Inside CBC Sports

CBC failed in every possible way on this one. You didn't lock up the song's rights years ago, you nixed a short-term investment for long-term gain this time around & you were outbid by your biggest competitor (yet again) for a sports-related prize. But, what's done is done. The only thing that could make it worse is reminding the public how badly CBC dropped the ball by holding a contest to replace the irreplaceable. It's still not too late to pull the plug on this hopeless endeavour. I heard you, sir, on Ontario Morning. Your speculation on the presumptive success of this song came off as beyond arrogant. Stop the contest before it starts and move on. Please!

Thank you Scott, the loss of the song and the changes in personell at CBC seems to indicate a "theme" change coming. The possible exit of Bob Cole, the tiredness (mine not his)of Don Cherry, the "maturing" of Ron McLean, greater involvement of Kelly Hrudy and Scott ... are positive signs to me that CBC is planning some changes that are bordering on "overdue". I understand the CBC contract to televise hockey runs for another 6 years. I've been watching CBC since Murray Westgate said "always look to Imperial for the best". Now the competition is breathing down your neck and I think will do whatever it takes to end CBC's high volume involvement with hockey....even buy out the theme song from under your nose. I think change has to happen. Good luck.

I agree with the CBC's decision. You have better uses for the money. And that is a Lot of Money.

Why not try to work out a deal with Stompin Tom Connors to use his "Good Ole Hockey Game" song, Canadian written and sung, as the new HNIC theme song....can't get more Canadian than that and everyone is familiar with that song and what it means....tradition.

Better still, before you launch a whole new contest, why not do a poll to see how many viewers would like the Good Ole Hockey Game as the new theme song and go by the results, one way or the other....then you'd know for sure.

Other than the original HNIC theme song, only ONE OTHER SONG denotes our great Canadian game and that is the song by Stompin Tom.

Paul M.

A good theme song always makes a good show better; however, the 60's sci-fi debacle, Lost In Space, changed theme songs halfway through its run in an effort to be taken more seriously. It didn't work. The show was just as corny as it was before. Themes don't make the show. High production values do. So, put the $2.5 million towards better hockey coverage, give all of the on-air talent a raise and keep HNIC the best in hockey coverage on the planet! (Believe me, having to watch any games on NBC or Versus is a huge let-down - thank goodness I live in a border city where CBC is available!)

I think the writer and her agents would have been, what's the technical term, totally freakin' batsh*t looney not to take the money and run but as a songwriter of lesser reknown, I would say that anytime you can get a gig like the one she had, take it.

I only found out about this "after the fact".

Had I found out about this while negotiations were underway, I would have suggested that you, TSN, RDS, NBC, Versus, and local TV and radio broadcasters carrying NHL games could have made a joint bid for the HNIC theme to become a "generic theme song" for all NHL hockey telecasts, local or national, on both sides of the border.

Yes, it is true that you would have had to share the song, but the song itself could also be a signal that it's Time For NHL Hockey.

But I wouldn't be surprised if you now team up with NBC to put together two hockey themes, both with the same music but each with a different singer (like Alanis Morrisette in Canada or Kelly Clarkson in the U.S.) and slightly-different lyrics, one version for you and the other for NBC.

I really appreciate the blog by Mr. Moore. It was upfront, honest and informative of the facts. I was originally against the CBC for not renewing it's rights for the tune but now I support their decision and am agaisnt the composer for selling out.

I will still watch the CBC for HNIC (although I think they should broadcast regional games for the enjoyment of other viewers not in Ontario) and so long as Ron and Don stay with the show, I will maintain my affliation with the show.

Thanks for the insight Scott, it really answered a lot of questions. It's a sad loss, but I think the nation can move on. And for those out there who miss the song? Go download it and play it on a stereo every Saturday night.

I am not a hockey fan, but I still loved the tune !

Scott,

As at least one other writer, I am also confused by what I see as a quite obvious contradiction in this paragraph,

"I’m embarrassed that both sides could not come to a deal. I firmly believe we should have been able to. But in the end, we couldn’t. It takes two sides to make a deal, and it takes two sides to let it fall through"

with,

"But they knew the negotiation hadn’t run its course. I firmly believe that if they hadn’t inserted themselves into the negotiation, the result would have been different"

So, which is it ?

Your attempt at "putting the record straight" may seem admirable were it not for a whiff of sour grapes. Just because you didn't want it, does that mean nobody else could have it ? Or, is it because you're humiliated because a competitor outsmarted you. You were the one that issued a press release stating, "no deal".

I must say, I am really surprised that CTV was smarter than CBC in appreciating how emotional Canadians felt, or should I say feel, about : da da da da da.....too bad that an organisation that usually takes the pulse of this nation very accurately, missed the mark on something as important to Canadians as this.

People have way too muh time on their hands. By the way, whoever wanted you 'hung for treason' - the word is hanged. Hung is something else entirely...

Hats off to CBC. They tried to negotiate, that did not work out. They were willing to bring an arbitrator and that did not work out. Why break the bank for a song? Yes, I realize that the theme song to HNIC was as recognizable as Gretzky's face, but sometimes, a little plastic surgery changes someone's look. That is what will happen here. CBC will find a new song and years down the road, we may be having the same debate over it! Team's jersey's change, words to anthems change, why can't the theme song to HNIC not change? I love the song and have it as a ringtone, but now I wait for the new song so I can then add it!

I'm not sure what value that piece of music would have, had it not been for the CBC, but probably not much. The CBC and Canadians turned it into part of the fabric of this country. Somehow it belongs to the CBC and it belongs to Hockey Night in Canada. The greatest crime of this whole incident is that CTV has come in and decided that for a few dollars more it can take the value that the CBC and Hockey Night in Canada has built. Their actions do not seem very Canadian to me. Hang in there, the CBC did nothing wrong.

I appreciate Scott Moore's comment's on the loss of the HNIC theme song and, frankly I'm amazed at the outpouring of shock and grief. I read the first hundred or so posts about this and can't believe some of the comments. It's a piece of music that the composer and lawyers tried to blackmail the CBC for 2.5 million dollars! I'm quite happy that they didn't get it!

It's not like someone is burning the flag on national television every Saturday night so let's not get our knickers in a twist. I often don't watch the first game anyway and the intro music is unimportant to me. I would, however, like to think that Canadians can compose a piece of music that is more sophisticated than "The Good Ol' Hockey Game"!

I say good for the CBC for not paying the ransom and won't it be fun for them to hear the music on CTV and have the entire country think it's the CBC?

So let me get this straight....the agent for the old gal, does what any good agent will do,, and demands a lot of money that he knows full well the cbc wont pay...however that creates a lot of publicity and now all of a sudden,this starts to become a national debate. As a result the agent either sits back and waits for offers, or more likely starts calling around town looking other networks,to reel in.
CTV takes the bait, and coughs up 1.5 million more than mother corp. If the agent is working on a standard 10% commission, he's just made himmself another 150 k more on the deal......and all he had to do was sit back and watch as someone "leaked" the details
of the scrap between mother corp and the old gal to get everything going. Gee I wonder who that was?....At any rate, the CBC made the right decision.....but I wonder if this all could have been avoided if the corp had just tossed in a few bucks to send Don Cherry overseas to see the old gal, and try and have him butter her up, in an effort to help the corp save its song.

Ross

You know the CBC is paying the NHL $100 million PER YEAR to be able to make Hockey Night In Canada. I don't see how an additional one-time payment of $2.5 million for "brand insurance" would have been such a bad idea.

Thanks for for your candid report on music. I can tell that you are an honest person. Do you think hockey is dying in Canada?

Thanks
Dave

It’s Saturday night in Victoria. 6:50 pm rolls around and in anticipation of events to come I absent mindedly begin to hum.

“Da, da, da, da da…”

Wait a sec, it’s Tuesday!

You see, I associate the jingle with hockey itself. I am a loyal fan and don’t miss a game of my team. Guess what folks HNIC doesn’t broadcast all my team’s games, yours either for that matter but I still sing the song.

Besides I don’t watch HNIC for the theme song and neither do you. I watch HNIC for the great play-by-play and intermission commentary. Anyone heard of Don Cherry?

Regarding the negotiations, you gotta trust the guy in the room. Enough said.

I’m behind you CBC. Long live Hockey Night In Canada.

I tune in to CBC on Saturday night because I know that is where to find HNIC... I don't need to flip through the channels until I hear the theme song. Sometimes I turn the TV on ahead of time, but I'm in another room doing something else. In that case, the theme song tells me that the puck is going to drop in about 10 minutes. Personally, I think $2.5million is a little but too much for an alarm clock. Good idea to pass.

Too bad, so sad - the sun will come up tomorrow.

Good for the CBC for not blowing the budget on a 10 second jingle.

It will be missed but more importantly, let us hope that HNIC lives on for a lot longer.

Hockey belongs on the CANADIAN Broadcasting Corporation.

Scotty,
I'll take you at your word. As for the litigators on the other side, I dont trust them. They relied on the image of an 80 year to get sympathy. The composer and the litigators were just trying to play the public for cash. They got it.

I am glad you did not overpay for the song. While I found myself humming it a little the other day after hearing it after all the hype, it should not be the 'deal breaker' for hockey on CBC. What a great opportunity for another young composer to have a chance to have their work heard by millions.

I am excited to watch the Beijing Olympics covered by CBC and was sad to learn that CTV/TSN captured the rights to Vancouver 2010. We don't get it down here in the 'States.

As a CBC exec, you should spend more time administering to your business and less time blogging. It is not CTV's fault they picked up your fumble, buddy. Over 1 billion a year from taxpayers, and this is all we get... blame games...

Time to go and talk to Stompin' Tom now....it's the good ole hockey game!

You said the negotiations were over.

CTV took you at your word.

Who's fault is that?

Yours.

Imagine you've rented this great house for years and years, and pay a couple thousand dollars a month. You've always wanted to just buy the house but you and the owner could never agree on a price. Since you follow the real estate market you have a pretty good idea what the house is worth, so you make the owner an offer of $1 million, which is far more than any house in the neighbourhood has ever sold for. But you really love the house, so you're prepared to pay a premium.

Then the owner comes back and says "Sorry - I've received an offer for three times that amount". You can't believe what you're hearing! You put in a generous offer on the house and the owner wants 3x that much? While you're mulling that over a real estate agent drives up and hammers a SOLD sign into the front lawn.

Change is good - it creates opportunities. I agree with the comments that kids in the future will grow to love a new song more than the old one, and hopefully we adults will too.

Meh.

I never turn on the game until it starts (not when the broadcast starts, when the *game* starts). I probably haven't heard the now-gone theme song in years. Won't miss it. Glad they didn't blow the budget on it.

Scott, thank you for what seems to be an honest response from you.

And I agree with others that say going with Stompin Tom would not be a bad idea. Perhaps a modern version. Maybe the copyright holders of that song will be more willing to work with HNIC, but I also see the contest as a good thing.

CTV came out looking like less than heros; I've never seen vultures portrayed in such a way.

Take your punishment like a man.
You screwed up big time.

Admit you dropped the ball and then we can move on. Until that time, the next time I hear you talking about anything I will hit mute. You have lost the right to judge other people the moment you would not accept your responsibility for this collosal screw up.

Betcha, I won't be listening to you in the future because I suspect you will continue to do what you did in this blog.

Hay we will always love the song but in a year some Canadian will be a new hockey hero and in 20 years there song will define HNIC and Kids will have grown up with the song. When they hear the old one they will say thats nice but I like the real one better. Hockey will be fine and some times change is good Just wait and see.
PS maybe we need a new song to bring the cup to Canada.

Mr. Moore -- I consider the CBC's loss of the HNIC theme to be one of the greatest PR miscalculations and marketing blunders in the history of Canadian business. It is so monumentally two-left-footed that it really takes the breath away.

However, that's done. I do have a serious question I wonder if you'd take the time to answer. Is CBC considering any kind of legal action to prevent TSN from using the theme in a hockey-related context? I believe that even though you don't own the theme song, you own the branding of it as a hockey staple, and that it is unjust for another network to be able to pick that up and run with it after your corporation did all the work and invested all the capital. The music is just music, but the music-as-hockey-theme is YOUR idea, YOUR brand, YOUR investment.

I look forward to your response.

Tim

I think the only reason I even care that the tune was lost is it's just a long line of embarrassments by CBC Sports that never ever should have happened. Almost letting Ron McLean go, letting Chris Cuthbert over (maybe you guys wouldn't have so many problems with getting good commentating had this guy stuck around, eh?), now this. And more. I think the real question I'd like answered, and I appreciate you answering any at all, is why is CBC Sports always mismanaged like this? Why is it always on the wrong end of the PR game? CBC Sports should be steeped in tradition and smart management and it's...not (or at least that's the perception). I really don't think this would have been as much of a story if CBC Sports didn't already have a terrible reputation for being embarrassed and rarely having a reputation for actually doing things that the media or the general public can actually applaud. Reversing that perceived reputation seems much more important and urgent than losing a song.

I am not entirely convinced the entire blame for this boondogle rests with you...The sum being what it is.. I do agree somewhat in that CTV pulled a rather underhanded maneuver with their quick cash in hand scoop ; but it should serve to awaken you people in that all is fair in ... This is just another step down for the public network .... again really a poor, short sighted decision ; perhaps CTV will allow you to repurchase what is the only rightful anthem ; start that petition . You should be starting to realize the disgust any and all Canadian hockey fans feel with the network. Shame.

HNIC remains the best sports on television, song or no song. ESPN and NBC are mostly schtick substituting for experience, but HNIC's seriousness about the game makes it the best of all.

I'm sure it's Pavlovian (is there such a word?), but I just can't wrap my pea-brain around not hearing that theme at the start of a HNIC broadcast. Then again, the show will start, the game will get played, Cherry will holler, Mclean will pour oil on the waters, I'll go to bed and (now this is just a guess)the sun will come up in the morning. I guess we're back to death and taxes.

Scott:

I have to take you at your word that you and the CBC brass were interested in keeping the song but were not willing to overpay. Comendable.

However; if you are truely sincere about retaining a Canadian hockey tradition with HNIC and weren't in fact looking to "modernize", why have you not spoken of the possibility of using "the Hockey Song". I understand it has been offered and is only slightly less recognizable as the HNIC (now CTV) theme.

This would surely demonstrate an effort to retain some tradition in your broadcasts.

"But the contest hasn't started yet... how could you already have entries?" asks super robertson of Vancouver.

If things were equal to all, obviously, this'd be impossible. The only answer can be that insiders are submitting now, ahead of the public. Likely, this is part of the PR campaign soon to unfurled.

TV sports execs may be talk a good line, but they're pikers in the spin department when compared to record label execs.

I agree with the many other folks saying that The Hockey Song by Stompin' Tom Connors is a natural for a new theme. It's bad enough to lose the classic theme as happened this month, but it'd add insult to injury to start using some shallow pop product that comes out of an Idol-type competition.

Dear CBC, I miss my Hockey Night in Canada since I've moved to this little island called Oahu and my wife phoned me at work as soon as she read about this.
My suggestion: Use the A-Team theme song. I'm sure it's up for grabs the old timers won't even know the difference.
Sing it with me!
DA du Daaa! DAT na na. Da nu dat daaa. Da da na na da da!

I am old enough to remember the theme that it replaced. In five years not a person is going to care one way or the other and you just saved 2.5 million dollars. Too bad the writer of the song was not as passionate about her song remaining on HNIC. But she is in England now, and is laughing all the way to the bank.

While I seem to be a minority here, I am not that sorry that the CBC lost this theme song. The reason is likely that I am ready for the CBC to lose hockey altogether.

I know that amounts to blasphemy but I have my reasons:

First, unlike other posters here I like the commentators on either of the other two sports networks in Canada. I think Gord Miller and Pierre Maquire are the best commentating team in Canada. I love the one-up-one-down system where we hear what's happening at the benches... who's saying what to whom.
Second, Don Cherry annoys me. I liked him as an adolescent, but I've outgrown him now. He is right about no-touch icing and fighting, but I honestly believe, as does Don, that he does his causes a disservice because they're HIS ideas. Besides, he's ridiculous.
Thirdly, CBC has the worst colour commentators, especially Greg Millen. Millen can see an replay and still get the play described incorrectly! Exceptions for Jim Hughson and Craig Simpson are granted.

With all that in mind, I'm glad the song is gone because it could be the death knell of HNIC finally.

So there. I'm sure people will want to hang me too.

Which brings me to Scott Moore piece. He makes the same mistakes so many sports people make - when they apologize they make excuses without accepting their mistake. Either you're sorry Scott and believe you made a mistake, or you think you had no choice because of the reasons you mentioned.

I loved the HNIC theme, but I'll live without it. Ron MacLean's poise, hockey knowledge, and professionalism have no equal--especially not TSN's James Duthie, who is a complete goof... and not in a funny way. Don Cherry is abrasive and rude, but in a showdown with Bob Mackenzie, Cherry wins (although MacKenzie is probably TSN's best asset). We all know how utterly terrible Pierre McGuire is, although CBC's play by play when Western teams play the Leafs is probably equally atrocious. TSN now owns the rights to a song that fails to fit their product, which is only the third best (out of four) major hockey broadcasts in the country. Sportsnet's coverage of the Canucks is by far the best, and RDS's coverage of les Habs would beat TSN's if only they broadcast in English too. CBC has a great broadcast, but they've got competition with better ideas than scooping their theme song in the country's second and third biggest markets. My suggestion? Expand CBC's coverage of Montreal and Vancouver (maybe a bit more for Ottawa as well) with week-night broadcasts. Sportsnet and RDS should be viewed as bigger comptetition than TSN, which pretty much airs small market American team games and the scraps that the other three broadcasters don't pick up. Let them have the song; no one will like their broadcast any more.

Dear Mr. Moore, Thank-you very much for your comments. After listening to your interview on radio one I was convinced that it was not the end of the world. Your comments are very well presented.

Over the years there have been other changes with HNIC some of which seemed very big at the time, however 'change or die'. So many people like to find fault with the CBC and many people make comments about the inability for change at the 'Mother Corp'. Many opportunities have been created and no one died in this negotiation.

So many of the musically inclined hockey fans are busy writing the next HNIC anthem which is such a great opportunity.

Perhaps CBC could have a new song every year or three and that way the product and the music wouldn't get so entwined and there would be many songs and many opportunities for creative input.

Thank-you for re-presenting your thoughts and giving us the forum for comment. Val

Wait Scott, let me see if I have this straight, you had that song on your iPod?

You know that will be illegal soon. Should have kept it while you had the chance.

The "Hockey Night in Canada " song is just that its Canada its not just some song played before a hockey game.Its instilled in the hearts and minds of every Canadian, next to
O Canada there is no other song that can capture what it truely means to be Canadian. For CBC to say in a few years people will not even notice... I think not thats like saying after the 1972 Canada Cup no one would remember the players involved in a few years.
Yes the song will live on in a way, but CTV will be changing it they say in small ways but to me and many others its like trying to change the very history of Canada. This will go down as one of the darkest days in not just Canadian Hockey but Canadian Fokelore. We will see who remembers in a few years.

CBC is much more than a song that lasts a few minutes.

To be honest, I never cared to hear the song and it did not have any impact on the games.

We are watching hockey, not music.

I understand the "fight" about the tune used by HNIC. As a Canadian citizen living in the U.S. it is hard to watch from the bench. But I will be honest, I look forward to the intro tune for HNIC when watching from here. It is not an anthem but has strong memories of HNIC. However the tune is not worth that much money. There are other sports TV shows which have changed introduction songs; I think ABC Monday Night Football has also changed it's opening song. But people did not stop watching it because of the theme song. The is now a memory like watching Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretsky, Mario LeMeiux, and on and on. The game will last forever.

While I still believe Mister Moore should quit or be let go, I agree that we should try and move on. But please, let's use Stompin' Tom's song. THAT should be the new song. In our lives, we associate music to special memories and that hockey theme was a part of who we are. Scrap this stupid contest and use Stompin' Tom's song... it might be a good idea to buy it in perpetuity this time around.

Dissapointed, yes... I really have come to associate that song with Saturday night hockey (the tune usually tells me how much time I have when I'm not already glued to the TV).
I will, however, totally forgive the CBC if you PROMISE never to miss another Saturday night Sens game (you did that once last year and SIX TIMES the year before).

I gave up watching hockey in the 1970's because of the poor quality of play and the boorish antics of some of the players and coaches, especially Don Cherry.

I tried watching again in the 80's but was turned off by "Coaches' Corner" and the bullying talk and nasty comments.

There are over 33 million people in this country and most games have trouble attracting 1 million viewers - 3% of the population. Hardly a strong support of our national game!

I resent all the CBC programming that gets cut during playoffs. What about the majority of us who really don't care about which American Team wins the cup?

I would like to see more money going into news, documentaries, drama and comedy.

The HNIC theme song is gone, and all the analysis in the world as to "how" and "why" won't change that result. The real issue now is what you are going to replace it with, because the new theme will be the most highly-scrutinized theme song in Canadian history as a result of the public hue and cry over the loss of the old one.

Thankfully, Stompin' Tom (perhaps the greatest living Canadian) has already written The Hockey Song, and it may already be even more beloved than the old HNIC anthem in hockey rinks across the country. Just envision the HNIC logo coming onto the TV screen to the iconic opening strains of "Hello out there, We're On the Air, Its Hockey Night Tonight!". It'd be fantastic, and possibly the only option that will make your average Canadian hockey fan forget this whole fiasco.

I have no idea what Stompin' Tom's royalty fee is for using The Hockey Song, but it'd be worth it at any price.

What a joke! Over a week since the CBCs latest
debacle is a done deal and head honcho Scott
Moore is now addressing the concerns and criticism heaped on him and the CBC as a result! the morning I saw the first mention of
the possible loss of the theme I checked the story and there were already over 200 comments
posted all pleading for the CBC to get a deal done. Mr. Moore issued several terse press
statements, I suppose due to discretionary factors with the negotiations, but the fact remains that once again the CBC seems to have
no problem in alienating viewers, to the point of antagonism! Regardless of whether they were already anticipating no new deal for "the other anthem" or not, any damage control is too late to matter. I don't care as much about the loss of the theme as I do
about the handling of this situation by the
CBC and once again a 'let the viewers eat donuts" attitude! Is it because of all they've
lost they just don't care anymore? Sorry, Mr.
Moore, as a proud Canadian and CBC viewer, this is one blown play that's gonna be
re-played for a long time. And as for the nasty ol'CTV, pleeeease, it's business, people! Besides, why shouldn't CTV take a
shot at a fading competitor? TSN have just inked a new deal with the NHL and'll be showing more games anyway! Still, too bad,so sad......

I too will miss the old song but look forward to its replacement. My vote is for Stompin' Tom's "The Hockey Song", which should be on your shortlist for the new hockey season.

I have to say that when this story first broke my first reactions were that heads would probably roll at CBC, and that CTV had been rather cheeky getting in there at the same instant.
Once I heard the dollar figure, I had to commend CBC on it's decision.

Just want to say that it's a pleasure to read articulate, well thought out comments. You have an answer for every angle, and it all makes sense. I now agree that $1M was the right limit to set. Thanks for stepping up to the plate.

It is indeed a sad day for hockey. I just can't see CBC without The Hockey Night in Canada theme song.

Last night I was teaching an English as second class on ice hockey. I showed my students a Youtube clip which opened with The Hockey Night in Canada theme song and it still sent a chill down my spine and I was very emotional talking about hockey to my students.

Then I realised it is now gone. Canadians everywhere really do identify with the song. I wish something could have been done to prevent this loss.

I couldn't care less about the intro song. The rest of CBC's hockey broadcast is so bad that I haven't watched it in years other then to check in on the scores. The reasons I don't like CBC broadcast, Don, Ron and Bob.

Actually, to be grammatically correct, Scott would be hanged for treason. Pictures and some adult movies stars are hung, but people are hanged. ;-)

And, if this had happened in the late 1980s, I would've recommended "The Ballad of Wendel Clark" by the Rheostatics. Where's Dave Hodge when you really need him?

I think, when I clicked on this article this morning, I was expecting some sort of politically correct statement to explain away the situation. But, I kind of like how it was organized, picking out some of the harsher comments or statements and responding to them.

And I was glad you made the statement that you're mad at CTV/TSN. It kinda made me happy to hear that. I'm sorta mad at them too. I don't know why, but I would have rather the song just not be used than have it on another network. The day CTV picked the song up, I'd read in the morning that the CBC had taken on a Toronto lawyer to work out a last-ditch effort. I sat at my computer going "hah, I knew CBC would come through" and then a few hours later CTV announced they'd "saved the song" and I nearly fell out of my chair in horror.

I'm very interested to see what we end up with as the new HNIC theme. And even though I'm really not happy to see the song go, I'm still happy I have two live hockey games to watch between 5 and 11pm every Saturday. Being that it's summer right now, Saturday's on TV have become kinda dull! Baseball just doesn't cut it.

Is it correct for you to say that the CBC was not prepared to pay the $2.5M that CTV did? Until the CBC abandoned the hockey theme song, I don't believe CTV was even in the picture. So it would seem that the CBC could really have had the song for a lot less, had it initially decided it wanted to keep it?

And why would you be upset at the CTV for snatching the song from the CBC. It was your song to use until you decided not to. So the CTV purchased the rights to a song that you did not want. Why be pissed at them? Be happy for Canadian hocket fans, I say.

I am with you, and my choice for a new song would be Stompin Tom's Hockey Night.

Ummm excuse me..did everyone forget the reason why CBC 'lost' the theme in the first place???

Selling the song without the composers permission! What right did CBC have to sell the HNIC theme as ringtones and to play it without paying her on other occasions??

Shame!!

As for the Canadian Idol approach to the 'new' hockey theme. I laugh. I laugh at the idiots who are thinking...'hmm $100,000 sounds great!'
Considering that they were trying to payoff the other composer at 1 million, you would think people would be offended at the CBC offering.

I will sit back and laugh at the kazoo and tambourine themes that are the future of hockey!

...where is that Casio keyboard?

It seems almost comical how over emotional people have become over a song. It also seems comical that another station would buy the rights to the HNIC song. It is like advertising for another brand.

People are not comfortable with change to begin with; however, when one considers how hockey is ingrained in Canadian culture and way of life, that tune was part of the hockey game and our culture.

Like the loss of Esso's Murry, and of course the old Esso Oil commercials, the new HNIC song will be accepted over time. I just hope that it is as catchy and difficult to to hum or whistle as the past HNIC song. I don't think one person out of five hundred people could hum or sing that song on key.

There is more to hockey than music and I have no doubt that the composer of the song has already made more money than ever expected from it. I have NO doubt that if some of the negotiation emails became public there would be a different villain here. I am impressed that Scott Moore has responsed to his criticism - good for you!

Life must be good in Canada!

This is about balancing values to me!
The song does not define us but
hockey does at times.
I don't like being held hostage, it's the
principle of the thing.
I'm glad CBC drew the line in the sand.
Lets move on...

Life must be good in Canada!
We have such trivial problems.

People... It's JUST a song. I could never understand how people could put so much weight on something that REALLY doesn't mean much.

So you hear the song just before one of your favourite shows comes on the air. In time you associate the song with the event, but REALLY it's JUST a THEMESONG. Get over it.

The person owning the rights got greedy, plain and simple. A song was written ?how many years ago?, and the owner of the rights, allong with a gaggle of managers and lawyers no doubt thought that they could milk the system of as much money as they could. Guess what... it aint gonna happen.

So CTV has the song this year, and what happens next year? I'd be willing to place a bet that next year, when the deal come up and the song owner comes to the table, they'll either have to settle for much less than they did this time, or get NOTHING.

"If we make a smaller profit, other projects suffer." HNIC is the only project at the CBC with a few small success stories on other shows. The CBC use to be a sports institution in this country and now with the exception of HNIC it has become a joke. Millions of dollars for the lifetime of a program dosnt seem like a bad deal to me.

This is just CBC droping the ball again.

In reference to the email you received that prompted to the title for your 'mea culpa,' what they meant was you ought to be "hanged" for treason. A man who is hanged versus a man who is hung means something very, very different. ;)

P.S. Stompin' Tom is the only way to go to make people forget that you let this piece of Canadiana slip through your fingers.

I think I saw Stompin' Tom exiting a meeting with CTV...

Never in my life did I think I'd witness so much useless complaining about a song for a show for a sport.
Seriously... if you're that bothered by the decision, put the theme song on your computer playlist, mute the new theme, and play the old theme during the opening sequence. It's childish, but certainly less so than claiming that not having the song would cause Canada to implode as a nation.

Dear Scott Moore and CBC,

Thank you for the clarifications and your high road approach. I like most Canadian hockey fans was greatly dissappointed at the loss of the "HNIC theme". As you said it has been an icon in Canadian culture. Every side needs to own up to their role in this. Given what has transpired I think the songs association to HNIC has been tainted. The word greed comes to mind. I am looking forward to seeing, or more aptly, hearing what creative, artistic Canadians come up with for the new theme song. Cheers to you for dealing well in a bad situation.

Thanks Scott...

I still believe someone should be held accountable for a fiasco which will leave the CBC short one more bit of history and tradition. I've listened to stories people tell of the HNIC theme being mistakenly played as the Canadian national anthem at some international events.

I'll watch Hockey games on TSN and enjoy the opportunity to listen to the music even if it comes without the joy of Don and Ron mixing it up on a cold Saturday night in February. Hockey will remain hockey. I'll tune in to watch HNIC on CBC; unless TSN has a Sens or Nucks game. Then it will be back to TSN. Now CTV you might have to see if you can land Ron and Don. Then the coup will be complete!

*insert Darth Vader's theme*

In addition to having a fan contest to compose the next Hockey Night in Canada theme why not pitch the idea to Canadian bands that are just as much a part of Canadiana as HNIC itself? Bands like the Tragically Hip, the Weakerthans or Blue Rodeo. Just my $.02.

It was a great song - it's been with me since I was a kid - but you put it best when you said it takes two sides to make a negotiation work or fail. For all of you who think more should have been done to preserve the theme song...you have to wish the owner/seller had the same passion and sentiment. If she had, perhaps the pricetag wouldn't have gone so high.

Think about all of the great programming that comes from the CBC - from HNIC to the Vinyl Cafe to the great new music programs on CBC Radio 3...I'm grateful that you keep your eyes on the budget and recognize the value that ALL of your investments have for so many Canadians. I think CBC is a truly unique institution. There's really nothing quite like it anywhere else in the world - and its made up of so much more than a theme song.

Thanks to the composer for such a great song that has become an integral part of our cultural identity - but if its all about the highest bidder, I'm happy to move on to something more...Canadian.

As long as the overall brand survives (HNIC), everything will be back to normal Saturday nights.

To Mr. Scott Moore.

Thank you for that. If CTV/TSN thinks playing the CBC intro will remove the screaming Pierre Maguire and the moronic "everybody is so great" discussion panel, sadly wrong. TSN is so American it's hard to get through a game. My comment is always, baseball on ice, just what the American viewers asked for, the NHL delievered.

Come on Canada, this is our broadcaster. Our problem is CBC isn't doing enough hockey coverage. You want to be heard, tell CTV they made a mistake. Vote with your remote. Demand more Canadian content. Refuse to watch morons sitting at desks.

A little controversy, a little hard truth, take a stand, grow a pair. Don Cherry almost lost the Coaches Corner for telling the truth. But he did tell it. I'm sick of celebrating the Swedes, I'm tired of the Russian worship. The Nova Scotia boy is captian of his team, took them to the Stanley Cup playoffs. Not one award. Not a mention.

This will be hockey in Canada.
The NHL corporate boys will publish what is to be shown and said on the air. Fine little followers like CTV will thank them for the script. Everybody will make buckets of money, Canadians won't say we are the best, our kids are being phased out. Haven't you noticed?

An intro song? Tip of the iceberg. Lets get behind CBC. Demand more CBC coverage, and as a bonus, no Pierre Maguire or Bob Mackenzie.

Allen Hatchard

I would be thrilled if you incorporated a revamped version of "The Good Old Hockey Game" by Stompin' Tom. I think it really represents hockey. And for many Canadians, it IS the hockey anthem.

I don't think I actually want to see a contest. I think I really would prefer this song brought into the modern age. It already is passionate about the game and invokes certain feelings in hockey-loving Canadians.

And who better to pay royalties too. A real, Canadian legend who probably won't go behind your back for more money. It is just a thought.

Like most Canadians I am also upset by the loss of HCI Canada's theme. But we will get over it. Hockey Night in Canada is a great product by the CBC.

Anyone who stops watching because the theme song is different is a little strange anyway. It is just a theme (as much as I hate saying it) But you know, we are here for the hockey!

I watch hockey.
I don't watch music.

We'll have all summer to mourn the loss of the theme song. I woke up this morning and low and behold, the world actually did not come to an end. I'm sure I'll be OK and be ready when the puck drops to open next season. Time to move on.

Great article and I'm glad you took the time to face all of the HNIC fans. Hopefully, it will make people sleep easier now.

You have handled a touchy file well. It is not a PR disaster and to a great extent you can take credit for that. You're right, it's a loss but hockey persists, especially HNIC. Some of the most offensive attacks on you and ol' mother corp come from a notorious element usually referred to as "all the usual suspects". On another issue, you are probably already preparing for the flack should you drop Bob Cole from play-by-play next season. I guess you had better but I must admit I am one of a growing number of hockey fans who will be happy to hear the last of him. Nothing personal, but he tells us the obvious and none too well anymore. He calls as if he was doing radio. Also, you have a treasure in Ron M a top notch broadcaster - don't let him get away!
Thanks for your indulgence,
Bruce Rogers (one time World at Six anchor, formerly Moneysworth host TVO)

Scott,

As an understanding and patient sports fan (try being a Vancouver Canucks fan!), I believe in your 'vision'. A rookie you are not.

I have listened to you on The Team 1040 here in Vancouver, and also after reading your comments above show clearly that you are nothing but a direct, honest and classy guy. A refreshing change after the litany of corporate bureaucracy we traditionally receive from the CBC (and other government agencies for that matter).

You 'get' that sports IS entertainment, and I am happy you are willing to give HNC a facelift. It's been tired for years, and you have a star in Jim Hughson. There is even greater growth to be had, and to the younger audience, I think this is awesome. Traditions are good, but look at Monday Night Football. Has their product faltered due to their theme song being played on Thursday nights?

Good on ya to stick to your guns! I wish you all the best in your quest to make HNC better. It's forward thinking people that will take the game to a new height.

Now, is there any we can get more Canucks games on CBC this year (for the western viewers)? Not all of us bleed Maple Leaf blue...

Cheers!

Could you imagine if "Will & Grace" bought and used the "Seinfeld" theme??? Weird...

All I can say is I never tuned into HNIC for the opening song. Sure it was a great intro and has been around awhile but really...did it have that big of an influence on your hockey experience? If you missed the puck drop was the game that much less enjoyable? Seriously!

I tune into HNIC because it has better announcers, better broadcasting, and is overall a better experience. TSN didn't not convince me to change who I watch the game with by buying a song. Did they really think the viewing public is that gullible? Shame!

The theme had a great run but now it's time to move on. Stompin Tom's song "The Hockey Song" fits so well you need look no futher."Hello out there we're on the air it's hockey night tonight" you couldn't right a more appropriate song.

I am saddened that CBC could not keep the song. However I am astounded at how some people think this piece of music defined our nation. CBC is a corporation that has to make money plain and simple. Mr. Moore I applaud your candid answers as well as your professionalism in stating that you personally tried to keep the song on CBC. I for one look forward to HNIC and will not tune into TSN solely because of a song.

"We’ve already had dozens of enquiries and a few high profile entries already."

But the contest hasn't started yet... how could you already have entries?

I did notice how CTV claimed to have "saved" the song. Just don't lose Ron Maclean or Coaches corner.

Thanks for the write up Scott. Yes I'm still disappointed. I love the theme song at playoff time, and it will be hard not to hear it next year.. but I'm in sales too, and hey, your right about the payoff of a hockey trade or in this case a theme trade. Lets see how things pan out in a year or two.
CTV did a nasty by scooping it up and "saving the song" (yeah right!!) But how many people want to hear stupid anylaysis from Bob Machenzie and horrible play by play screaming from Peirre MacGuire!!!
Don't get me wrong I love the theme song but I'll probably flick the remote to TSN to hear the 2 minute jingle and flip right back to CBC for the rest of the 2 hour hockey game!!

At the end of the day it is only a game for us viewers. For all the other parties it is a business, and in business you need to turn a profit.

I will continue to watch HNIC and will get over the loss of the theme song.

I think you guys did us all a service. That being, you've demonstrated how IP regulations as they currently exist on the books needlessly destroy culture and make us all poorer by their existence. It likely won't make any more difference than when we were forced to stop singing each other Happy Birthday, people being the sheep they are, but at least it's in everyones faces.

Wow! What a storm in a teacup!
I clicked on Scott's story because I found all the coverage this issue has received to be amazing. I wondered what was next.
Scott, I commend you for this blog to answer questions that were outstanding in people's minds. And, yes, I understand that to HNIC fans that the theme song is important. I don't watch HNIC; I'm not a sports watching kinda gal.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if people were as passionate about the hungry and unhoused children in Canada as they are about a hockey song?

You can probably sue CTV/TSN for passing-off if they use the theme for hocket.

Well said,Scott.Now if only you could arrange for TSN to pick up Cole,Neale and Cherry we could look forward to the new and improved HNIC.
Note to Rob M from Edmonton I cannot see where the Habs are overexposed .I have to watch the majority of their game in french on RDS

Chris Dopp - I have a problem with the purchase of the song for $2.5M and I am a someone just as is anyone else.

CTV/TSN is a dirty little network - I feel it from them when I watch their broadcasts and am a little happy that they bought it so that I can see their true colours. They bought to rub it in our faces (Though I did enjoy Colbert's skit). It was a great little stint, but it will eventually backfire. I would laugh if hearing the old HNIC song during one of their broadcasts subliminally made viewers tune in to CBC.

You've presented yourself very well here Scott, you've got my support. Change is a difficult thing but it is inevitable. I think this will be a good thing, its the catalyst to a new era of HNIC.

Purchasing the song for that price would have been impulsive, completely emotional and irresponsible. You've managed to do what so few people are capable of, in defining what HNIC doesn't mean and not making that irresponsible decision.

I'll sign your endorsement - I watch HNIC because they have a great broadcast compared to the competition.

Good answers. Well done.

And kudos for being open, upfront and accessible. The corporate world needs more execs who are willing to stand and take the heat before the public like this.

Maybe you should ask your sponsors what they want their money spent on, instead of deciding on your own (you obviously don't have a very good record for decision-making...just look at Bob Cole)?

$2.5M on the most well-known theme song in the country, or much much more on something from some trailer-trash punk band? Do you think the beer company execs want to come (or more importantly, bring their money) within a mile of the clown that a) got rid of the theme song that they themselves love and b) spent millions of their dollars to replace it with total garbage?

The HNIC theme is actually the only part of the broadcast I actually listen to. My friends and I always wait for "the cranes" and listen to the theme song, crack open some beers, then hit mute. The Team1200 gives a much better and balanced play-by-play experience for the night that the CBC.

Good on you Scott!

You made a sound business decision and you should not be vilified for it.

The fact that the CBC was willing to fork out $1M should be telling enough.

I am not buying into the story line that CTV 'saved' the song. I think it is a joke that TSN will be playing that song for their hockey telecasts.

Oh well, it is just a song and I will continue to watch Hockey Night in Canada....

For the people who said that the CBC should have paid whatever the composer wanted, give you head a big shake. Also, for those who suggest that Scott should loose his job over this, if he would have shelled out $2.5M for it then I would agree with you.

Not just business sense, but common sense tells me Scott and the CBC did as much as they could.

Right on Scott! Thanks for your candid responses, both here and on the radio. You can't please all of the people all of the time. Some people just like to complain. I for one think CBC comes out of this better than CTV...and in the (near)future, those of us that associate the song with HNIC will continue to do so, even when TSN plays it...and I don't think it really belongs at the Olympics anyway!

If it were capable to understand the actual business deal a little better, ie. further transparency, I think it would reveal interesting facts about this situation.
My guess is that CBC didn't put up much of a fight when it came down to the bargaining table. Sure, the price of the tune went up and thus so perked-up Moore's eyebrows. However, I'm sure the prospect of a 'reality'-style show titled something like, "Will YOU be the Creator of the New HNIC Theme?" triggered collective salivation among CBC execs. And at the same time CBC can get a few jabs in against TSN and CTV (they're still a little bitter about the vancouver 2010 coverage, I'm sure).

I think that the theme was outdated. However, I feared that one day we would hear a new theme like the one i've heard on many occasions on CBC...the one where "all the big guns are going to shoot out the lights.." That theme is horrendous! Although people don't watch HNIC for the song, it is a part of the experience. People don't buy an ice cream cone for the sprinkles, but they do make it taste better. Kudos for not caving in to a greedy composer, for thinking about modernization, and please come up with something good!

I was very distressed about how poorly Mr. Moore was treated in the media. In my view, the composer of the tune was acting like an obstinate opportunist. She doesn't even live in Canada! It's unreasonable to ask anyone to pay an infinite amount of money for a song simply because it's always been used in the past. If CTV can afford it, fine -- but let's not attack Mr. Moore simply because he was attempting to make a good business decision. Smart negotiators are always prepared to walk away; Mr. Moore didn't even go that far, so the attacks on him are completely without merit.

Scott and CBC >> I support you totally in your decision. I would have been upset if you had paid $3 million for the song. People don't watch hockey for the song, and in manys ways it needed to be updated anyways. This presents you with an opportunity to take HNIC forward into the future. I was disappointed in the song writer and her agent decided to hold the CBC (and the Canadian public) hostage over a jingle (greed and other words come to mind). The song is popular and iconic only because the CBC played it for 40 years, not because it was well written jingle. They should actually be paying the CBC for making the song so popular instead. I bet that even I could smack some spoons together, or sing badly out of tune, and if you played my "song" 20,000 times during HNIC it would be just as popular. This is probably going to play out just like the "Lewis & Martin" or "Lennon & Macartney" sagas where over time people will see what was the real core of HNIC.
P.S. If I could only have on wish on HNIC is that you could webcast them on the internet. I spend most of my time in the USA and can't seem to catch a good hockey game.

Hay Scott,

This is good to see that you gave straight up answers to the questions. Like Paul in Montreal said. We need that good old Stompin Tom song as the new theme. As for Saturday nights, shore it will be hard to get ajusted to not hearing the great Song that we all grew up listening to, but somethings change is a very good thing. We will see if it is true in this case. "The Good Old Hockey Game"

It's a song. I'm over it, I think that others should be too. I got over it when I saw the way that TSN, the Globe and CTV all had it as a top news item with as much spin as you would see from any political party.

CTV made themselves look terrible here. They made such a big deal out of their aquisition that it made their top sports story of the day. I was disgusted with they way they boasted of their 'achievement'. I think they are the losers here, but the more people whine and cry about this, the more they will believe they did the right thing. When in fact their way of conducting business was very cheap and under-handed.

as a translplanted Habs fan who lost CBC coverage of the Canadiens 4 years ago to RDS/TSN it turns out we Habs fans are the only winners here! we get our Hockey Night In Canada theme music with our saturday night games now, while the rest of the country has lost it. HABS FANS WIN!!

HAHA.

Interestingly we had our hockey windup this past weekend, the first weekend since the news that the song had been purchased by CTV and during this windup weekend which consisted of 18 holes of golf, bbq and campfire that stretched well into the night, a marathon outing the topic of the HNIC song moving to CTV did not come up once, not a single time and this is a group for hockey fanatics. It will be forgotten in short order - it already has.

I am sad that the song will no longer be the HNIC theme, but I am convinced that this outcome was the only one possible given the situation. Yes, it was a judgment call, but the advent of a new theme proves one thing: That the CBC is not so stuck in its ways that it is afraid to move ahead, to innovate, to turn a difficult situation into an opportunity for progress.

Besides, after years of trying to teach our Senegal Grey parrot to sing the theme, it has consistently refused, screeching in our ears instead. I'm counting on the new theme to be of more interest to the bird.

Earl
"My NY state plates are 'LEAFS EH' ... true blue in Sabres territory."

In the end - it is just a song... I don't cheer for the Leafs because of the HNIC theme played before the show starts

To be honest - I'm not really sure why I cheer for the Leafs

Couldn't TSN get their own theme song? CBC will now conduct a national song search that will get them more positive PR than TSN got when they bought it. I remember when the old Esso theme song was retired before the Claman song, no rioting in the streets then.

I think it takes a lot of courage to face hockey fans across this country, and stick handle their ignorant negativity. I commend you for really listening to viewers, and more importantly, responding to viewers. You've been genuinely honest during all of your interviews, and won't sink to the depths of the CTV Executives who claim they "saved a song." I don't see them writing a blog, and speaking from the heart. Here's to you, and a great new tune!

Thanks for the other side. I have always watched HNIC for the hockey, sure it was a nifty song and I watch HNIC for the hockey.
Yes there are too many Leaf games on the sked, yes the announcers should be updated also and I watch HNIC for the hockey. Keep presenting hockey in an exciting and professional manner, change up the announcers and a new tune might be just a nice little perk for watching HNIC. and remember that almost all of us are watching HNIC for the hockey, not the tunes....oh and change the announcers, they've done a great job now let them go into retirement with grace.

The HNIC brand has change and i am not sure for the better... However Scott Moore is a intellecual lightwieght... at $2.5MM to buy the song out right, if what i am hearing is correct, is a steal. The fact that they couldn't come to an agreement is a reflection on Scott directly. If he can't figure out branding, how did he get the job??

Are you a business man or a civil servant Scott?

Next thing he will raise the ad rate for Ford Canada... just to make sure neither his viewer or his sponsor will recognize the HNIC brand.

Life is an emotional rollercoaster and so is change . Thinking and feeling your way through a subject of such national emotional intensity requires a thick skin let alone make a decision. Canada was born on debate and not violence though you would never believe it watching Ryans Smyth or Malone or young Gary Dornhoefer take abuse in front of the opposing net with relish. Let the anthem go.

Come on Canada change with the anthem will be good and great for sport that needs a face lift to intice a World wide audience and make Johnny Bower proud.(Bower did not wear a face mask!)

Thank you very much for your comments. You're a class act all the way. You are also right, for me personally at least, that the loss of the theme is disappointing but it is not what drives me to watch every Saturday night, and after reading your comments I now better understand what a difficult position you were forced into but at the very least you are/ seem to be handling it with grace. Thanks again.

Scott,
I'm sure this is like preaching to the choir, however, my wife and I are ardent supporters of the CBC. Your response to issue shows true proffessionalism. Employees such as yourself continue to show that the CBC is a class above the rest.

I'm not a fan of hockey but I do think it's a shame we lost that song. There are few things in this country binds us, that song opener was one thing that did. That song has become part of our heritage, it would be the same as replacing the CN tower with a new condo development. You have no issue paying a play multi million dollar contract to an average player but have an issue with paying for a song that has added more to hockey than most players have. Is it because the song was created by a woman? If Nickleback wrote that song would it be different?

So let me get this straight: We consider the loss of this heritage rich song an acceptable loss, yet have kept Bob Cole and Harry Neale around long past their expiry date due to respect for their past accomplishments?

Combine that with the leagues continuous and perpetual collaboration with the CBC to show preferential treatment to the Leafs and Habs over the remainder of the Canadian teams and I'd say that Scott Moore has a fair bit to be embarrassed about.

I think Scott gave a very good response to a difficult situation. His response was open and candid. It was not his preferred choice but I think it was the right choice.

I appreciated the retrospective.

Thanks for the explanation. I thought I wasn't looking for one but turns out, I needed it and appreciate it.

I will miss the song on HNIC but while you're in the process of making some changes to the show I want to suggest that you also seriously consider replacing Bob Cole as your primary play-by-play guy. He's done well in the past but it seems like he's no longer able to keep up with the pace of the game and too often only mentions a speific team having the puck rather than specific players. In my mind Jim Hughston is your No. 1 announcer and I'd like to see him do the play-by-play in all your important games like the playoffs.

It had to be definitely a new song....

By using the HNIC theme song for so many years they effectively used it as one of their primary branding devices. How the CBC could pay year after year for the use of this song without negotiating something permanent is somewhat amateur to say the least.

CBC did absolutely the right thing by not giving in to exorbitant demands for the HNIC theme. Good on you. Let's look toward the future!

Mr. Moore is absolutely right when he says that no one watches Hockey Night for the theme. Granted, it's a nice theme and is pleasing to the year, but to suggest the CBC pony up more than they offered is plain stupid.
I watch Hockey Night for HOCKEY...that's all, that's it! Anyone who watches Hockey Night for just the theme is a utter loser.

Scott,

Thanks for having the guts to speak out and deal with this directly. It's time for some change and I am excited for a new theme.

I'm curious to know how your sponsors felt about letting go of a major part of the "Hockey night in Canada" Brand.

How much is it going to cost to hold a competition to search for a new song, and at how much will the new contract cost?

Did I just read a measured, sincere accounting of my CBC's side of the most over-discussed jingle scandal in history? An executive answered the questions that lingered, gave me the background I needed and did so without smacking down the composer, CTV or the pitchfork waving mob at his door. I think I like this Morrison fellow...

IMHO, CBC Sports is one of the things Canadians can all be proud of - their coverage is wide ranging, well informed and peerless. Thanks for trying to keep the HNIC theme - I look forward to loving its replacement. Keep up the great work.

Hey Scott,

I'm sure you've gotten positive feedback as well but just in case I wanted to say "good on ya" for sticking to your guns. I don't envy your position and commend your honesty in this case. You can't please everybody and if the CBC would have paid (overpaid in my opinion) for the song (no matter how iconic) people would have cried foul, maybe even some of the same folks who are crying foul now - some people just like a good arguement. I for one will still watch HNIC - always too late to catch the opening anyway - and any other network that has a good matchup for that matter. If you ask me, CTV/TSN and the composer just sealed the fate of an iconic song. Kind of like when all the rich kids started wearing designer "grunge" clothes in the 90's trying to look like Kurt Cobain and Eddie Vedder. You can pay a lot of money for the image (or the sound in this case) but in the end, everybody knows its not the same.

Great post Scott. Thank you. I hope this is the first spark of many for the CBC. HNIC is not popular because it is the best, it is where it isbecause it is the only game in town on Sat nights ....a night that most of us associate with watching hockey.

Time to move forward, change, evolve.

I hope there are major changes planned for your broadcast; the talent, the 'filler' (i.e. Between period's, pre/post game, etc..) - time to rethink.

Sad to say, but I would rather watch my hockey on any other network - but can't because Sat night hockey is CBC/HNIC.

D.

I am disappointed that the CBC lost the song. It was always a great feeling to hear it come on just before HNIC. But at the same time, if they can come up with a new, unique song that can, eventually, bring all those feelings back when the song is played, then I think the CBC will have won.

Hearing the song on CTV / TSN will never have the same impact it did while on the CBC. As Scott mentioned, their hockey coverage is completely different then that of CBC and the song just won't fit in.

As humans, the most difficult task is change. But change is essential and an important part of our lives. HNIC 2008-2009 will be changed, and hopefully, it will be a change for the better.

After reading your article I asked myself, why are we changing Hockey Night In Canada. then i remembered, oh yeah, the usa. That theme song doesnt just represent Hockey Night In Canada, (i refuse to use your acronym, after how many years, do we all the sudden want to turn it into an acronym?) it represents hockey. Its a good thing we never had to pay loyalties playing road hockey, or in the dressing room, or on the ice, growing up as a kid. A majority of the changes to the game has been to cater to the usa.
The next thing I am expecting to hear is it costs $4 dollars to produce a Canadian flag, and the united statian flag $3.50, so we will just start flying the american flag. This is all about bean counting, and changing Canada into the usa-lite, or II or the nau. One of my earliest memories is saturday, in front of the tv, with the Hockey Night In Canada them playing. I guess it isnt yours. Because if it was, we wouldnt be having this conversation.

Thank-you Scott for this honest statement. I heard you interviewed on CBC radio 1 and CBC newsworld. I know you took a beating.
Yes it was the Hockey Night in Canada Song and it was pretty low of CTV to do what they did but that is all business.
I am extremely thankful that you are the head of sports for CBC, not that other woman you replaced. At least you tried to fight for it and didn't try to get rid or Ron or Don or infact sports in general.
Its a song, we will get over it, It took class to handle this issue the way you did and CBC's Hockey Night in Canada is a Classy show, so I am sure the new theme will match that.
It's just time to move on, Bravo to you and the CBC for the way you handled things.

I'm not blaming anyone, because I actually feel much better after reading this article, but I just wanted to add, though the CBC looks bad after this deal, I though CTV looked even worse. I do not know why they think if I hear the Hockey Night in Canada theme on CTV I'll feel good about it. Everytime I'll just be mad at them for snatching it up.

All parties involved lost in this deal, and that is unfortunate.

Its sad that CBC didnt keep the song. Will no viewers be lost. Well, I think saying no viewers will be lost is somewhat presumptuous. I will probably not watch the beginning of the Hockey Night in Canada show anymore. Is it because of just not having the song? No, its that the CBC which is supposed to protect the identity of Canada has turned its back on one of the most endearing parts of Canadiana. Its another shot across the bow of our national pride. I'm sick of it, and know a lot of people are as well. To Scott Moore, you've lost more than viewship, you've lost any respect you had with the viewers. As for your new song I'm sure it will be an embarassment. Predictably raunchy and hard rockish, it will likely be as stupid as the Monday night NFL theme, which surprisingly everyone thinks is so great.

I support Scott 100%. I don't care how nice this lady is, she's greedy, that's the bottom line. TSN showed bad form in "stealing" the song, I can't imagine it being played on tsn....but oh well, at least it beats that Brian Adams one they used a few years ago.

I agree with Scott Moore's handling of the negotiations for the rights to the theme song. There is a point beyond which you decide that's enough. We watch hockey regardless of what song is playing.

Scott Moore was absolutely right in negotiating this deal the way he did.

The existence of HNIC does not revolve around the playing of a hockey theme that dates from 1968. We are there for the hockey, not the music. What the hell did we do before 1968 (when two Canadian teams were perennial winners of the Stanley Cup)?

If I were being paid $500 per play for an old tune that would be (almost) irrevelant with without its accompanying hockey game, I would be over the moon. Is there a greed factor here? Doris Claman does not even live in Canada anymore.

What are we there for, people; the hockey or the theme? No need to answer that one.

There is a considerable contingency out there that thinks any public money going to the CBC is a waste. This was a prudent decision by a taxpayer-funded media corporation which produces very high quality Canadian programming found nowhere else in Canada. The CBC is, in my view, a national treasure and can best spend its money elsewhere.

We will all get over this. We have bigger fish to fry. Like seeing a Canadian team win the Stanley Cup again for the first time in eons.
-Daniel McCaffrey

CTV's signing of 'The Hockey Theme' could be equivalant to Wayne Gretzky being traded/bought by the LA Kings..? Darn shame.. Maybe CBC will sign on Stompin' Tom's 'Hockey Song'. That would be a great second choice for me.. Doesn't the CBC already play that occaisonally during the games..?

Excellent article, I think Scott wanted to keep the song, but he couldn't, so lets move on...that song is only a short piece of music for a huge LIVE production...every saturday night through thick and thin CBC delivers, A greatPRODUCT for a public broadcaster.
Lets look forward to a new season of HOCKEY and DON and RON and a great new song, I am sure of that. CBC does a great job of hockey in this country.
DARREN

I'm on your side Mr. Moore. I think it was outragous that the composer wanted so much money for a song that HNIC actually made famous. Sixty years ago the people at CBC could have picked a differnt tune, and Ms. Claman's composition would never have made it into many homes in Canada. HNIC is the institution, not the song.

Never before this have I heard of a company overpaying for something and then claim it was saving it. Perhaps CTV will start calling their hockey broadcasts Hockey Night Around Canada and hire announcers named Bob Coleman and Harry Nile to try and piggyback on the great brand that CBC has created over the years.

At the end of the day I'm disappointed HNIC in Canada will not have the same theme song. However, I would never believe it to be right for an organization, especially a publically funded one, to overpay for something when the owner is making a blatent cash grab. I look forward to watching HNIC for many years to come, no matter what song helps to introduce the program.

Anything short of Stompin' Tom Connors' song will be an epic failure.

Wow Scott! I was very mad at the CBC for not renewing this song.. But on the other hand your answers are very up-front and honest, I must admit I did not like you last week. My opinion has changed. I hope the CBC employs more people like you!

I disagree with your comments that someone would have a problem paying 2.5 million for the song. It was a bad mistake on your part and if I was head of CBC I wouldn't hang you, but I would terminate you. Talk about a rokkie mistake!!!

This is the Same as a coach losing the stanley cup with the best team on paper. Your executive job should be lost as a result of the biggest negative event happening to Hockey Night in Canada while under your watch.