Hockey Night in Canada without the NHL

Hockey Night in Canada is considered a Canadian cultural institution. For almost 75 years, it was broadcast on the CBC, accessible to any Canadian who wanted to tune in. But earlier this year, CBC and Sportsnet, which owns the rights to air NHL games in Canada, ended their partnership.

Now, the CBC is trying to rebuild a new version of the show without the NHL, and people are left wondering what is lost for Canadians when only people who can afford a Sportsnet subscription can access Saturday night NHL games.

Simon Houpt covers sports media and the business of sport for The Globe. He is on the show to explain the big business of broadcasting NHL games in Canada, and what this means for Canadian identity.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Email us at thedecibel@globeandmail.com

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