A couple of years ago, the CBC tried to force Hockey Night In Canada co-host Ron McLean out the door, but relented when confronted by a surprising viewer backlash. Now, with Don Cherry possibly headed out the door, McLean might ask out as well.
Steve Simmons at the Winnipeg Sun looks at the story behind the story of Cherry's possible departure:
The question is: How will people react to Cherry's imminent departure and will Canadians, a second time, pay more attention to a hockey personality than anything else that sells for news in this country?The same CBC people who happily spend the Hockey Night revenue on other programming have always been offended by Cherry. But they have, in essence, played the part of television pimps, party to and profiting from what they truly disdain.
Now with Cherry at age 70, with a possible NHL lockout looming and the network revenue streams in doubt, they figure the time has come to do what they've wanted to do for years.
And, rest assured, Don Cherry will not go quietly.
At the Globe and Mail, an online poll on the subject was a near run thing, with a slight majority saying they wouldn't miss Cherry if he were fired. And if he is, there won't be any shortage of suitors for his services. Here was an interesting factoid I pulled from another article in the Winnipeg Sun:
While ratings for hockey have slipped, HNIC still averages 1.286 million viewers per week, skyrocketing toward 4 million during The Toronto Maple Leafs playoff run. Aside from Canadian Idol, it is the only Canadian-produced show among our nation's Top-20 and the only CBC show to average more than a million viewers.
So, let me get this straight: the CBC has an established track record of producing programming nobody wants to see. So they take their highest rated program, the one that produces more revenue than any other, and kick its star attraction out the door.
How in the world do those executives keep their jobs? Colby Cosh might have some answers.
Where does Don Cherry get his outlandish shirts, click here to get the word from the Toronto Globe and Mail.
Looking for a potential replacement? How about Brett Hull?
