[Rumour] Big changes coming at HNIC

[Toonage]

Also, going by that article, if "only Elliotte Friedman is safe" I would also suggest Jeff Marek is safe.

[Ashasx]

It is going to be impressive when HNIC intermissions are of the same terrible quality the Flames get for a Tuesday night game.

What an absolute mistake it was for the NHL to sell the Canadian TV rights to Rogers. No question in my mind it has set the game back a decade.

[dissentowner]

Should have kept Bieska. I am fine with the rest going, please for the love of my ears tell me this means Hrudey will not be calling Flames games again. Please please please!

[calumniate]

Wow even by shamelessly selling out to sports betting sites, they still lost boatloads of money? Doesn't paint a pretty future

[Moneyhands23]

God how much longer does sportsnet have the rights? Better to split it up

[Toonage]

^ Through the end of 25-26

[Erick Estrada]

Who's surprised that the recent trend of focusing on gambling hasn't resonated with viewers?

[Manhattanboy]

I like Bieksa and Botterill.

Still don’t understand how ads for products that are legal only in Ontario are allowed elsewhere in Canada.

[Aarongavey]

NHL really needs the next TV deal to be more, probably significantly more to get the cap anywhere near 110 million in the next 8-10 years, unless they are planning on doubling the price of tickets over the next 6 or 7 years.

[Chi-Town Hustler]

Id rather just watch live look-ins of other games during intermission. Panels are dopey.

Go Flams

[saillias]

I only ever see these guys if they get clipped and posted on social media. So not surprised. Sitting down and watching 20 minutes of dodge and telus commercials with 5 minute segments of hot takes is just a bad way to spend your time

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Aarongavey

NHL really needs the next TV deal to be more, probably significantly more to get the cap anywhere near 110 million in the next 8-10 years, unless they are planning on doubling the price of tickets over the next 6 or 7 years.

I don't see that happening. They should expect less not more. I doubt Rogers will be interested in any sort of deal that pays like the current one which leaves TSN to name their price.

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I don't see that happening. They should expect less not more. I doubt Rogers will be interested in any sort of deal that pays like the current one which leaves TSN to name their price.

Lets see how the NBA deal plays out, although it is a US TV deal.

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Who's surprised that the recent trend of focusing on gambling hasn't resonated with viewers?

It’s not meant to resonate with longtime NHL fans. It’s an effort to get a bite of the $91 billion (and growing) North American sports gambling market.

[topfiverecords]

Time for your host Jeff Marek with sidekicks Frank Seravalli and the latest Ryerson graduate.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

It’s not meant to resonate with longtime NHL fans. It’s an effort to get a bite of the $91 billion (and growing) North American sports gambling market.

I get that but it's probably not helping curb the amount of people that change the channel at intermissions. Lots of folks seem to be turned off by the amount of gambling being promoted. Anecdotal but I have talked to several people that have told me they watch less and less hockey because of it.

[CroFlames]

Fans like Botteril? Fire Botteril.

Fans like Bieksa? Fire Bieksa

Fans hate gambling ads? Moar gambling ads!

Never forget that Hextall was fantastic, but she dared speak negatively about the Oilers, who's star player has a huge endorsement from Rogers so they turfed her.

Be prepared for the intermissions to be one analyst fellating McDavid, no host, gambling ads and just rerun clips of McDavid. Absolutely no discussion or highlights of the game being played.

[GreenLantern2814]

Originally Posted by calumniate

Wow even by shamelessly selling out to sports betting sites, they still lost boatloads of money? Doesn't paint a pretty future

Shamelessly selling out to the gambling sites is probably what caused a lot of people to switch off the broadcast as soon as play ends.

[868904]

Maclean is definitely not worth the money. Bieksa is great but hard to see him working for cheap. Botteril and Hrudey can’t be that expensive.

I imagine Marek and Friedman don’t get paid that much and that their HNIC appearances are more for branding and directing traffic to their podcasts. That’s probably the cheaper way for Rogers to go.

I’m sure the Barnburner cast will work for cheap (relative to those guys), they should hire them.

[Jiri Hrdina]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I'm not sure why they would cut loose Botteril or Bieksa who are the new faces of HNIC unless it's purely a money thing but then again what credible hockey people are going to work on the ultra-cheap?

Absolutely it's a $$ thing. What I think is playing out across the industry, and all talent levels is talent is being told "we can't pay you what we have been. We can pay you x instead." And talent is choosing it's not worth it. A guy like Bieksa isn't going to accept being under valued.

There will be a continual erosion of talent in the business because they are not willing to pay for it.