TORONTO (Feb. 17) — This blog has nothing to do with the groundbreaking radio show I produced in its first three years — executed, without parallel, by Bob McCown from 1989 to 2019. Prime Time Sports is relegated to history, but will always stand alone in popularity, marketability and tenure. Another Prime is likely coming to the Canadian sports landscape; this one involving television rights, across the land, to the National Hockey League.
Though Rogers Communications still has an exclusive re–negotiating window, which began Jan. 1 and reportedly ends Mar. 1, there is profound interest, we are told, from Prime Video, the streaming service launched in 2005 by the Internet e–commerce behemoth, Amazon. If you watch hockey north of the border, you know that Prime has entered the Monday night market. Nine telecasts remain for the 2024–25 NHL season, all involving Canadian teams. Two of them feature the Toronto Maple Leafs playing at home: Mar. 3 vs. San Jose and Mar. 17 vs. Calgary. The early Prime telecasts have been warmly received. Rather than poaching elite on–air personalities (Elliotte Friedman, Darren Dreger, Pierre LeBrun), the channel assembled its own telecast crew. The play caller is one of the truly nice individuals I got to know during my years covering the Maple Leafs on radio. John Forslund was TV voice of the Carolina Hurricanes back then; the Seattle Kraken today. His sidekicks are hardly household names in the hockey community. While American TV partner ESPN marches out Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier, Prime gives us Jody Shelley, Shane Hnidy and Thomas Hickey. Though not instantly recognizable, they know the game and seem to relish their sudden media roles. Speaking of good fellas, former Score TV fixture Adnan Virk is the main intermission host… and impossible not to like. He is joined by Andi Petrillio, who has carved an impressive career since beginning (in 2006) as a reporter for Leafs TV. She is comfortable and commanding in front of a camera, even if I refuse to believe the newby kid out of Seneca College is now 43 years old.
Amazon, of course, generates more annual income than most medium–sized countries. As such, it could blow away a financial bid from either of the communications giants here in Canada: Rogers (Sportsnet) and Bell Media (TSN). Some will suggest Rogers was “conceding” that Prime will usurp its national profile by farming out the Monday night package to Amazon. That said, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is big on loyalty and Rogers has been a terrific partner (forking over, in 2013, a mind–boggling $5.2 billion for 12 seasons of exclusive national rights). At no point during its tenure has Sportsnet done anything to discredit or disgrace the NHL, though the countless followers of Don Cherry were browned off when Coach’s Corner disappeared in November 2019 (upon his dismissal by Rogers). It isn’t comprehensible that another TV segment in our land could outstrip the popularity and staying power (36 years) of the intermission paradigm co–hosted by Cherry and Ron MacLean (Dave Hodge preceded MacLean from 1983–86). Bettman also knows that a relatively new streaming service such as Prime requires a monthly subscription and would not, currently, expose the game to as many eyes as Sportsnet. Or, TSN.
The two networks are part of virtually every TV package offered by Rogers and Bell.
But, if targeting viewership temporarily gives way to straight economics, it appears Prime will be in solid position to assume the national TV package, beginning in the 2026–27 NHL season. For many billions of dollars. The National Basketball Association just began a rights deal with The Walt Disney Co., NBCUniversal and Amazon Prime Video worth US$76 billion (US$6.9 billion per season). According to the Globe and Mail, the NHL has also done well, but in a different galaxy: “In its most recent national U.S. media–rights deals, a seven–year pact announced in the spring of 2021, the league reportedly secured a sharp increase from the US$200–million annually it had charged NBC. It now earns a reported US$625-million, with its games split between ABC, ESPN, TNT and HBO Max.” As the long–serving and loyal employee of the NHL owners; previously among the builders of the NBA, Bettman will assuredly seek the most–lucrative arrangement. As would any responsible person in his role.
“No network will outbid Amazon,” an industry source said via email. “If it wants Canadian TV rights — as seems very likely — it will prevail.” Rogers, of course, is set to assume controlling interest (75%) in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which will guarantee Sportsnet long–term regional coverage of Leafs games. Some might consider that more valuable than the national TV package. Where does it leave Bell Media (TSN)? Retaining half of the Leafs’ regional telecasts from Rogers; a bizarre concession made while escoring its long–time rival out the front entrance of MLSE. As part of the agreement, Bell (TSN) assumes “protection” of its regional Leafs package and its national slate of Raptors games. “Without a share in the Leafs telecasts, neither of the sports networks could prosper,” said my source. “How would TSN move forward with hockey if Prime owns national rights and Rogers swallows up regional coverage of the Leafs? It would be very difficult to lose that financial gem.”
Some might ask: “Why, then, did Rogers agree to ‘sell back’ 50 percent of Leafs regional games, rather than hoarding the entire package and watching its rival die on the vine?” Particularly given that Bell will no–longer directly impact the economics of the hockey club. The only answer is that doing otherwise would have been a deal–breaker. It again points to the brilliance of Rogers buying out Bell’s 37.5% share of the company that owns the Leafs, Raptors, Toronto FC, the Marlies and (through Larry Tanenbaum) the Argonauts. Bell, last September, took $4.7 billion for the privilege. No matter how ridiculous the Leafs become as foreigners to the Stanley Cup, the densely populated market around the Golden Horseshoe (Metropolitan Toronto, Hamilton, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls) is guaranteed to drive TV hockey ratings. Always has. Always will. The population of this region (as of the 2021 census) was 9,765,188. That number has surely risen beyond 11 million in the past four years. Or, more than a quarter of the people that live across Canada. Advertisers routinely covet this market… and it is owned by the Leafs. Figuratively now. Literally by this summer. All, therefore, remains dandy for the beloved Blue and White.
FOR GENERATIONS, THE MAPLE LEAFS HAVE DRIVEN TV RATINGS IN THE SOUTHERN–ONTARIO MARKET. TODAY, ACROSS THE LAND. HERE WAS WARD CORNELL INTERVIEWING CAPTAIN GEORGE ARMSTRONG, MOMENTS AFTER THE LEAFS BEAT MONTREAL FOR THE 1967 STANLEY CUP.
Another big question: If Prime gobbles up national rights, will Saturday remain Hockey Night In Canada (as it has, on TV, since 1952)? It would be ridiculous for Amazon to eschew that traditional, built–in audience. At the moment, however, Prime is doing rather well on Mondays here in the north. When I was a kid, on a much–different economic level, national hockey rights were split between CBC and CTV; the latter owning the Wednesday night audience. Games were shown from Toronto and Montreal. Could Prime return to that weekend/midweek rotation?
Whatever happens, it will be fascinating to observe.
EMAIL: HOWARDLBERGER@GMAIL.COM
