Jeff Marek no longer with Sportsnet - Unknown why

[Behind Enemy Lines]

I always liked Marek and find solace in the fact that if he did something shady or bad he will likely land on his feet in the Edmonton Oilers organization

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” The Oilers organization has long been a solid second chance home for misbehaving players from marginal anonymous fringe hockey markets. Do your bad stuff where hockey is an afterthought and work through redemption where it does matters.

Marek is replaceable but Sportsnet has a very poor on-air talent pool and their presentation has been underwhelming since becoming the Canadian rights holders.

 

[WiLBoY]

My fav hockey podcast thru the work week

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Not everyone likes to broadcast their unemployment. And if he was informed after the draft broadcast was done that Friday night (and he likely wouldn’t be informed prior to the broadcast) why stick around and do essentially free work for a final broadcast. I would hop on a red eye to get back to my family too.

Contracts probably go through June 30, so the draft Friday June 28 was likely his last assignment under it.

Wonder if his contract was up on July 1 and he wanted more money and Sportsnet said "no" so they couldn't come to terms on a new deal, and thus Marek is a UFA on the marketplace.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Maybe he slides into SDPN like CJ has?

Or Turner sees a glorious opportunity for a host?

Very unlikely. He can easily just start his own podcast...if not his own podcast network. He has so many fans/followers that it might be the wise thing to do at this point, financially.

 

[LOFIN]

“Jeff Marek is no longer with Sportsnet,” a Sportsnet spokesperson told Daily Hive this morning.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/jeff-marek-gone-sportsnet

 

[jkrdevil]

Wonder if his contract was up on July 1 and he wanted more money and Sportsnet said "no" so they couldn't come to terms on a new deal, and thus Marek is a UFA on the marketplace.

They have scaled back coverage and dropped talent pretty much every year of the deal. They also scaled back Jeff’s role at the start of the season. He used to do the Saturday headlines/Hotstove with Friedman but he was dropped for that this year.

He originally came over to SN as a regional broadcast host, but they lost some of those rights. He did JR hockey, but then lists those rights I believe. At the end he was basically doing his radio show and podcast.

 

[WTFMAN99]

He better deserve it because their channel already sucks for hockey coverage.

 

[WillTheThrill]

They should replace him with steve dangle

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

They have scaled back coverage and dropped talent pretty much every year of the deal. They also scaled back Jeff’s role at the start of the season. He used to do the Saturday headlines/Hotstove with Friedman but he was dropped for that this year.

He originally came over to SN as a regional broadcast host, but they lost some of those rights. He did JR hockey, but then lists those rights I believe. At the end he was basically doing his radio show and podcast.

Yeah, they probably told him that night that they weren't giving him a new contract and he went home a few days early as a result -- it's as simple as that. He's been probably taking a break and planning his next move since then.

The only weird thing is the "draft reasons." Was that a typo? It's unnecessarily confusing.

 

[FerrisRox]

Career wise, he's 55 and departing from one of the big 2 networks, what are his options? Is he that major a name that TSN would pick him up given the people they already have? Doubt it.

Would anyone consider him a needle mover? Probably not.

See where he ends up landing.

If you have Darren Dreger as an insider, you can absolutely use some help to bolster your hockey coverage.

It's hard to imagine anyone working in the hockey media, outside of Steve Dangle, who wouldn't be a clear upgrade on Darren Dreyer.

 

[LOFIN]

Not buying the "his contract was up and it was not renewed so that's why he's gone" explanation for one second. Even if the contract was set to expire on July 1st, they would've arranged it so that he will be able to do the last episodes of his own show and whatnot.

 

[Honour Over Glory]

They should replace him with steve dangle

That bloke is awful.

In which case he would fit right in, an absolute asshat Leafs homer on Sportsnet.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

If you have Darren Dreger as an insider, you can absolutely use some help to bolster your hockey coverage.

It's hard to imagine anyone working in the hockey media, outside of Steve Dangle, who wouldn't be a clear upgrade on Darren Dreyer.

I love how all hockey fans across the continent are united in their opinion of how useless Dreger is lol.

 

[LOFIN]

That bloke is awful.

In which case he would fit right in, an absolute asshat Leafs homer on Sportsnet.

Steve Dangle is actually pretty good, if you actually listen to him outside of his Leafs rants where he goes into character. And it's obvious that you don't.

"Leafs homer", well yeah. He literally got famous for being a ranting Leafs fan.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

Steve Dangle is actually pretty good, if you actually listen to him outside of his Leafs rants where he goes into character. And it's obvious that you don't.

"Leafs homer", well yeah. He literally got famous for being a ranting Leafs fan.

fully understand he’s playing a character with the rant stuff…

but the “real” Dangle is also horrible lmao. Tbh his actual self is worse than the character he created

 

[Stopper420]

Hopefully wasn’t anything to do with harassment

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Steve Dangle is actually pretty good, if you actually listen to him outside of his Leafs rants where he goes into character. And it's obvious that you don't.

"Leafs homer", well yeah. He literally got famous for being a ranting Leafs fan.

It's a good podcast, but that's mostly because of his co-hosts imo. Steve is fun on that show, but don't think he'd translate well to national coverage.

If it was just Adam and Jesse, the podcast wouldn't lose a step, ironically.

 

[Stopper420]

They should replace him with steve dangle

They should replace him with RA after he gets out of rehab and wants to become a real journalist.

 

[LOFIN]

It's a good podcast, but that's mostly because of his co-hosts imo. Steve is fun on that show, but don't think he'd translate well to national coverage.

If it was just Adams and Jesse, the podcast wouldn't lose a step, ironically.

Oh I'm not suggesting that he should be anywhere near national networks lol.

For me, it's Jesse who is redundant. But he is pretty good at searching info so...

 

[Senator Stanley]

Some of his prospect interviews were terrible. Not really going to miss him.

A 30 second interview with an overwhelmed 18 year old isn't where anybody shines.

He's much better as a podcast and radio host.

 

[Reality Czech]

That was a VERY small part of what he did so it's weird to use that as a reason.


I hear they're considering hiring your mom

She's definitely more entertaining than Marek and is way more original and funny than you are.

 

[The Management]

It's a good podcast, but that's mostly because of his co-hosts imo. Steve is fun on that show, but don't think he'd translate well to national coverage.

If it was just Adam and Jesse, the podcast wouldn't lose a step, ironically.

Yeah, that's how I feel about it. Steve is much more even-tempered on the pod although he does sometimes go into full screeching-child mode, which makes me turn off the volume. When he's just chatting with the boys, he's generally fine. Jesse is fine, Adam keeps the pace moving (his laugh makes me want to tear the ears off my head however). The good outweighs the bad.

 

[brentashton]

Career wise, he's 55 and departing from one of the big 2 networks, what are his options? Is he that major a name that TSN would pick him up given the people they already have? Doubt it.

Would anyone consider him a needle mover? Probably not.

See where he ends up landing.

Maybe Dan O’Toole needs a new broadcast/podcast partner?

Man, those two on the same show would make me gouge out my ear drums with a soup spoon.

 

[Doug Prishpreed]

Yeah, that's how I feel about it. Steve is much more even-tempered on the pod although he does sometimes go into full screeching-child mode, which makes me turn off the volume. When he's just chatting with the boys, he's generally fine. Jesse is fine, Adam keeps the pace moving (his laugh makes me want to tear the ears off my head however). The good outweighs the bad.

I'm not a leafs fan yet listen every week so they must be doing something right

I actually do like Dangle himself quite a bit, I just think he's in the perfect role where he is.

 

[brentashton]

They should replace him with steve dangle

f*** that.