This doesn’t seem very smart for the Flames. Particularly when Sportsnet very actively markets your arch rivals star players so much and so aggressively you’d think the Flames would want to get a different voice. The constant McDavid marketing and pandering has been a huge factor in making a huge amount of kids into Oiler fans. Tij Iginla being one per the other thread.
When I lived in Saskatoon last year, so many kids are Oil fans. I get that he’s the best player, but the way Sportsnet markets that team does a lot of damage to the Flames and Flames brand IMO, and so I’m surprised they’d want to lean into some kind of long-term deal.
If I was at that negotiating table there would have been some pretty firm messages about how things need to change. You have so many kids in rural, central AB, SK or BC that might otherwise be Flames fans and then just brainwashed into the mindless borg of Oiler obsession. Propaganda works.
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