Hockey coverage in the United States is, quiet honestly, a televised train wreck. The average game on ‘Versus’ only garners a .2 television rating, and the All-Star festivities drew less than a million viewers. That’s a mere shadow of the numbers ‘ESPN’ put up a few seasons ago. Thankfully, for all hockey fans, this debacle doesn’t exist north of the border. In fact, ‘CBC’s’ excellent television coverage will last at least another six years.
Variety is reporting that the National Hockey League and ‘CBC’ have agreed to a six year extension that will keep fans in hockey heaven through 2013. The deal will also include rights to stream video through the internet. The NHL board of governors still needs to approve the measure; however, it would be a complete shock if they didn’t vote in the affirmative.
For anyone who doesn’t live in Canada or shell out a hundred and fifty bucks on ‘NHL Center Ice’, ‘CBC’s’ coverage is unmatched. The announcers are insightful, and the intermission show, ‘Coaches’ Corner with Don Cherry’ is my favorite ten minutes on television. Here’s a toast to six more years of great hockey.
