its actually somewhat ironic that TSN, who for years and years have been mocked by Montreal fans as the "Toronto Sports Network", have shown far more Habs games this year than the CBC. And, in general, they have the good sense to not bombard the viewer with Leaf rumours/news if they aren't playing...go figure. I used to be deadset against the CBC giving up the rights to Hockey Night in Canada, but I actually don't care anymore. I only watch HNIC when Habs or Sens games are on, which is rarely here in Southern Ontario...watching awful hockey just doesn't interest me.
  64. Super Troll from Canada writes: DAMN STRAIGHT!!!!
  65. Janis Miller from Canada writes: Thank you!!! finally someone in the mainstream media saying what should be obvious! For the love of gawd, stop making us watch!!!
  66. Super Troll from Canada writes: Sandy- my Canada doesn't include you- go send Paula Maurice and the girls some kleenex for those post-game press scrums. And Darcie a new skirt. And Tlusty a man to kiss.
  67. John Doucette from manotick, Canada writes: Its not, as the CBC claims that the Leafs produce the largest audience! When did the CBC ever really care about that? Its that the Toronto based, Toronto-centric, CBC management can't, in anything, see beyond the GTA. The CBC is at times a great institution but, its chief fault for years has been this inability to see that the rest of Canada is more important than Toronto. Over the years they have fought kicking and screaming against any attempts to create more regional programming in both TV and Radio. A move of CBC headquarters to Halifax, to Winnipeg, would over time revitalize the CBC. Toronto "experts" would of course say that it is not feasible, but then they have sold the Global and CTV "management authority" to somewhere well south of southern Ontario.
  68. Go Oilers from Canada writes: Wow! Mr. Houston's epiphany. And it's only 2008! Can the rest of the Eastern media be far behind? To think we've only been thinking this about HNIC in Western Canada for 20 years. You CAN get oil from a water spout.
  69. greg panke from orangeville, Canada writes: Wow! At least nine of ten bloggers say "Dump the Leafs, bring in some hockey teams.", let's see how long it will take the CBC to figure it out.

    Southern Ontario needs real hockey too, with all the cable channels we can let hockey fans and Leaf soap opera fans each choose what they want to see.
  70. Martin Fedgrass from Canada writes: Be careful with these comments! The Teachers may get wind of this and end up buying the CBC (And ruining that as well)
  71. Tony P from Ottawa, Canada writes: Of course its a good idea ... the whole country knows its a good idea.. but it's not gonna happen. Even if it did, the CBC would come storming back to the Leafs in absolute giddiness as soon as they put together a 2 game winning streak. The CBC is Toronto, they just don't get it. They never will. When it comes to hockey, the rest of Canada are just satellites surrounding the blue core. The producers are Leafs fans, the commentators are Leafs fans, the play by play guys are Leafs fans, the camera guys are Leafs fans, the janitors are Leafs fans. They have real trouble grasping the concept that all of Canada would not want to watch the Leafs. (By the way, I could never understand why someone would pay for a Leafs TV cable channel when we already have had a free one for years.)
    I live in Ottawa and I (usually) get the Senators every Saturday anyway, so I could care less what is on the national network. Although it is laughable to watch coach's corner or the post game and hear Cherry and McLean talk only about the Leafs (losing), when you have just watched the Sens(winning). And if you think it's bad now, one of these years the Leafs may actually start winning..can you imagine what it be like then??
  72. Trilly B from Canada writes: Regional programming definitely makes sense, no doubt about that. But the article doesn't make a logical argument.

    On one hand, "[the Leafs are] contributing little to the telecasts." But on the other hand, "the Leafs produce the largest audiences."

    Well which is it?

    And then, "Hockey Night will be counting on the Senators, the top team in the Eastern Conference, to deliver substantial playoff audiences.... That won't happen unless the Canadian audience is given an opportunity to connect with the Senators in the regular season."

    That's BS! Granted, Toronto in the playoffs would affect ratings much more than any other team, but Canadian viewers tune in to see Canadian teams in the playoffs. It's not as if Leaf fans tuned out for the Calgary, Edmonton, and Ottawa runs to the final.
  73. Mac - GLG from Canada writes: Too many people (including me want Toronto games)
    BUT
    There is no reason why there can't be a rotation of Canadian teams and make it equal.
  74. Alberto Bayo from Canada writes: I don't get it. Why can't the CBC broadcast multiple games at once, on different channels?
  75. Frank Godfrey from Canada writes: John Doucette, it is next to impossible for the CBC to expand regionally when it is being squeezed more and more by our federal governments. If you want more " national ", and less Toronto, programming, then start lobbying your MP, etc. Why can't HNIC have the flexibilty to pick a game of the week, giving priority to having teams from across the country represented who are also performing well in the standings ? I suggest hockey fans protesting too much Leafs coverage by HNIC, simply tune the games out - and make sure you let CBC know the reasons why. If you keep watching this stuff, then you are contributing to the problem, just like the allegations made against the Leafs fans who willingly go to slaughter.
  76. Jennifer Dickson from Sault Ste. Marie, Canada writes: About friggin' time somebody realized the rest of the country does not live and die by the leafs!!! As always media thinks Toronto is the be all and end all of advertising and viewers when they aren't and never will be.
  77. Another Canadian Voice from Ottawa, Canada writes: Trilly B from Canada writes: That's BS! Granted, Toronto in the playoffs would affect ratings much more than any other team, but Canadian viewers tune in to see Canadian teams in the playoffs. It's not as if Leaf fans tuned out for the Calgary, Edmonton, and Ottawa runs to the final.

    --------

    Actually, during those playoff runs Houston reported on the numbers and they were nil in Toronto. Most of the rest of the country watched the playoffs to the end and gave the CBC decent numbers, but the GTA could care less about hockey. 90 per cent only care about the Leafs and playoff runs that don't include the Leafs show that.

    CBC doesn't care about hockey in Canada. That is not news... liked the idea mentioned above of trying to move the headquarters outside of Toronto, maybe then the CBC can rediscover this wonderful country called Canada.

    But I doubt that will happen either.
  78. Craig Houston from Newmarket, Canada writes: Having Star Choice I get the best of both worlds. I don't have to watch the Leafs stink out the joint in HD, I can watch the sens or habs on their respective CBC stns.
    How giving the Sens the A slot would affect the CBC's revenue is something the network would have to look at. If CBC experimented with this and found the Leafs still outdrew the Sens, the almighty buck will speak and they'll go with the higher audience. But by all means, give the Sens the A slot and see what happens.
  79. RY KO from Ottawa, Canada writes: I'm just glad that the Toronto games are finally blacked out this year in Ottawa, so that no matter where I turn, I find the Senators on both HD and regular CBC. Regional broadcasting or multi-brodcasting as done on cbc.ca, even though initially the cost might be greater, more viewers will be tuning in in the long run if they know that when you turn on your tv, you have the option to actually watch your own team instead of being force fed subpar Leaf games night after night.
  80. B R from Canada writes: PJ Stock in my opinion hit the nail on the head with his comment on the Toronto media. Mr. Houston you are part of that media, Im not saying that you are hard on the younger players that come to the city but many of your colleagues are. Take Andrew Raycroft, Kyle Wellwood, or Nik Antropov for example. Since the day Raycroft came to the organization the media has constantly put him down and wrote him off. Lets not forget the 2 Maple Leaf records he accomplished last year. Wellwood has some writers attacking him personally on his intelligence level because he apparently doesn't own a tv and likes to read.. Does this writer know him personally? How could she make such a statement? Nik Antropov, before Raycroft came into the picture was the media's whipping boy. Some of that has now ceased due to the new blood in the water but the fact is still there that he was attacked at a young age and was continually attacked. A lot of people forget that these young men are human. They are given job evaluations on a daily basis. There are not many people out there that can say the same thing. That being said the majority of us do not earn the same salaries as many of these young gentlemen and that is to be somewhat expected of them. They are human they will make mistakes, they have made mistakes and they will continue to do so. Supporting them through turbulent times is the only way to help them out of a funk instead of telling them there horrible. How about some encouragement?
  81. Swifty J from Mariposa, Canada writes: Houston's analysis of the numbers is out of whack because the CBC showed the (awful) Habs vs. Rangers game in Quebec. That would explain RDS' lower-than-usual numbers, and might also play into the CBC numbers.
  82. Donald Duck from Ottawa, Canada writes: The HNIC broadcast should simply be the best game on that night, irregardless of what "teams" they are. They shouldn't be biased towards leafs, flames, canucks, habs, oilers, or sens.

    If Ottawa is playing Atlanta on Saturday, but Montreal is playing Toronto, then play Montreal/Toronto. If Ottawa is playing Phildelphia, and Toronto is playing the Islanders, then play the Ottawa/Philly game. It's not hard, this is one of the things that the NFL does in its Sunday night broadcast is pick the game they think the majority of people want to watch. Taking a regional bent on a national broadcast isolates your fan base, if you want to grow interest in the sport on a national basis you have to simply figure out what game is going to be the most exciting and play that one. I.e. this Saturday should be Pens/Habs not Sabres/Leafs. I mean come on neither the leafs or the sabres are making the play-offs, who on earth cares about this game other than die-hard leaf fans? BTW I'm a Sens fan, but I don't think I need to see the Sens beat the worst team in the league (Tampa) again this Saturday.
  83. Trilly B from Canada writes: Another Canadian, of course Toronto being in the playoffs increases ratings. No one would dispute that. My point was that CBC doesn't necessarily have to bet on one team or another in the regular season to ensure playoff ratings success.

    In a situation where Toronto is not going to be in the playoffs, of course you're going to lose a portion of Leaf Nation. But the remaining Canadian viewers are not going to tune in or out based on who they watched during the regular season.
  84. Ian m from New York (via Vancouver), United States writes: Mr. Houston is way too late to this issue, but it's about time!

    The numbers outside the GTA for the early game would probably increase dramatically, especially in the west or the maritimes, where people would be so happy to finally see a decent game. There are lots of Habs fans in those areas and there would be more Sens fans if people got to see them every now and then.

    Of course, eastern ontario and western quebec would very much prefer a Sens game.

    Leaf fans would come around eventually, being Leaf fands they are by definition not pro hockey fans, so they might find it nice to watch pro hockey.
  85. Drew Diggs from Toronto, Canada writes: It's really quite simple folks, there are more Leaf fans in the NHL's fanbase than any other team. Leaf games draw the big numbers thus make the most money. Unfortunately for fans of the other Canadian teams this is not fair, but don't worry. If the Leafs keep sucking this year and the next , the viewing ratings may start to decline. This could bring a change to HNIC and we may indeed see more HABS/SENS games. However as long as the Leafs fanbase stays strong the money will poor in and the Leafs will stay on HNIC. Money talks and BS skates.
  86. Paul I from Rochester NY, United States writes: Excellent idea taking the Leafs off HNIC. I also suggest that the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star and Toronto Sun turf out their hockey reporting staff. After all, there really is nothing new to write about. How do these papers justify the number of people they have re-hashing the same old stuff on a daily basis. Drop the Leaf conversation from the talk radio stations also. Give us all a well-deserved media break. All of these articles and chit-chat can just be reprinted from the 1970's and '80's archives.
  87. Stewed Ham from Canada writes: I'm wondering about the football numbers. Since I get the football on a bunch of TV and satellite stations including the American ones and CTV, TSN and Global; if I watch it on say CBS out of Seattle, am I included in the numbers quoted?
  88. Joe Calgarian from Canada writes: I stopped watching HNIC a long time ago. For me the final straw was when Cherry made a rare trip to Edmonton. During Coaches Corner he said 'Oh ya, Oilers are playing good' and then spent the rest of his time yakking about Toronto.

    I also refuse to watch any game unless it's in Hi-Def, as an Oiler fan that means a grand total of 8 (I believe) games this season are going to be watched.

    Hey Sportsnet, here's a thought, maybe actually show games in Hi-Def on the Sportsnet HD channel! Case in point, Sunday's Oil vs Flames game was in Standard Def, however I could watch the Hitmen play on the Hi-Def channel - also in Standard Def.

    It's not hard people, I can by a bloody HD camcorder for $500 now - broadcast the #&^#! games in Hi-Def!!!!!!
  89. JDF Canada from Calgary, Canada writes: Drew Diggs from Toronto, Canada writes: It's really quite simple folks, there are more Leaf fans in the NHL's fanbase than any other team. Leaf games draw the big numbers thus make the most money.

    Drew is correct. It also points out what a huge number of losers there are out there who would remain loyal to such a dysfunctional and morally bankrupt organization for so long (51 years). Loyalty is a 2 way street, everyone. There is no honour remaining loyal in the presence of absent or corrupt organizational leadership. The late game should ALWAYS involve one of the 3 western conference teams.
  90. Chris Jacobs from Etobicoke, Canada writes: I recall Leaf-centric CBC attributing ratings for 2006-07 Stanley Cup final, in part, to Canadian viewers lack of familiarity with Ottawa's roster. The CBC should have been broadcasting Senators' games nationally from the beginning of the season.
  91. Sens Fan #11 from Kanata, Canada writes:

    Is it true that sports bars in Ottawa show Leafs games instead of Senators?

    Are there many Senators fans even in the little town of Ottawa?

    Ottawa home games on TV it always seems like more people are cheering for the visiting team.

    If few people like the Senators (even in Ottawa?) why would the CBC show their games in place of the Leafs, Canada's favourite team?
  92. Another Canadian Voice from Ottawa, Canada writes: I could be mistaken, but Houston's numbers earlier for regional games I think had Leafs at 600,000 and Ottawa just over 100,000.

    When the Leafs go national, CBC gains about 500,000 to 600,000 viewers on average this season.

    When the Sens played national, they gained over 800,000 viewers (opposed to regional broadcasts) and competed against NFL playoffs.

    There are other factors, but if the CBC were to show Sens games nationally (and assume a lower number because Detroit draws well in Ontario) for say 800,000, and they regionally cover the Leafs for 600,000, their numbers overall would be higher than showing the Leafs national and Ottawa regional.
  93. Mister J from Canada writes: More CANUCKS GAMES please!!
  94. Swifty J from Mariposa, Canada writes: Drew is only partly correct. There are slightly more Leafs fans in total and there are way more English-speaking Leafs fans.

    But the kicker is this: there are slightly more Habs fans outside Quebec than there are Leafs fans outside Ontario. Or at least there were five or so years ago when the famous Leger poll was released to the delight of Leafs homers who can't be bothered to read past the headlines. Go ahead, look up that poll and take a good look at the numbers.

    In other words, if the CBC always broadcast the Leafs in Southern Ontario (where a huge proportion of Leafs fans are clustered) but mixed it up for the national telecast, they'd draw similar numbers. Dare I say they'd draw better numbers, because in that scenario they wouldn't be making a point of alienating 3/4 of hockey fans outside Southern Ontario.

    The bottom line is that it's insane for the CBC to push one team at the expense of others. That would be true even if the Leafs were as popular as some Leafs fans believe. It's called putting all your eggs in one basket and, oh, look at this -- we've all suddenly noticed the eggs are going rotten. It was bound to happen sooner or later (all franchises have their dark days) and that's why it was always a foolish strategy.

    Now that a new strategy is obviously in order, the Corpse will have to lay most of its chips on the Sens, because it won't be able to win back many Habs fans now. While our beloved national broadcaster was busy fawning over the Leafs, the Habs got their broadcasting house in order, and now many fans who don't speak French choose RDS even when the Habs are on CBC.
  95. Offshore Reg from bridgetown, Barbados writes: Leaf games generate the largest viewing audience? I wonder. It would be interesting to see a geographic distribution of viewers to support that claim. I would be willing to bet that by far the vast majority of that audience lives within slapshot distance of the Air Canada Centre. Given that the GTA and its immediate surroundings consititute the most heavily populated area in the country, and that they are subjected to Leaftalk on a daily basis, it should not be surprising (although it is sad) that they would overwhelmingly want to watch TML games. It would not be surprising as well to discover that viewers in the southern Ontario region by virtue of their numbers would skew any 'nationwide data. I doubt that the vast majority of potential HNIC viewers in northeastern or northwestern Ontario, western Canada, eastern Canada, or the far north choose to watch HNIC princiapally because "Canada's national team" is on that night, and if TML's are not on, they tune out. I wonder what city or region-specific analyses of HNIC viewin