Toronto Sports Media Discussion Thread - v7 (2022 Edition)

[MK78]

I think the best and most reasonable solution would be for both Rogers and Bell to split the rights. I just can't see Rogers coming in with an offer again like they did to secure the rights, and Bell I'm sure has taken note on the money Rogers has surely bled on the whole thing. They are lucky Rogers outbid their $5 billion offer.

Bell desperately needs games to get back to national exposure. Their analysts (Dreger is particular) have taken a huge hit and are an afterthought. The CFL, tennis majors and 2-week WJCs can only take them so far.

Split the weekday games, collaborate with CBC to park the Saturday night games there still as per 60-year tradition, and find new ways to capitalize and monetize the digital landscape.

Yeah thats probably what will happen, they will split it.

But I'm curious if an outfit like DAZN, who has already made inroads in Canadian streaming, would bid for some part of the schedule.

Bell also lost radio rights to NHL games, which saw closure of several radio stations that didn't have much to air without the hockey content.

 

[thewave]

We don't have media...

We have clickbait specialists

 

[MK78]

Kyper&Bourne stepped in and used a significant portion of their hour long show last year to actually cover the Leafs. It was a breath of fresh air. It hasn’t felt the same so far this season.

Yeah I liked Kyper & Bourne last year because of their more extensive coverage of the Leafs.

Jeff Marek Show 2 hour bit hardly ever talks about the Leafs at all, which is fine, but they should have left Kyper & Bourne as is. Now its 2nd hour is National so its anything but the Leafs. I feel like they are shorting the Leafs coverage.

 

[MrKnackerton]

This game will be so much excitement to see and brings all those memories back of the florida series. Interesting to see if bertuzzi is in the lineup. He is gtd and taking warmups it was told. We need him very much in these types of games where there is so much going on beside the "game" itself. Its the game behind the game that excites us all in these.

 

[Transplanted Caper]

"It's not funny!" - Odog

*Hayes and Noodles doubled over the desk laughing*

Also, thank goodness it's a TSN night for the game. It's so much better.

 

[Aashir Mallik]

Delete

 

[leafan11]

Kyper today was suggesting matthews win the Selke instead of the Rocket. It’s one of the dumbest segments I’ve ever had the misfortune of listening to.

 

[Americanadian]

It depends what you consider serious hockey analysis to be honest. As they say themselves they are "Team Eye Test". Not team analytics.....If you're looking for 100% Leaf coverage they why would Overdrive ever be your first choice anyways?

Like Wednesday was a non day after and a non game day show..... Why would you choose a show that is (supposed to be) a general sports talk to hear about the Leafs.

That's like complaining ESPN talk shows don't have enough hockey. Or there isn't enough Blue Jays and Raptors thread on the Leafs HFBoards. It's there but not a ton of it.

I started listening when it was Leafs lunch so maybe that's why I'm still not used to the Leafs not getting 30 minutes/day.

 

[MapleLeafs77]

Kyper today was suggesting matthews win the Selke instead of the Rocket. It’s one of the dumbest segments I’ve ever had the misfortune of listening to.

Kyper hates matthews. He is a big marner guy and thinks matthews is overrated

 

[OddyOh]

Yeah thats probably what will happen, they will split it.

But I'm curious if an outfit like DAZN, who has already made inroads in Canadian streaming, would bid for some part of the schedule.

Bell also lost radio rights to NHL games, which saw closure of several radio stations that didn't have much to air without the hockey content.

Agreed I think/hope we will see streaming companies show interest. Live sports can be a big deal to these companies as it's one of the last forms of "event television" that people will still sit down and watch live.

I bought the MLS sub on Apple TV+ day one, and I've never watched soccer outside of a few games of the World Cup every four years. The coverage is so much better than Rogers, it is actually hilarious that Rogers hasn't lost the NHL rights already for putting on such a shitty product. (Obviously comparing Apple's resources to Rogers isn't fair, but that's the reality).

I'd like it if Apple or whoever came calling for the NHL rights, but with the NHL's entrenched positions on human rights, I don't see it happening. NHL would need massive regime change. The owners will never stand for that, unless/until it paid them very very very very very well.

The other angle is Apple has world-wide MLS streaming rights, they're not interested in regional deals. All or nothing. The NHL is small enough for that to happen, especially with the collapse of regional sports networks in the US. But it's still a mess to get all the rights lined up at once.

...I guess this should go in the Business of Hockey discussions, not really Toronto related. Whoops. Errr...Go Leafs!

 

[Nylanderthal]

Agreed I think/hope we will see streaming companies show interest. Live sports can be a big deal to these companies as it's one of the last forms of "event television" that people will still sit down and watch live.

I bought the MLS sub on Apple TV+ day one, and I've never watched soccer outside of a few games of the World Cup every four years. The coverage is so much better than Rogers, it is actually hilarious that Rogers hasn't lost the NHL rights already for putting on such a shitty product. (Obviously comparing Apple's resources to Rogers isn't fair, but that's the reality).

I'd like it if Apple or whoever came calling for the NHL rights, but with the NHL's entrenched positions on human rights, I don't see it happening. NHL would need massive regime change. The owners will never stand for that, unless/until it paid them very very very very very well.

The other angle is Apple has world-wide MLS streaming rights, they're not interested in regional deals. All or nothing. The NHL is small enough for that to happen, especially with the collapse of regional sports networks in the US. But it's still a mess to get all the rights lined up at once.

...I guess this should go in the Business of Hockey discussions, not really Toronto related. Whoops. Errr...Go Leafs!

I’m assuming that the human rights aspect is satire considering head office literally just told a subsection of their fanbase that the sport isn’t for everyone and they’re not welcome in their buildings

 

[MK78]

I’m assuming that the human rights aspect is satire considering head office literally just told a subsection of their fanbase that the sport isn’t for everyone and they’re not welcome in their buildings

Uh, so you must waive special flags in order to explicitly tell people that they are welcome?

get over yourself. Everyone is welcome if they want to come. if they want special favours, go elsewhere.

 

[OddyOh]

I’m assuming that the human rights aspect is satire considering head office literally just told a subsection of their fanbase that the sport isn’t for everyone and they’re not welcome in their buildings

I probably wasn’t clear, I think we’re in agreement. With Apple having an openly gay CEO, I doubt they would bid on the NHL rights anytime soon in light of the NHL‘s recent actions as you described.

 

[Nylanderthal]

I probably wasn’t clear, I think we’re in agreement. With Apple having an openly gay CEO, I doubt they would bid on the NHL rights anytime soon in light of the NHL‘s recent actions as you described.

My apologies, I thought you were referring to concerns about apples manufacturing standards and practices, and suggesting the NHL wouldn’t be interested.

Uh, so you must waive special flags in order to explicitly tell people that they are welcome?

get over yourself. Everyone is welcome if they want to come. if they want special favours, go elsewhere.

Tell me how you feel about national anthems before private industry sporting events and stuff like “Luke’s troops” and other odes to the military.
Not only is one specific group not receiving “special treatment” the league banned individuals from using the one form of expression left (pride tape) because a bunch of snowflakes didn’t want to answer why they’re homophobes

 

[MK78]

Tell me how you feel about national anthems before private industry sporting events and stuff like “Luke’s troops” and other odes to the military.
Not only is one specific group not receiving “special treatment” the league banned individuals from using the one form of expression left (pride tape) because a bunch of snowflakes didn’t want to answer why they’re homophobes

if you don't understand the reason for an anthem or honouring the veterans, then i don't know what to tell ya.

 

[keonsbitterness]

if you don't understand the reason for an anthem or honouring the veterans, then i don't know what to tell ya.

National anthems should only be played when national teams play.

 

[Nineteen67]

My apologies, I thought you were referring to concerns about apples manufacturing standards and practices, and suggesting the NHL wouldn’t be interested.

Tell me how you feel about national anthems before private industry sporting events and stuff like “Luke’s troops” and other odes to the military.
Not only is one specific group not receiving “special treatment” the league banned individuals from using the one form of expression left (pride tape) because a bunch of snowflakes didn’t want to answer why they’re homophobes

It’s a shame, but they had to stop the pride celebrations because the flag was hijacked and no one was willing to say what all the colors represented. Several businesses have removed the flag at the request of the LG community.

National anthems should only be played when national teams play.

Or when played in nations.

 

[Craig Button]

My apologies, I thought you were referring to concerns about apples manufacturing standards and practices, and suggesting the NHL wouldn’t be interested.

Tell me how you feel about national anthems before private industry sporting events and stuff like “Luke’s troops” and other odes to the military.
Not only is one specific group not receiving “special treatment” the league banned individuals from using the one form of expression left (pride tape) because a bunch of snowflakes didn’t want to answer why they’re homophobes

The reason pride tape is banned is because it's an eyesore and is distracting.
It has nothing to do with homophobes.

look how distracting this crap is.

It would be hard to keep track of the puck with this crap on

 

[Nylanderthal]

if you don't understand the reason for an anthem or honouring the veterans, then i don't know what to tell ya.

Go ahead and explain why the national anthems of one or two countries are integral and played before a game between privately owned franchises while players from upwards of 10 different countries on each side participate.
Why are the military salutes such an integral part of every teams in arena theatrics but Travis dermott using coloured tape requires the league to “look into it”

 

[Nylanderthal]

The reason pride tape is banned is because it's an eyesore and is distracting.
It has nothing to do with homophobes.

look how distracting this crap is.

It would be hard to keep track of the puck with this crap on

Lol. Yeah that’s why it was banned. Players only ever used it during warmup.
Sounds like an excuse for sucking and needing to be better.

 

[Nineteen67]

The reason pride tape is banned is because it's an eyesore and is distracting.
It has nothing to do with homophobes.

look how distracting this crap is.

It would be hard to keep track of the puck with this crap on

That’s not the reason. It became impossible for the league to celebrate every letter or every colour represented.

 

[Stand Witness]

Ya it got banned because the story went from celebrating the event to witch hunting anyone who passed on partaking.

If people were able to accept that 95% of players had no issue and didn’t care that 5% were opposed, then this ban would never have happened.

Unfortunately, 95% support is not good enough for some people… in a world where there isn’t anything that 100% of people agree on.

 

[MK78]

Ya it got banned because the story went from celebrating the event to witch hunting anyone who passed on partaking.

If people were able to accept that 95% of players had no issue and didn’t care that 5% were opposed, then this ban would never have happened.

Unfortunately, 95% support is not good enough for some people… in a world where there isn’t anything that 100% of people agree on.

You must clap & cheer otherwise you're a pick-a-phobe.

 

[Americanadian]

JD Bunkis had Sean Avery on today and Avery had some interesting things to say. He's pretty close with Shanahan and he had a lot to say about the way Spezza carried himself in the front office. He also defended the Lightning loss because he claimed Johansson was a rookie goalie and Woll was not.

 

[Apex Predator]

JD Bunkis had Sean Avery on today and Avery had some interesting things to say. He's pretty close with Shanahan and he had a lot to say about the way Spezza carried himself in the front office. He also defended the Lightning loss because he claimed Johansson was a rookie goalie and Woll was not.

I heard that and thought Avery was a little ridiculous. Not sure if it’s his stick but he came off as such a hater during the beginning part. It’s different from other guests do that was interesting to listen to.