Hockey Night in Canada theme contest opens
Last Updated: Thursday, June 19, 2008 | 11:33 PM ET
CBC Sports
Canadians will have an opportunity to leave their musical mark on the country's most famous sports show with the official launch Thursday of Canada's Hockey Anthem Challenge.
Aspiring composers will be able to submit audio or video files with their bid to provide the new theme music for Hockey Night in Canada.
"Between now and October, we invite musicians to create and everyone in the country to help us select the perfect new music to represent the most famous hockey broadcast in the world," said Scott Moore, executive director of CBC Sports.
"With Canada’s Hockey Anthem Challenge, we will create a new theme for the hockey nation, something that will tell the world what CBC’s Hockey Night In Canada is all about."
The winning entry will receive $100,000 in cash and half of the ongoing performance royalties, with the other half going to Canadian minor league hockey.
At least five semifinalists will be presented to the country and judged by a celebrity panel on a CBC network television special on Oct. 4. The judges will be announced shortly.
"We’re going to create just the right mix [of judges] to ensure we come up with a winner that’s both musically exceptional and appealing to the all-Canadian hockey fan," said Moore.
Two finalists will then face off at the beginning of the HNIC doubleheader on Thursday, Oct. 9, with fans having the opportunity to vote for the winner.
The new theme will be unveiled two days later on the traditional Saturday broadcast of Hockey Night in Canada.
"Canadians have never been shy about anything to do with hockey," said Moore. "This is going to be an event where hockey history is made."
Song entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. ET Aug. 31. Even those without a song in the hunt will able to weigh in on submissions, posting reviews and ratings at the contest website CBCSports.ca/hockey/anthemchallenge.
The contest is open to Canadian residents only.
