Re: Hockey Night In Canada 2/20 (Was: Re: CBC On Strike)

["Douglas J. Broda" <dougbroda@mindspring.com>]

Well....

Whether it gave CBC a bad name or a good name would depend on whether
you're a union supporter or a hockey fan wanting to see the game first. :)

One would guess that if Neale and Cole flew back to TO, the union might
well get wind of it, thus causing all Hades to bust loose and the game
itself to get canned. Would the CBC will that risk? I doubt it, but you
never know... Whatever they do, in fact, vis-a-vis some last minute
switcheroo to carry the Deuce feed, it'd have a real risk of a leak unless
it's held *very* tight to the vest by a company that hasn't been all that
good at that.

I seem to recall the CBC doing this sorta shuffle in the past -- though not
with as prominent an event as the opening of a new arena. Anyone remember
details?

If they are gonna move it to cable, they'll have to do that today, I
suspect, so if that's not a done deal within hours, I'd think the only
issue will be whether they do a feed switch to carry the Deuce's feed (with
whatever announcers).

- -- Doug Broda

At 11:05 AM 2/19/99 -0800, Joseph Gallant wrote:
>There is a possible solution to the CBC strike (although it does
>seem to change more often than Pat Burns calling-back the Samsinov
>line to delpoy the Taylor line) Maybe the following will occur:
>
>(1) No CBC strikers picket Air Canada Centre.
>
>(2) ESPN 2's non-union crew enters the building since there's no
>picket line.
>
>(3) Teamsters who work as ticket-takers, concession workers, ushers,
>etc., enter the building.
>
>(4) The players and fans enter the building, since the game is on.
>
>(5-A) CBC simulcasts ESPN 2's broadcast, substituing Labatt
>commercials for the U.S. spots ESPN 2 sold.
>
>(5-B) Or, CBC's Bob Cole and Harry Neale, tentatively reassigned to
>the Washington/San Jose game in Washington, fly back to Toronto to
>do their normal play-by-play, using ESPN 2's pictures. Usually, as
>an example, if WSBK is carrying a Bruins game from Toronto or
>Montreal also on "Hockey Night In Canada", WSBK will take a "clean"
>CBC video feed (no graphics or announcers on-screen), do their own
>audio (Dave Shea and Andy Brickley) and add their own graphics back
>in Boston to the video feed. (For the rare Bruins home games it does,
>WSBK's graphics might be inserted at the Fleet center instead of
>adding them at the station)
>
>This might mess up the Saturday-night plans of millions of people
>across Canada as well as in northern U.S. areas within range (either
>off-air or via cable) of CBC television stations. It could give
>CBC television a very bad name and be the topic on Canadian talk-
>radio for weeks to come.
>
>Joseph Gallant
><notquite@hotmail.com>
>
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