There is nothing more pointless that sports channels like to spend boatload of cash on than sets. ESPN and Fox in the US do this as well. Your set with 50 monitors and 10 different spots for people to talk doesn't matter. No one cares if a guy is standing in front of a 30 foot ultra hd monitor if it's Glenn Heavy doing his trolling routine,it's going to suck either way.
Looks like a cool set, and George should do alright (MacLean goes off on tangents nowadays). What I hope is that they keep with the hockey and don't dumb it down for too young audiences. I actually really like the Hotstove, which caters to fans who like to know the behind the scenes rumors. They should keep that. Keep the dumbing for regional telecasts. Which brings me to my next point. While Rogers looks like they built a great set, they really have to up the visual quality of their actual broadcasts. Most games on Sportsnet look like highschool production values. Great that they have a new set, but time to bring the meat of the program to the 21st century. That part is to be seen.
PS: What's with George's ultra skinny pants? Hopefully they sit the guy down and ask him to dress less hipster and more business casual.
Don't understand all the Stroumbo hate. They need a lead between panels guy that is a great on screen personality, a good interviewer/talker and not just another re-tread hockey guy. The fact he's a huge hockey fan and is very knowledgable is just an add. Plus he takes airtime away from Healey/Stock/MacLean/Kypreos/Shannon.
ps: It's the 21st century. Why does he need to dress business casual? It's a hockey program, not Friday at Suncor?
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Just saw the tour on Sportsnet. The Puck Wall smacks of extreme gimmick, but the rest is fine; a big step up from their current sets and a confirmation of a real investment by Rogers that I worried wouldn't come when news of their financial concerns came out recently. I just wish it was Elliott Friedman and the TN crew hosting instead of George, Jeff Marek, and the Sportsnet crew
Strombo was a great hire and the set looks ok although for me hnic has always been more about tradition than flash and it doesn't fit. I can't believe some of the guys they kept though. Listening to Healy and MacLean is like wandering in to a nursing home and asking somebody (from toronto) with anger issues and dementia to analyze a game.
Don't understand all the Stroumbo hate. They need a lead between panels guy that is a great on screen personality, a good interviewer/talker and not just another re-tread hockey guy. The fact he's a huge hockey fan and is very knowledgable is just an add. Plus he takes airtime away from Healey/Stock/MacLean/Kypreos/Shannon.
ps: It's the 21st century. Why does he need to dress business casual? It's a hockey program, not Friday at Suncor?
I like Strombo. My only concern is that the guy's real strength is that he's a world class interviewer and I don't see any way that he gets to stretch his legs in the world of hockey. Other than that (in my mind, major problem) I think he'll be just fine.