The PVR (or VCR in the States) allowed people to start a live event later and fast forward through commercials to reduce the time to watch said live event. This applies to sports, especially with built-in slow points. Basketball has so many timeouts while the NHL (1) and CFL (2) have very few timeouts.
Streaming encourages live sports watching so you have to sit through the ads, not counting the in-game ads. I have difficulty imagining the young people wanting to sit through too many live sports events in a living room.
This also applies to live events such as the Oscars and even the Canadian Screen Awards. Having the Canadian Screen Awards on CBC meant you could record the event and play it back at the pace that you desire. This year, streaming the event is your only option.
2025 Canadian Screen Awards nominations
I first thought about this when MLS went with Apple TV+. European football is not, well, an interesting game most of the time. I enjoyed the Toronto FC runs that came close to winning the MLS Cup (2016, 2019) and then actually winning the title in 2017. I recall the agony of the penalty kicks in 2016, which Seattle won 5-4 over the Reds.
The 2019 Toronto Raptors run was incredible. Kawhi Leonard's 3-bounce shot to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers in the playoffs was legendary.
The Toronto Blue Jays, under Alex Anthopoulos, had some incredible playoff runs. Edwin Encarnacion's walk off home run in the 11th inning in 2016 sends chills to Blue Jays fans.
Rogers Sportsnet has run condensed Blue Jays games in Blue Jays in 30. This may seem like ancient history but the CBC, when the public broadcaster controlled Hockey Night in Canada, ran condensed versions of the main HNIC games, early and late, in 60 minute versions. This was so great when you were out on a Saturday night and could catch up on hockey.
This is not ancient nostalgia but this might seem that way, given the current sports and entertainment take on live events. Yes, the gambling obsession is tied to live sports presentations. After all, if you have that feeling (gambling), you can't act on it if you PVRed a game and are catching up to the live action. Your humble narrator is still surprised about being able to place bets while the game is happening. Naive, yes.
What should CBC show on Saturday nights during the next NHL contract?
NHL notebook: First look at Monday Night Hockey on Prime Video Canada
NHL agrees to $11-billion TV deal with Rogers that will keep games on Sportsnet: report https://t.co/zmoqYFLNwB
— Daily Hive Vancouver (@DailyHiveVan) March 31, 2025
When Rogers Sportsnet took over Hockey Night in Canada, there was intense pressure to keep the NHL games on CBC on Saturday nights. CBC lost a lot of special games, such as the Super Bowl Sunday matinee at the Bell Centre in Montréal.
The Amazon Prime Video games on Monday nights are not an aberration. Rogers has that option in the new 12-year deal starting in the fall of 2026. The requirement to have an over-the-air outlet may not be as important.
Bell Media likely wasn't serious about bidding for the new hockey deal. Would have been interesting to see something with CTV.ca or Crave.
The new deal may allow CBC Gem to carry Saturday night games. The real question is whether Sportsnet or the entity controlling things in the new Canadian TV deal will allow CBC playoff games on CBC Gem.
The companies controlling Hockey Night in Canada are required to produce games that air on CBC. The same wouldn't apply outside the TV signal.
Rogers may find that people want to access hockey games in different ways during the next 12-year deal. The possibilities may not be endless but we are curious as to what that could look like.
CanadianCrossing.com CBC coverage
The TV realities in Canada is that many watch CBC programming on CBC Gem. Digital TV signals have reduced coverage compared to analog TV signals. We often imagine people in Toronto or Vancouver accessing CBC but a lot of Canadians are people in London, ON or Nanaimo, BC where CBC Gem is easier and cheaper to access than CBLT/Toronto and CBUT/Vancouver.
CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage
This isn't about nostalgia for better times. I remember sitting all the way through the 12th inning of Game 6 of the 1975 World Series to see Carlton Fisk hit his famous home run. NBA fans in the late 1970s had to wait until after the local news to see NBA finals games (look it up, kids).
The CFL has a rather cool solution in 2 forms. CFL+ is free outside Canada and streaming is pretty easy. Want to watch part of the game live in the moment. Easy and cheap. CFL+ now offers replay capabilities within 48 hours to perhaps watch a key section of a game. This only works in the States for games not on the CBS Sports Network.
You could wait and watch the 8-minute video recaps online. Takes some of the fun because you know which team won but I can watch an 8-minute CFL game.
Ironically, the CFL started a deal with CTV last fall to carry the league exclusively on Saturday afternoons. Canadian TV companies require a cable or streaming deal to watch those games so the deal is about streaming, outside of CTV signals.
CanadianCrossing.com Web/streaming coverage
Your humble narrator finally gave up cable so this is a personal exploration and riding the wave that is sports and live coverage in the modern media world. Young people end up spending money for ease, such as Spotify. Older people may struggle to accept content on those terms. Our 2025 CFL coverage will be based more on those 8-minute videos. The new reality.
You are welcome to be part of the conversation in the comments section. Then again, comments used to be more relevant online so many might not respond.
photo credits: CBC Sports/NHL; CFL
video credit: NBA
Twitter capture: @DailyHiveVan
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