Media Thread

[Deebo]

Wonder how his departure from Sportsnet went down.

I haven't heard it yet, but I hear CJ goes into some detail on yesterday's podcast.

Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6dy8odWXnY
And it's pretty much what I expected

TLDW version plz

Sportsnet wouldn't let him do other things like the pod if he stayed with them.

He signed to write for the Star and then told SN he was stilling willing to do TV for them. He never heard back and TSN popped up with the offer.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Makes sense, thanks guys.

 

[Kin]

It definitely seems like Sportsnet is bleeding so much on the NHL deal they're afraid to try and extend coverage of it to podcasts or other avenues. For years I would watch/listen to hours of their stuff a week, now it's just games.

 

[herman]

It definitely seems like Sportsnet is bleeding so much on the NHL deal they're afraid to try and extend coverage of it to podcasts or other avenues. For years I would watch/listen to hours of their stuff a week, now it's just games.

SportsNet has Elliotte's 32 Thoughts pod, and CJ might have been a significant overlap. But the format sort of lends itself to sustainable overlap.

 

[Kin]

It definitely seems like Sportsnet is bleeding so much on the NHL deal they're afraid to try and extend coverage of it to podcasts or other avenues. For years I would watch/listen to hours of their stuff a week, now it's just games.

SportsNet has Elliotte's 32 Thoughts pod, and CJ might have been a significant overlap. But the format sort of lends itself to sustainable overlap.

That started at CBC though, didn't it? So they seem reluctant to take on just about any new venture. Add in all the cuts to local radio they've been making and the layoffs and sportsnet doesn't seem to be in a good place these days.

 

[dappleganger]

I'd be curious. I'm not sure why he couldn't write for the Toronto Star, which seemed like something he wanted to do, and also continue on Hockey Night in Canada.

His actual employer is NordStar. NordStar acquired TorStar, the holding company that owns/operates the Toronto Star (among other periodicals), so that's why he's in the sports 'newsroom' there. I suppose there's something in the Sportsnet contract that prevented him from branching out as widely as he is now (CJ Show on sdpn, Insider on TSN); I don't see any other Sportsnet personality in other outlets, whereas a number of TSN personalities are non-exclusive (Ferraro, Miller, LeBrun, Johnson, etc.).

Richard Deitsch wrote for the Athletic and had his own podcast in addition to his hosting duties on Writers Bloc (before this week anyway).

 

[herman]

It definitely seems like Sportsnet is bleeding so much on the NHL deal they're afraid to try and extend coverage of it to podcasts or other avenues. For years I would watch/listen to hours of their stuff a week, now it's just games.

SportsNet has Elliotte's 32 Thoughts pod, and CJ might have been a significant overlap. But the format sort of lends itself to sustainable overlap.

That started at CBC though, didn't it? So they seem reluctant to take on just about any new venture. Add in all the cuts to local radio they've been making and the layoffs and sportsnet doesn't seem to be in a good place these days.

Hmm, you're probably right. There's still an audio credit to the CBC, so it wouldn't surprise me if they were just outsourcing production/licensing, or however these gigs are handled. Sportsnet slashing their local radio stations to spend again on Kypreos though (and centralizing opinions from evil-Toronto) is an own-goal.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/jeffmarek/status/1448642364181032960

 

[Joe S.]

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/toronto-maple-leafs-attendance-scotiabank-arena-sold-out-game-season-010920825.html

So the leafs drawing at 96% capacity during an ongoing pandemic deserves an entire article but Ottawa drawing under 9k is no big deal.

In all honesty, I personally wouldn?t be attending any live events, and I?m sure there are a lot more like me. But drawing at 96%? I would assume this would be too 5 in the league.

Edit: top 10 I just looked it up:

https://www.espn.com/nhl/attendance/_/sort/homePct

 

[Kin]

https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/toronto-maple-leafs-attendance-scotiabank-arena-sold-out-game-season-010920825.html

So the leafs drawing at 96% capacity during an ongoing pandemic deserves an entire article but Ottawa drawing under 9k is no big deal.

In all honesty, I personally wouldn?t be attending any live events, and I?m sure there are a lot more like me. But drawing at 96%? I would assume this would be too 5 in the league.

Edit: top 10 I just looked it up:

https://www.espn.com/nhl/attendance/_/sort/homePct

I mean, kinda? The Leafs not selling out does feel like news while the Senators being a clown show is pretty old hat at this point.

 

[Joe S.]

I guess. Just sounding the alarm at 96% capacity during a pandemic seems a little silly to me.

 

[Kin]

But even that feels interesting if the pandemic is the reason that the Leafs aren't selling tickets they normally would.

 

[Joe S.]

I can only speak for myself but I would not go to any sporting event or concert right now.

 

[Kin]

I can only speak for myself but I would not go to any sporting event or concert right now.

I feel the same way so it seems interesting that in the context of a market where it's often said that the Leafs could sell 10 or even 20 thousand more tickets a night if they had capacity that so many people are turned off from going to events that it's leading to empty seats.

Assuming, of course, that it is the Pandemic causing it and not the sense I get that the fanbase is at a pretty low point right now.

 

[Guru Tugginmypuddah]

I can only speak for myself but I would not go to any sporting event or concert right now.

My wife received an email from the Leafs on Saturday morning saying there were still tickets available for the game.  We looked at each other briefly and said "nah". 

 

[Bender]

I can only speak for myself but I would not go to any sporting event or concert right now.

I feel the same way so it seems interesting that in the context of a market where it's often said that the Leafs could sell 10 or even 20 thousand more tickets a night if they had capacity that so many people are turned off from going to events that it's leading to empty seats.

Assuming, of course, that it is the Pandemic causing it and not the sense I get that the fanbase is at a pretty low point right now.

I think it's a combination. Low point, pandemic & cost. It's not a great trifecta.

 

[Joe S.]

I can only speak for myself but I would not go to any sporting event or concert right now.

My wife received an email from the Leafs on Saturday morning saying there were still tickets available for the game.  We looked at each other briefly and said "nah".

The article does hit home on one particular item - the ticket prices are insane. Lowest ticket is $130? That?s nuts.

 

[Deebo]

I went to opening night for ~150 a ticket.

 

[Joe S.]

I went to opening night for ~150 a ticket.

Imagine being a family of 4.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/1451527766894022665
This is a pretty weird time to finish a contract for a hockey beat