Sportsnet: Massive Layoffs coming. Bobcat's last show today...or not.

[Heisen]

Bobcat tweeted a denial a few minutes ago.

 

[mehavecable]

We got ourselves a soap opera.

 

[Leafin]

I'd laugh if he moves over to TSN.

 

[The Iceman]

it was imminent firing, not retirement

 

[Jack Bauer]

Bobcat tweeted a denial a few minutes ago.

Because he was fired and isn't retiring.

 

[Duffman955]

Not surprised when the league has garbage like Carolina and NYI making runs in the playoffs. Who the hell is going to watch that talentless hockey

 

[Jack Bauer]

I'd laugh if he moves over to TSN.

Pretty much inevitable at this point.

But I can see it in more of a TV role for some interview show vs his own radio thing. His downfall in radio was his own poor attitude.

 

[hoglund]

Because he was fired and isn't retiring.

I wonder if that's true.

 

[CanadasTeam]

Are you really surprised? Rogers took a huge kick in the teeth in the NHL playoff numbers this year. Toronto tuned out. There are lots of changes coming. Like someone said above they paid way too much and TV results sucked.

and Bobcat has been overwhelmed by Overdrive. He got his lunch fed to him.

It was only a matter of time.

Bob’s numbers have been slipping consistently. As we wrote in March of this year, TSN1050’s Overdrive has been making impressive gains against PTS. The broader picture is that radio revenues are declining as podcasting takes over.

 

[Jack Bauer]

Not surprised when the league has garbage like Carolina and NYI making runs in the playoffs. Who the hell is going to watch that talentless hockey

It's not even the markets as much as the change from free flowing hockey to a late 90's goon league come playoff time.

The NBA playoffs, Raptors success or not, was considerably better to watch as a sports fan.

 

[Jozay]

Not surprised when the league has garbage like Carolina and NYI making runs in the playoffs. Who the hell is going to watch that talentless hockey

Everybody loves parity until you see a series like that.

 

[Jozay]

Essentially confirming he got let go, but doesnt plan on retiring.

 

[Jack Bauer]

I wonder if that's true.

He signed a multi year deal 18 months ago.

For someone who has been with the station since day 1 he's leaving with no notice to his audience vs a farewell tour.

Clearly it's a firing.

 

[JT AM da real deal]

It's not even the markets as much as the change from free flowing hockey to a late 90's goon league come playoff time.

The NBA playoffs, Raptors success or not, was considerably better to watch as a sports fan.

Agreed the raptors played a huge part in why Toronto numbers sucked this year for playoff hockey. Most of my hockey buddies all went to Raptors too. But there is also the element of Columbus Carolina as underdogs. and Boston making it through which most of Toronto hates. It was a mix of everything that killed playoff hockey in Toronto this year.

 

[Duffman955]

Everybody loves parity until you see a series like that.

Parity is only good when different teams become more skilled over the years.

Not when a talentless team is able to park the bus and win off luck. That's garbage

 

[TheTotalPackage]

Essentially confirming he got let go, but doesnt plan on retiring.

TSN has to be all over this. Bringing in the Bobcat would instantaneously shift the balance of power to TSN, which has struggled to gain a foothold in the market since their radio inception.

 

[Scotianhab]

I wonder if any other big names are going to be let go and what shows might get axed.

 

[The Hanging Jowl]

Good riddance. I only listen to talk/sports radio in the car (which is a lot) and I haven't tuned into that moron for 20 years. Sadly, someone will pick him up and instead of him heading back to wherever he draft-dodged from in the first place, he'll still have voice in Toronto sports.

 

[Gilles Meloche]

Jeff Blair I find is the only one bearable on Sportsnet radio and I usually flip over to TSN for Overdrive which is beyond epic.

 

[Jack Bauer]

TSN has to be all over this. Bringing in the Bobcat would instantaneously shift the balance of power to TSN, which has struggled to gain a foothold in the market since their radio inception.

Him getting removed was due to the increases TSN is seeing in the same time slot.

The balance of power has already started to shift.

Combine that with Bob's "I dont watch sports anyway" attitude and he made an easy decision for them.

 

[Jack Bauer]

Agreed the raptors played a huge part in why Toronto numbers sucked this year for playoff hockey. Most of my hockey buddies all went to Raptors too. But there is also the element of Columbus Carolina as underdogs. and Boston making it through which most of Toronto hates. It was a mix of everything that killed playoff hockey in Toronto this year.

I know many non-Leaf fans who watched very little basketball but who had tuned out the NHL playoffs after round 1 due to the style being played and teams remaining.

NBA basically being an offensive highlight show from tip off to the end of games was a huge eye opener for me, personally. Many didn't realize a lot of that until late in the Golden State series when really casual fans started tuning in.

NHL is only hurting itself if it continues down the road of "once playoff starts the rules completely change" even if big markets are successful.

 

[The Iceman]

Business as usual...he is on now. The hosts before him were joking about Bob being gone as this appears to be a non-story

 

[robertmac43]

It's probably time for Bob to move on, unfortunate it has to happen like this. He had an amazing career and was the voice of Toronto sports for years. Good luck to him!

 

[Jack Bauer]

Business as usual...he is on now. The hosts before him were joking about Bob being gone as this appears to be a non-story

He tweeted himself that this is his last show.

 

[The Iceman]

He tweeted himself that this is his last show.

Hacked maybe?