The Hockey Theme kicked off HNIC broadcasts from 1968 to 2008.

Canadians believe CBC Sports did the right thing by not renewing the rights to the Hockey Night In Canada theme song, a poll suggests.

Copyright Music & Visuals, the agency representing composer Dolores Claman, reportedly was seeking between $2.5 and $3 million to use the song in perpetuity.

But the CBC confirmed June 6 that it had bowed out of negotiations because it felt the asking price was too high, even though it had used the song on HNIC broadcasts since 1968.

Fifty-six per cent of Canadians surveyed in a poll conducted by the Canadian Press and Decima Research said the CBC shouldn't have paid more than $1 million.

Twenty-seven per cent said the public broadcaster should have paid more than $1 million.

Fifty-nine per cent said CBC's loss of the song didn't bother them, and 62 per cent supported CBC's plan to stage a nationwide contest for a new song.

Only 14 per cent figured CBC would lose viewers without the song, which was purchased June 9 by CTV Inc., reportedly for more than $1 million.

The song will be played on NHL broadcasts on TSN, which is owned by CTV.

The CP/Decima poll, conducted from June 12 to June 15, had a margin of error of 3.1 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

With files from the Canadian Press