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The Canucks-CBC HDTV Kerfuffle
by Alanah McGinley on 04/16/09 at 01:57 PM ET
Comments (25)
Numerous Canucks fans have written with their complaints that CBC won’t be broadcasting Canucks/Blues games #3 and #4 in high definition. I’ve also seen the same concerns expressed on Twitter this morning, where Brian Wawryshyn of Canucks Corner finally explained to us that:
“Jim Hughson was on the @TEAM1040 and stated it’s logisitics with the truck. They could rent one but they won’t. Budget cutbacks!”
Sadly this makes some sense, given the cutbacks at CBC are massive this year and the cost of those satellite HD trucks are exorbitant.
But while Canucks fans continue to mobilize an effort to press the CBC into finding some way to get an HD feed for those road games, it’s fair to say Calgary Flames fans are even more annoyed at some CBC-related issues today.
From the CBC:
When the Calgary Flames face off against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night, Hockey Night In Canada won’t be there.
It’s the first time a Flames playoff game won’t be televised by CBC-TV. Instead the game will be carried by the cable network TSN, angering fans who don’t have cable.
Scott Moore, head of CBC Sports, said as part of a new deal, the NHL only allows CBC Sports to cover a maximum of two Canadian-based teams in the first round of the playoffs.
I’ve seen mention around the interwebs that getting the games on TSN is no big deal, perhaps even preferable to some people, but I think they ignore the very important point made in the paragraph above: CBC is a free access national network; TSN requires cable service.
While I realize this isn’t CBC’s fault at all (they’re doing the best they can with an imperfect situation) you have to feel badly for Flames fans. Cable is expensive and not everyone can afford it. In fact, these days I’d say a lot of people can’t afford it.
So if you’re upset about missing your HDTV broadcast, perhaps take heart that at least you’re getting a live, free broadcast of arguably the best quality in the NHL.
Hell, a lot of us can’t afford HD, either, so perhaps there’s another thing worth keeping in mind. These are tough times and, all things considered, missing HD for two road games is a relatively small sacrifice.
But if the Canucks do make it to the finals, well, we’ll talk. If such a miracle were to happen, I agree we should to demand to witness every bloody moment in the highest definition possible. 
Update 6:53pm PT: Thanks to Dobber Hockey’s Angus in the comments below earlier today, a note that Save-On Foods (i.e. Jim Pattison) will be coughing up the $100K to rent the truck for two games in St. Louis. Now that’s a very generous contribution!
Filed in: hockey media, playoff hockey, vancouver canucks | Canucks and Beyond | Permalink
Tags: cbc, hdtv, media,
Comments
to be fair, even the pittsburgh game was not in HD tonight… and ottawa senators games are always not in HD
Posted by bcrt on 04/16/09 at 01:07 PM ET
I think we’re missing the worst part of this. Some fellow asked here the other day if all playoff games were in HD and I said “CBC broadcasts in HD all the way through the playoffs”
Now I have to spend the rest of the day feeling bad for lying to someone. Even though I didn’t mean to.
Damn you, CBC!
Posted by Shane from Saskatoon on 04/16/09 at 01:16 PM ET
Brian -- I wasn’t remotely meaning to suggest HD owners are snobs, or that I don’t understand the desire to see the games in high-def! I’ve seen the difference and I know how great it is.
I just meant to say that I can appreciate the situation from the CBC’s point of view. It seems to me that the network has done the majority of its cutbacks in non-hockey areas—several shows I’ve listened to religiously for years on CBC radio are going to be gone after this season—and since not everyone in this country is a hockey fan (even though it seems like it most of the time!) it’s understandable to me that saving this money on these road broadcasts might be the difference between other CBC shows surviving or not.
I can’t remember the exact cost of utilizing those mobile HD trucks, but I do remember hearing it in the past and thinking the amount was about a bazillion times more expensive than I would’ve imagined.
Anyway, I can respect your frustration. And I hope they can find some cost-efficient solution to this—such as renting a truck in St. Louis or something of the like.
bcrt -- That’s another good point, that plenty of teams aren’t getting HD during this round.
Shane -- I always tell everyone you’re a liar, so no harm done… 
Posted by Alanah McGinley from British Columbia on 04/16/09 at 01:21 PM ET
Well at the risk of sounding like a snobby HD owner , my biggest problem with this decision, is that everyone knows damn well that if the beloved Toronto Maple Leafs were playing in this series, you can be sure the powers that be would find the money to produce it in the best quality possible.
But the difference there is, I believe, that CBC OWNS an HD truck in Toronto. They do not own one in Vancouver.
Calgary fans have a point. Canadian teams should always be on CBC.......
Posted by Karina on 04/16/09 at 01:31 PM ET
CBC owns both trucks. The West Coast truck cannot make it to San Jose and cover the other West Series’ at the same time.
I have some issues with this as a Vancouver-ite.
a) Of course CBC’s cuts were in non-hockey departments. HNIC is one of their few profitable television divisions. And it is by far the most profitable/successful for the CBC.
b) CBC WON the rights to broadcast the NHL in Canada. It should be their duty (not our privilege as viewers) to broadcast every game in HD if possible.
Jim Hughson was on the radio yesterday and broke it down, but he didn’t seem to go out of his way to defend the decision, just to explain it.
Posted by DobberHockey_Angus from British Columbia on 04/16/09 at 01:48 PM ET
Goodness, free access to watch hockey on TV isn’t a basic human right. I can understand being a bit ticked, but if it’s because you aren’t paying for cable, that’s just too bad. A majority of people do subscribe to cable/dish, and I would think that many of those who don’t, can go over to a friends to watch if it’s so important to them.
TSN and CBC both have deals with the NHL, and had to fork out money to get the rights to the games. If TSN won the rights to broadcast a Canadian team, then power to them. Why should TSN be stuck with all the US games, when the Canadian teams get much higher ratings in Canada. Especially if they’re also forking out good money for it.
Posted by Shabbadoo on 04/16/09 at 01:54 PM ET
RE: Vancouver—Are games 3 & 4 being broadcast in HD out of St. Louis? Would it be possible for the Canucks/NHL/CBC to swing a deal to pick up the Blues video feed at a lower cost than renting an HD truck?
RE: Calgary—Let me get this straight...if all six Canadian teams were to make the playoffs, CBC would be forced to choose just two for first round coverage? Sounds like another ingenious marketing plan by Mr. Bettman. Restricting the supply of first round coverage in Canada will undoubtedly increase demand in non-traditional U.S. hockey markets by at least tenfold. Too bad 10 times zero is still zero, huh Gary?
Posted by YzermanZetterberg on 04/16/09 at 02:14 PM ET
@YzermanZetterberg: No, the deal is that CBC and TSN ‘draft’ series that they’ll show in twos. CBC gets the first two picks (this year they took the Montreal and Vancouver series) TSN gets the next two (this year they took Calgary and Washington), and then CBC gets two more. So, if all six Canadian teams made it to the first round, each with an American opponent, you would likely see four on the Ceeb and two on TSN, with TSN rounding out its schedule with the two exclusively-American series.
Posted by Josh from Fort St. John, BC on 04/16/09 at 02:22 PM ET
I wonder, what are the cable/satellite household stats for Canada these days? As recently as 10 years ago this was definitely an issue in the States as certain cities still only had 50-60% (most notably Dallas during the ‘99 Cup run) but I believe it’s closer to 90% now. At the same time, the percentage of people who actually have digital cable, an HD box and an HD TV is still probably quite small. Of course, we’re also talking about teams that hold back a portion of their regular season schedule for pay per view, so non-cable fans are already used to getting the shaft right?
Posted by zambonirodeo on 04/16/09 at 02:29 PM ET
Thanks for the insight, Josh. Guess I shouldn’t have been so harsh toward the commissioner…
NAH, if anything, he deserves worse!
Posted by YzermanZetterberg on 04/16/09 at 02:33 PM ET
That’s how the CBC has always fought government over cutbacks from the taxpayers purse, by cutting quality and access to the programs people like and thus angering the people enough to vent at the government over the cutbacks. The CBC won’t get more welfare from the taxpayers by cutting the numerous programs taxpayers don’t watch like LIttle Mosque on the Prairie. So they attack HNIC and the Simpsons. Looks like it is working.
Posted by penaltyshots on 04/16/09 at 02:50 PM ET
Be glad you’re not an out of market Devils or Hurricanes fan. All the games in that series except Game 6 will not be in HD for U.S. viewers thanks to an ongoing (3 months now) feud between the NHL and MSG.
Posted by Mike from Idaho on 04/16/09 at 03:38 PM ET
I can understand the frustrations of those who do not have cable. I also did not have cable untill recently. Well, i had cable but only up to channel 28 so i had no tsn. As i only watch hockey on tv, i was not too keen on shelling out an additional 15 dollars on top of 33$ a month just for tsn. I was about to disconnect my shaw cable and go with telus tv which would give me the sports package for 36 bucks and include hd sport channels as well as the box. then shaw countered with complete hd channels plus all the other channels (no movie channels though) for only 6 bucks more than I was currently paying. I am a little choked that the games in st.louis are not going to be in hd. Especially after watching the great quality last night in the vancouver game.
the benefit of the calgary games are tho, at least all of them are in high def on tsn.
Posted by Luongo-is-my-hero on 04/16/09 at 04:31 PM ET
OH and Shane, i was the one who you told that all games were in HD. My hopes were destroyed, Thanks.
Jk, its all good as long as i can watch the home games in hd
Posted by Luongo-is-my-hero on 04/16/09 at 04:32 PM ET
The games are in HD thanks to Save on Foods. They are paying out 100 grand to CBC in order to rent a truck. Thanks Jim (Pattison)!!!
Posted by DobberHockey_Angus from British Columbia on 04/16/09 at 04:38 PM ET
Jim Pattison is a local (Vancouver) billionaire who owns SaveonFoods, a grocery store and corporate sponsor for the Canucks. They are giving CBC 100 grand (it costs around 50,000 per game to rent a truck).
Posted by DobberHockey_Angus from British Columbia on 04/16/09 at 04:39 PM ET
dobberhockey angus, do you mean the ones that are being televised in vancouverÉ or the ones in st louis will now be in hd
Posted by Luongo-is-my-hero on 04/16/09 at 05:10 PM ET
DobberHockey_Angus, just a heads up, but you subscribed for emails in this thread and are getting returned with this message...550 Mailbox quota exceeded.
Can you fix that on your end and glad to see the broadcasts will be in HD.
Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 04/16/09 at 05:44 PM ET
Save-on foods stepped up gave 100K to CBC to broadcast in HD. Now they are doing the games in HD
Posted by John from Vancouver on 04/16/09 at 05:55 PM ET
Sure thing. Sorry about that Paul, not sure what happened there.
Yes, this is for games three/four in STL.
Posted by DobberHockey_Angus from British Columbia on 04/16/09 at 05:59 PM ET
OMG, THAT JUST MADE MY DAY!
sweet, the games in st louis will be in hd now. Im assuming that game 6 will be in hd as well if the series makes it that far.
Posted by Luongo-is-my-hero on 04/16/09 at 06:25 PM ET
While I realize this isn’t CBC’s fault at all (they’re doing the best they can with an imperfect situation) you have to feel badly for Flames fans. Cable is expensive and not everyone can afford it. In fact, these days I’d say a lot of people can’t afford it
Nobody has to feel bad for Flames fans...they are from Calgary, after all, a city full of oil barons and idiots.
Cable is also very cheap these days, and even more unemployed people have it. It costs me about $30-40 month for a huge swath of channels I never watch, and it would be even a bit cheaper just to get up to TSN’s range. Sucks for just a few people, but not for many.
Posted by JesGolbez from Burnaby, BC on 04/17/09 at 10:13 AM ET
No worries Alanah, I commonly refer to myself as an HD snob as do others that have made the switch. 
I understand both sides, my biggest issue with the whole thing is that I have no doubt not showing the game in HD would not have been even considered had Toronto been in the same series. CBC wouls have found the money, IMO.
Posted by Brian Wawryshyn from Maple Ridge. B.C. on 04/17/09 at 12:41 PM ET
Well, I don’t subscribe to cable/digital cable, but I do subscribe to NHL Centre Ice on the Internet ... CBC paid for the rights to show the Canucks Game #2, yet they continued showing the Flyers/Penguins OT game in the East ...
So, it’s blacked out on Centre Ice online because CBC have the rights. Yet I’ve paid hundreds of dollars to watch games NOT on TV in my area. The only way I can watch it is by the crappy CBC feed.
NHL should do better by their long-time fans.
Gallivan.
Posted by Gallivan from Toronto, ON on 04/18/09 at 12:16 AM ET
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Alanah McGinley has been blogging hockey since 2003, sharing opinions, rants and not-so-deep thoughts with anyone who will listen. In addition to writing Canucks & Beyond and helping manage Kukla’s Korner, Alanah is one of the founders and co-hosts of The Crazy Canucks Podcast, as featured at Canucks.com.
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Well at the risk of sounding like a snobby HD owner
, my biggest problem with this decision, is that everyone knows damn well that if the beloved Toronto Maple Leafs were playing in this series, you can be sure the powers that be would find the money to produce it in the best quality possible.
HNIC is the biggest money making sho the CBC has, bar none. If they want to trim the budget, let them trim it on shows no one watches anyway, and sink our tax money into what this country is passionate about.
Posted by Brian Wawryshyn from Maple Ridge, BC on 04/16/09 at 01:05 PM ET