shakes said:The CBC can ask the NHL all they want to have the Leafs on Saturday night, but ultimately it's up to the NHL. At least the NHL still values tradition or do you think the CBC has nude pics of Gary and Ted?
No, but CBC writes a big cheque every year, and if you dont think that the TV rights holders have any say in scheduling, go back to the threads about how OLN is going to have exclusive rights to Monday night games next year, basically meaning that the league is going to schedule very few games on Mondays in order to accomodate both OLN, and other TV rights holders.
Both CBC (Saturdays), and TSN (Wednesdays) have exclusive broadcast rights in Canada as well. Major TV partners pay good money for the NHL, and the NHL schedules around their desires.
As a result, Canadian teams tend to schedule around these limitations, so as to allow their regional broadcast partners the ability to pick up as many games as possible. i.e.: Edmonton has only six Wednesday night games this season, four of which are on TSN. Calgary has ten Wednesday night games, but six of them are on TSN. Both teams have generally tried to avoid Wednesday games unless they are on TSN, and the NHL has tried to accomodate them.
The tradition argument is laughable, especially given how many people have attacked Bettman for destroying tradition in the name of the all mighty dollar.
4 of the 9 away games are in the US of A.
Meaning five of nine (a majority) are in Canada. And the number is really only this low because the Leafs only come to the west once this year, and it is all on one road trip. Next year when they dont come to the NW at all, the number will either be one lower, or CBC will work to get another game in Montreal or Ottawa on a Saturday.
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