No more HNIC song? BLASPHEMY!

[D'z Nutz]

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/080605/n_top_news/news_hockey_col


Canada's "Hockey Night" song skating on thin ice
Thu Jun 5, 7:11 PM

By Cameron French

TORONTO (Reuters) - The "Hockey Night in Canada" theme song, a mainstay of Canadian households for 40 years and often thought of as the unofficial second national anthem, may have launched its final hockey game, according to the company that controls use of the song.

The tune, which has opened the Canadian Broadcasting Corp's Saturday night National Hockey League broadcasts since the late 1960s, will not be renewed as the broadcaster has chosen to move in a new direction, said John Ciccone, president of Copyright Music & Visuals.

"Effective immediately following the last playoff game of this season the CBC will cease using the Hockey Night in Canada theme," he said in a statement on the company's website.

He said the CBC had advised the firm it is not prepared to enter into a new license agreement. The old agreement, which cost the CBC about C$500 ($490) for each game broadcast, expired following the final game of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Wednesday.

"Hockey Night," which made its television debut in 1952, has consistently been a top-rated program in Canada, where hockey reigns as the most popular sport.

The theme music was written in 1968 and has continued with minor changes since then. Last year, it became downloadable as a cellphone ringtone.

Calls to the CBC were not immediately returned. The CBC was sued in 2004 by the composer of the tune, saying the public broadcaster used it too much.

Reaction to the story was quick among hockey fans in both Canada and the northern United States who have grown up with the song.

By mid-afternoon on Thursday, the Globe and Mail newspaper's online edition had 176 reader comments, most of which were heavily critical of the idea of retiring the tune.

"This change reminds me of the "new Coke" attempt back in the '80s," read a note from E. Stuhl of New York City.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

[Super_Geo]

Everyone is going to have the new HNIC song for a few seasons... personally, I think they could keep the current song for another generation and you wouldn't hear one complaint.


Originally posted by teg_boya
they may as well fire cherry and ron to kick off next season as well. make it all that much more special

I personally don't like Cherry that much... he's getting old, his voice is cracking, haha sometimes he's visibly senile. And why does he hate Crosby so much?

[teg_boya]

they may as well fire cherry and ron to kick off next season as well. make it all that much more special

[Xtrema]

$500/game doesn't sound like that much. But since CBC is running on taxpayer $, if they think they can get a new song for nothing, why not?

[teg_boya]

Originally posted by Super_Geo
I personally don't like Cherry that much... he's getting old, his voice is cracking, haha sometimes he's visibly senile. And why does he hate Crosby so much?

haha ya true that over the playoffs he was off his rocker and his voice was the farthest thing from stable...

[Super_Geo]

$500/broadcast? That better not be the reason the CBC is changing songs... if it is, someone call 89coupe and tell him to pack a lunch on game days.

[arian_ma]

Originally posted by Super_Geo
$500/broadcast? That better not be the reason the CBC is changing songs... if it is, someone call 89coupe and tell him to pack a lunch on game days.
:rofl: Poor guy hasn't even posted in like a week and he's still getting bashed. So god damn hilarious!

[Quizzes]

CBC's been going downhill for a while now. Pretty soon TSN will buy that theme song and run away with hockey ratings.

Not sure why so many people admire Don Cherry so much... he was in the running as the Best Canadian of all time. WTF?

[calgarygts]

fuck I love those jokes, makes me laugh every time^^

edit - in reply to two posts up

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Originally posted by Super_Geo
$500/broadcast? That better not be the reason the CBC is changing songs... if it is, someone call 89coupe and tell him to pack a lunch on game days.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[arian_ma]

We should make a "89coupe Jokes" thread, where all of the jokes are combined into one 20 page thread and whenever you're feeling a little too good you just go in there and realize how poor you are to bring your ego down a couple of notches.

[Dr_Funk]

From what I heard on the radio and such, its actually $500 each time the song is played and not per broadcast. The song is actually played quite a few times during each broadcast.

Either way, theres no way CBC should stop using this song!!! Its a few thousands dollars of a multi-million dollars production. Its ridiculous!!!

[Ben]

Man, is it just me, or has Canada gotten a whole lot shittier this past week (Copyright laws and now HNIC theme)

haha. :(

[treg50]

Originally posted by Ben
Man, is it just me, or has Canada gotten a whole lot shittier this past week (Copyright laws and now HNIC theme)

haha. :(
What's this about copyright laws? (Link?) and yeah wtf is going on? Hockey Night in Canada is like a serious tradition IMO. $500 a game for the CBC that's breakfast tip money for the CBC, so I don't think cost is a major issue. A different direction? Why? If they're tired of the composer hassling them, then I can understand. Pretty wacky decision in any case.

[Ben]

Originally posted by treg50

What's this about copyright laws? (Link?) and yeah wtf is going on? Hockey Night in Canada is like a serious tradition IMO. $500 a game for the CBC that's breakfast tip money for the CBC, so I don't think cost is a major issue. A different direction? Why? If they're tired of the composer hassling them, then I can understand. Pretty wacky decision in any case.

http://forums.beyond.ca/st/221316/canada-might-get-copyright-laws-stuffed-down-our-throats-soon/

[kertejud2]

Just fire Cherry and they have more money than they'll ever need. Hell, they can pay me $20 a game if they want some loudmouth spewing the same old schtick night in, night out.

"Who's that guy there on the Flames, Huseliniov or whatever his name is, typical no heart visor-wearing European. Now that Wayne Primeau, THERE'S a hockey player, look at that heart, good ol' Canadian boy right there"

See, its easy.

[mac_82]

HNIC is pretty much the only thing the CBC makes money on. What a bunch of tools for trying to mess with it.

2008-13 - TSN has all CFL games + Grey Cup

2008+ - TSN expands NHL Canadian team coverage

2010-12 - TSN and CTV cover Olympics

Once TSN has a chance to steal the Stanley Cup finals and Saturday hockey, the CBC is pooched.

[rmk]

The song isn't going to go anywhere. It defines HNIC, they will pony up.

[dezmarez]

don cherry ftmfw
i love done cherry!! how can you not? he brings up valid points...most of the time
he says what true hockey fans are thinking

[teg_boya]

Originally posted by dezmarez

i love done cherry!!

i couldnt have said it better myself. he is old, washed up and most of all DONE

[kertejud2]

Originally posted by dezmarez
don cherry ftmfw
i love done cherry!! how can you not? he brings up valid points...most of the time
he says what true hockey fans are thinking

Well I know when I'm ranking players I use the Don Cherry chart:

1- Douggie Gilmour, Bobby Orr, Stevie Yzerman
2- Good ol' Kingston or Ontario kid who I seen playing since he was a tyke
3- Good ol' Western Canadian boy who preferably grew up on a farm.
4- Any non-European/Quebecer who does not fit into above category, bonus points for tough guys and even more bonus points for players who grinded it out in the minors for a few years before making it to the show.
5- Non-visor wearing Euros/Quebecers who have an available clip of blocking a shot or making a check to show I'm not biased
6- Sidney Crosby
7- Visor-Wearing European/Quebecer with an available clip of blocking a shot or making a check.
8- Everybody else (not including Swedes and Russians)
9- Swedes not named Sundin and Russians not named Ovechkin or Kovalev.
10- Alexei Kovalev

[Gondi Stylez]

I hate this shit!

HNIC has to always be on Saturday night and for the playoffs! I associate hockey in Canada with HNIC! Also, forget those loser Maple Leafs!

Also, I think it's sad CBC has no rights in 2010 for the Olympics :(

[rc2002]

Who cares what song they use. At $500/pop I'm sure they could find something better. People will get used to whatever song they use.

[Big Daddy G]

CTV gets rights to HNIC song....sweeeeet!

Suck it CBC!

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=240196&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_nhl:thumbsup:

[ExtraSlow]

The only show worth watching on CBC used to be the hockey coverage. If TSN can get decent cameramen next year and conbine that with this wicked song, then I don't see a need to ever turn on CBC again.

[Doozer]

Originally posted by Big Daddy G
CTV gets rights to HNIC song....sweeeeet!

Suck it CBC!

http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=240196&lid=headline&lpos=topStory_nhl:thumbsup: Just read that myself. It's going to be weird hearing that song played on TSN instead of CBC. Just one more step to the erosion of hockey on CBC, and the CBC in general.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

CTV bought the song I thought?

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/story/2008/06/09/hnic-song.html?ref=rss

As long as I can still listen to it, I don't care.

[rmk]

CTV owns TSN.

CBC will become even more irrelevent without HNIC and the song. Bunch of liberal loonies.

[Quizzes]

Congrats to TSN and its future hockey ratings. :thumbsup:

[Gondi Stylez]

I'm happy and sad. I like a lot of the commentators on CBC (minus Harry Neal that senile SOB).

Hopefully they can find work over at TSN. Ron McLean and Kelly Hurdy are sweeeeeeet!

[Ajay]

Not retaining the song will be the first part of CBC losing it's sports coverage ratings.

[kertejud2]

Mark my words, in six years TSN/CTV will buy up everything CBC has for hockey.

(Six years is when the current deal expires).

Originally Bell Globemedia tried to outbid CBC for exclusive rights, but the NHL didn't feel it was the best approach. Now that CBC doesn't give a damn about tradition and has cartoon monkeys running things, they wont have a chance. Bell can outbid the penny-pinching morons at CBC and still be able to reach as many homes if they do indeed put the national broadcast on CTV as opposed to TSN.


So, when the CBC goes under, where else can I watch the Simpsons at 5?

[Renagades]

Originally posted by mac_82
HNIC is pretty much the only thing the CBC makes money on. What a bunch of tools for trying to mess with it.

2008-13 - TSN has all CFL games + Grey Cup

2008+ - TSN expands NHL Canadian team coverage

2010-12 - TSN and CTV cover Olympics

Once TSN has a chance to steal the Stanley Cup finals and Saturday hockey, the CBC is pooched.

Way to call it:clap: :clap:

[95teetee]

so I'm curious- why does anyone care about this song? TSN was leading their updates with the 'news'. Even the radio is 'reporting' it. Who gives a rat's ass?


...of course, I haven't watched HNIC since Bettman bastardized the NHL a few years ago, except when the Flames are on (i.e. about 3 times a year:rolleyes: - even then, I have to listen to Jim 'ohmygodthecanucksI'mcomingI'mcoming' Hughson so it's usually muted anyway) so I don't give a damn about the theme song.

[Stealth22]

It'll be nice to hear this song on TSN...it's not going to feel weird, at least not for me- they're re-orchestrating it so it'll sound different, but still be the same tune.

And yeah, CTV bought the song outright, so they own it now.

[kertejud2]

Originally posted by 95teetee
so I'm curious- why does anyone care about this song? TSN was leading their updates with the 'news'. Even the radio is 'reporting' it. Who gives a rat's ass?


...of course, I haven't watched HNIC since Bettman bastardized the NHL a few years ago, except when the Flames are on (i.e. about 3 times a year:rolleyes: - even then, I have to listen to Jim 'ohmygodthecanucksI'mcomingI'mcoming' Hughson so it's usually muted anyway) so I don't give a damn about the theme song.

For such a hockey traditionalist, surely you can understand the significance of such an important piece of Canadiana changing hands.

[Kavy]

Fu-ak, TSN has terrible announcers, seriously they go brain dead all the dam time!
They are the only announcers that feel icing and other calls need to be explained, don't they know thats the husband/boyfriends job?