I haven't been a regular viewer of Hockey Night in Canada for a long time.
The thuggish goons, the concussion casualties, the grotesque Don Cherry, as well as the sad fact that a Canadian team hasn't won the Stanley Cup for more than twenty years, having gradually turned me off the game.
So I didn't watch the new Rogers version of the show with George Stroumboulopolos the other night.
But after reading what happened on the broadcast, I think I can safely say that I will NEVER watch Hockey Night in Canada again.
It's not a good news hockey story. It's a huge blow to the CBC.
For years, HNIC has been a cash cow that helped float many of CBC’s other news and original programming endeavours, with some estimating it was worth $200 million, and up to half of the TV network’s advertising revenue.
And of course the CBC can't count on any help from Stephen Harper.
The Prime Minister's Office has slammed the door on any bailout for the CBC to make up for lost advertising revenue from hockey broadcasts.
"CBC already receives significant taxpayer funds," PMO spokesman Stephen Lecce wrote in an e-mail.
Because he would like to destroy it eh?
But there could be a big consolation prize. It could be the end of Don Cherry.
