Let’s Save the Hockey Night in Canada Theme Song
Update: CTV has acquired the Hockey Night in Canada theme song. The song will now be heard during TSN’s NHL broadcasts and during the 2010 Olympic broadcasts.
For anyone who’s a hockey fan, the Hockey Night in Canada theme song that precedes every Saturday night telecast on CBC is an inherent part of our culture and arguably our second national anthem.
Written in 1968 by Delores Claman, it’s an iconic tune that most Canadian could recognize within seconds, and it’s easily one of the most popular ringtone downloads.
So, it’s a bit of a puzzler that the CBC has decided to walk away from “our song” after declining to renew the $20,000/year licensing rights - the day after the sublime Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup. It’s probably some bean counter trying to save our national broadcaster a few bucks while forgetting that Hockey Night in Canada is, by far, the CBC’s most lucrative property. That’s saying something given the, um, commercial mediocrity of many CBC shows.
With the theme song in peril, it’s encouraging to see that people are trying to use the Web to save it.
GiveMeaning, which helps people raises money for all kinds of great charitable causes, is now running a campaign to raise $20,000 - the licensing cost for one year. While it would be an impressive accomplishment if $20,000 was raised, the fact this campaign exists gives you everything you need to know about how some people feel about the theme song.
For more, check out the Toronto Star in which writer Chris Zelkowich suggests the CBC’s move stems from a $2.5-million lawsuit that Claman launched against the CBC four years ago that apparently has to do with ringtone royalties. You can download the ringtone here or here.
Technorati Tags: CBC, Hockey Night in Canada
June 6th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
[...] and not surprisely has become one of the most popular ringtone downloads among Canadian males. Mark Evans blogged this morning about CBC’s plans to phase it out and a Vancouver-based campaign to save the song. So, it’s [...]
June 6th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
The millions that the CBC gets from taxpayers, and they can’t cough up $20,000? That said, isn’t $20,000 a pretty high royalty for a single song played once per telecast?
June 6th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Larry,
I was surprised by fact CBC pays a royalty of $500/game. That struck me as high but I have no knowledge about how royalties work.
Maybe the CBC is grand-standing publicly for a lower royalty rate, or maybe it wants something fresh. If it’s fresh that they’re pursuing, the CBC should also look at replacing Bob Cole, who’s been around for decades.
June 6th, 2008 at 3:55 pm
If CBC is willing to give up on the HNIC theme song they should also give up the right to broadcast any further NHL games. The song has been a standard by which many Canadians have spent their cold winter Saturday nights. It is a melody that is recognized and responded to by TRUE Canadians. I have personally experienced impromptu versions of the song in the Caribbean, Europe, and many spots in the US. It is a song that unites Canadians and creates instant friendships. I find it difficult to believe that those who state “It’s time for a change” are true hockey fans or Canadians. Accept it or not, the theme is part of our heritage. So if you want to get rid of it, why not get rid of a few other Canadian symbols? How about we cut down every last maple tree from coast to coast? While we’re at it, those pesky beavers don’t serve any purpose either. Let’s shut down all the Tim Hortons. We as Canadians have become so complacent in our lack of identity and pride, and this is just another example.
Has anyone asked any “Canadian” NHL’er what their view is on this matter? I’m sure they all grew up listening to it with their families and dreaming of someday making the Big Show.
June 6th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Don’t touch those Tim Hortons. A nation without double-doubles isn’t worth living in!
June 7th, 2008 at 2:14 am
Both sides have managed to piss off a whole country deep down with this pettiness…
June 8th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
This whole mess is about negotiations. The deal will get done…just a question of price. Media can be an effective negotiating medium if done right.
June 9th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
I’m not so sure the deal will get done..ya know how dumb the people at CBC are. If TSN were wise…they would buy it up and run with it.
June 10th, 2008 at 10:52 am
Well done Frank - the soothsayer…unless the deal was announced before 5pm on the 9th or he had inside knowledge…but I will give you the benefit of the doubt…