Canadians outraged after CBC didn’t broadcast NHL playoff games

Canadians from throughout the nation shared their outrage on the CBC for not exhibiting hockey playoff video games that includes Canadian groups.

Video games 5 and 6 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs Western Convention last had been solely accessible to subscribers of Sportsnet, as they weren’t proven on CBC.

Rogers Media, which owns Sportsnet, holds the rights to broadcast all hockey video games in Canada. Nonetheless, Rogers Media and CBC signed a seven-year settlement in 2017, permitting CBC to broadcast all Hockey Evening in Canada and Stanley Cup Playoffs video games from the 2019-20 to 2025-26 seasons.

Regardless of having the choice to broadcast the Edmonton Oilers’ fifth and sixth video games of the Western Convention last, with recreation six being a possible (and eventual) elimination recreation, CBC selected to broadcast one thing else.

“We set our schedule lengthy earlier than the playoffs are decided. And that schedule consists of Canada’s Final Problem on Sunday nights (April 28-June 2) in addition to the CSAs gala,” mentioned Chuck Thompson. “With that context, we knew there could be events through the playoffs when CBC wouldn’t be enjoying sure video games.”

Whereas Canada’s solely remaining hockey staff’s video games weren’t televised by CBC, the sport the evening prior between two American groups, the New York Rangers and Florida Panthers, was broadcast on CBC.

Within the earlier sequence, regardless of having two Canadian groups in a single sequence, even among the Vancouver Canucks versus Edmonton Oilers video games weren’t broadcast on CBC.

One X consumer known as to defund the CBC, indicating that they had been out of contact with Canadians.

“Think about the BBC saying they might not present England within the Euro Finals. Idiots,” he mentioned.

Different Canadians complained that they’d no different option to watch playoff video games.

“What’s with (the CBC) not televising the Oilers video games? There’s been no less than 4 this playoff season that I haven’t been capable of watch! I can’t afford Sportsnet, and as a result of continual sickness, I simply can’t exit to a bar or a restaurant to observe the sport. I’m very disenchanted,” mentioned an Oilers fan on X.

CBC gave 100% of its executives bonuses totaling $14.9 million within the 2023-24 fiscal yr. Throughout the identical yr, 87% of CBC workers acquired pay raises regardless of the state broadcaster shedding lots of of workers on the finish of the yr.

Between 2015 and 2022, taxpayers funded $156 million in bonuses and raises for CBC workers.

The CBC receives $1.4 billion yearly from the federal authorities and can obtain a further $42 million for 2024-25 because of the Liberals 2024 federal finances.

“The CBC get billions in subsidies, they usually can’t negotiate content material scheduling when there’s a giant demand for Canada’s nationwide sport,” mentioned Eva Chipiuk in a put up to X. “And so they surprise why their group is dying. I don’t. They aren’t listening to Canadians, and Canadians have rightfully misplaced belief in them and have moved on. Time for the cash to observe.”

The CEO of CBC, Catherine Tait, was awarded the Teddy Waste Award by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation for losing thousands and thousands of taxpayers’ {dollars}.

The primary spherical of the Stanley Cup Playoffs noticed document TV rankings, with nearly 9 million viewers tuning into the seventh recreation of the Boston Bruins versus Toronto Maple Leafs sequence. This was probably the most seen Recreation 7 of a first-round ever, probably the most seen first-round recreation since 2012. and the third-most seen first recreation of all time, in line with the NHL.

Whereas the NHL has been setting TV viewership information, the viewership of the CBC has been plummeting. Between 2021-22 and 2022-23, CBC’s viewers share viewership dropped from 5.8% to 4.4%, even beneath its goal of dropping solely to 4.9%. The goal for 2023-24 tasks one other important lower to 4.1%.

As an alternative of broadcasting the NHL, which is setting viewership information, CBC determined to air the Canadian Display screen Awards, Only for Laughs, and Canada’s Final Problem, a cross-country actuality present.