Habster:
It’s about time CBC woke up!!! I wouldn’t be surprised if the Canadiens were more popular outside the greater Toronto area than the Maple Leafs. The Maritime are Canadiens crazy for the most part while the western provinces would also prefer watching a Canadiens game over the Maple Leafs telecast any day.
Call it the “I hate the center of the universe” mentality that exists in the rest of Canada and the simple fact the rest of the country has grown tired of the CBC’s (and for that matter TSN, Sportsnet and The Score) obsession with the Leafs and their terrible teams.
The CBC finally woke up when they saw the TV ratings potential they could have with such an exciting young team like the Canadiens on the schedule. Below is an excerpt from Globe and Mail writer, William Houston which proves my point:
Habs beat Leafs
There was skepticism from inside the CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada about the decision to air the Pittsburgh Penguins-Montreal Canadiens game countrywide on Saturday, particularly after Pens star Sidney Crosby was sidelined the night before by an injury.
The Toronto Maple Leafs traditionally receive national distribution, but, instead, the Leafs’ game against the Buffalo Sabres was limited to Ontario.
Don Cherry of Hockey Night made a dismissive remark on Saturday about the Pens-Habs taking precedence. And during his Montreal radio show last Friday, Hockey Night analyst P.J. Stock questioned the decision.
Well, guess what? The Pens-Habs game nationwide, with the Sabres and Leafs seen only in Ontario, drew an audience of 1.201 million.
That’s more than the 1.163 million Hockey Night has been averaging this season with the Leafs going countrywide.
This wasn’t the only Canadiens game which out drew the Maple Leafs average national ratings. Now, rumor has it the CBC wants to carry every Canadiens game and will televise a good majority of them on the national coverage…….at least until the Toronto Maple Leafs right the ship (which could be years away!!!) or the TV rating start to slide.
Until then we should enjoy this renaissance period for Montreal Canadiens TV coverage, I just hope Harry Neale stays in Buffalo while Bob Cole stays with the Maple Leafs or retires…….otherwise I’m watching RDS!!!!