Sportsnet beginning mass layoffs of on and off-air talent

[Warden of the North]

Surprised this hasnt been posted yet.

The blog reporting this is well connected in the Toronto sports media scene. He reported Bob McCown getting the axe first, which happened on Friday. Doug Mclean is already out too.

Speculation is that this is a result of the underperforming NHL deal and the dreadful Jays numbers

Tomorrow is the day more cuts are supposed to come.

Sportsnet Prepares for Massive Layoffs

Click to read more...

 

[Kranix]

Yikes. I thought McCown was just retiring. He was actually let go?

 

[Ted Hoffman]

McCown The Biggest Casualty

For 22 years, I had been a reporter and broadcaster at Canada’s first all–sports radio station (today, Sportsnet 590). The parent company had recently hired veteran TV executive Scott Moore (formerly of Hockey Night In Canada) as president of its enormous media wing. And, Moore wanted to impart a message.

“I came here for one reason — to make Sportsnet the number–one network across Canada,” he said from the theatre stage. “We’ve been number two [to TSN] long enough. That day, I promise, will soon end.”

What seemed like rhetoric at the time became reality less than four years later… at an incalculable cost, one that continues to menace employees of Rogers Media. Not surprisingly, the prime movers behind the preposterous, 12–year, $5.2 billion deal that secured (on Nov. 26, 2013) Canadian TV rights for the National Hockey League — Nadir Mohamed, Keith Pelley and Moore — have long–since fled the company. The fourth party to the agreement, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, continues to laugh all the way to the bank. In its wake, the hockey pact has inevitably fathered blood–letting amid those beneath the top tier of management. TV and radio careers have been destroyed, with more to follow in the coming days.

 

[Warden of the North]

Im really curious who else from the NHL broadcast side will be moved.

Burke beimg brought in clearly spelled the end of Mclean. Do hosts like Marek and Amber make it? I presume Friedman survives as hes their big fish Insider, but what about Kypreos and Johnston?

 

[KaraLupin]

About time, they need to rebrand younger.

 

[BLNY]

Produce a quality product with good on-air talent, and people will watch. The Sportsnet product has some good concepts - Hometown Hockey for example - but it simply isn't delivered as well as when TSN and CBC delivered national broadcasts.

Speaking of Hometown Hockey, I suspect that may get cut. As good a grassroots project as it may be, it has to be hugely expensive. Every Sunday in a new city over the course of the season; production staff and equipment are there doing lead work, Ron flies in to grace folks with his presence, etc. Millions of dollars to do that.

I like Bob McCown a lot. He can be crusty, but that's the act in a way. I get that he might not resonate with the sub-30 crowd though. I'm long passed that demographic lol. I grew up watching Bob do his Business of Sport show on TSN. I didn't get the FAN out east, so that was my exposure to him and I liked what he did. Still do.

While I don't like to see people simply lose their jobs, Sportsnet has on-air talent I just can't stomach or are seemingly redundant. Marek, Millard, Kypreos, Johnston, MacLean, Armstrong, and on and on. The herd needs to be culled.

 

[Bixby Snyder]

They overpaid for the NHL at a time when interest in the sport in Canada is in sharp decline.

 

[viper0220]

They overpaid for the NHL at a time when interest in the sport in Canada is in sharp decline.

If Canadian teams do good, than the interest will pick up. The main thing is that Canadian team have done jack shit.

 

[SJSharksfan39]

I wonder if this might impact the 31 Thoughts Podcast. They haven't had a new episode since before the Stanley Cup Final ended, and the episode they did bring out was a soundbite clip of the season. I was surprised they didn't have a post Stanley Cup/Pre NHL Award (or Draft show). With this news I wonder if the podcast might be done.

 

[Warden of the North]

I wonder if this might impact the 31 Thoughts Podcast. They haven't had a new episode since before the Stanley Cup Final ended, and the episode they did bring out was a soundbite clip of the season. I was surprised they didn't have a post Stanley Cup/Pre NHL Award (or Draft show). With this news I wonder if the podcast might be done.

We should find out soon.

I think its unlikely that Marek goes, and highly unlikely Freidman goes.

Podcasts are cheap to produce and 31 Thoughts is well sponsored.

My guess is we' have one early this week that emcompasses the awards and the draft

 

[SJSharksfan39]

We should find out soon.

I think its unlikely that Marek goes, and highly unlikely Freidman goes.

Podcasts are cheap to produce and 31 Thoughts is well sponsored.

My guess is we' have one early this week that emcompasses the awards and the draft

I checked Marek's twitter and he did say that George Parros was interviewed for the podcast. but that tweet was on the 20th. I don't doubt the show will continue (if Freidman goes, TSN will pick him up right away, he's like the Woj of hockey media), but I was surprised their last show amounted to a clip show (Which I passed on).

 

[Mightygoose]

Sportsnet has been a 2 trick pony (NHL National right & Jays) for far too long and it's caught up to them. When none of 8 teams (7 NHL + Jays) can make a serious run.

They have half of the Raptors which of course have done record numbers this year but it can only make up so much and not sustainable long term.

TSN/Bell is much more diversified so they can weather storms better.

 

[Baxterman]

I am not familiar with the business plan of how they run things but from afar it seems like they have way too many hockey analysts. Perhaps they are all on cheap deals or structured so that is doesn't matter if they bring in a new guy for each game but it seems like they could cut down the number of guys like Armstrong, Maclean, Debrusk, Hirsch, Galley etc. that do the intermission hits. They rarely add anything of value in my view.

Also not sure how it works, but Maclean spent most of the week in Florida and then came up to TO to go on TV so they are either paying for that travel or paying him enough it is worth it for him to pay that. That is nuts. I am not saying that as a anti-Maclean guy but no need to have those kinds of expenses. From the baseball world, with Cliff Floyd in studio I think he lives in Florida so how is that he is in TO? Agian you have to think it is either being paid for him to travel or paid enough to make it worth it. Now maybe these are peanut expenses compared to the 12.5 billion they spent but neither Floyd or Maclean offer anything that a local guy couldn't do so why waste the extra money on their travel?

 

[Jozay]

Im really curious who else from the NHL broadcast side will be moved.

Burke beimg brought in clearly spelled the end of Mclean. Do hosts like Marek and Amber make it? I presume Friedman survives as hes their big fish Insider, but what about Kypreos and Johnston?

Marek and Amber are great hosts, the best at Sportsnet right now IMO.

Johnston is also a great insider, and the rest of his work at Sportsnet is also good, so I think he'll be back.

Not sure about Kypreos.

They should cut guys like Armstrong, Zigomanis, Stellick etc. IMO.

 

[Baxterman]

I will also say, and this may just be me but I doubt it, if you pay 12.5 billion for the NHL and I prefer to go to TSN to get my news first, hear what they have to say on big moves and desperately wish they would have had the draft that is an issue.

No again it may jut be me but TSN, even without the games, blows Sportsnet out of water with their hockey coverage. They have two of the best, maybe the two best, PBP guys in Cuthbert and Miller, their analysts are way better and they do a better job in terms of production.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

If Canadian teams do good, than the interest will pick up. The main thing is that Canadian team have done jack ****.

I thought Canada was full of "true hockey fans" who would support their NHL teams no matter what their records. You mean to tell me that support is even somewhat conditional on actual team performance? Why, I'm shocked at this stunning development!

No, a lot of this has to do with Rogers paying over double the prior contract. Yes, part of that was expected - the league was looking for an increase - but between the sheer dollars forked out and the assumption of content distribution channels and such, Rogers was going to struggle to break-even on this barring all-Canada conference finals once and at least half-Canada conference finals a few other times. [Canada hasn't had more than one team in the conference finals since 1994, when the WCF had Vancouver/Toronto.]

 

[cutchemist42]

Sportsnet gets no sympathy from me when their on-talent gloated about TSN's demise publicly after the deal.

 

[Iggys Dome]

There's something cheap and fake about Sportsnet's production that I just can't get past.

 

[tony d]

To bad to hear this, I actually don't mind Sportsnet as much as others. Wonder who will get let go.

 

[majormajor]

Marek and Amber are great hosts, the best at Sportsnet right now IMO.

Johnston is also a great insider, and the rest of his work at Sportsnet is also good, so I think he'll be back.

Not sure about Kypreos.

They should cut guys like Armstrong, Zigomanis, Stellick etc. IMO.

Do those guys even get paid much? They have a very part time gig compared to the insiders and hosts.

 

[Jozay]

Do those guys even get paid much? They have a very part time gig compared to the insiders and hosts.

Probably not, but im sure it adds up. SN seems to have a lot of part time guys over there, in all roles.

 

[viper0220]

I thought Canada was full of "true hockey fans" who would support their NHL teams no matter what their records. You mean to tell me that support is even somewhat conditional on actual team performance? Why, I'm shocked at this stunning development!

No, a lot of this has to do with Rogers paying over double the prior contract. Yes, part of that was expected - the league was looking for an increase - but between the sheer dollars forked out and the assumption of content distribution channels and such, Rogers was going to struggle to break-even on this barring all-Canada conference finals once and at least half-Canada conference finals a few other times. [Canada hasn't had more than one team in the conference finals since 1994, when the WCF had Vancouver/Toronto.]

We in Canada, have been paying high prices, for god knows how long for a subpar product, we are just tired of getting it up the ass.

 

[McRpro]

To bad to hear this, I actually don't mind Sportsnet as much as others. Wonder who will get let go.

I feel the same, don't mind SN at all. Although it's nice to know I won't be seeing McClown anymore so that's reason to be happy.

 

[greasysnapper]

I've heard from an internal source that it's mostly layoffs on the radio side and some of the underperforming departments. Which makes sense considering how dead radio is right now.

 

[Trizent]

They could sell off part of the NHL deal to Bell/TSN to recoup some money, but haven't decided to go that direction.