CBC Faces Backlash for Missing Canadian Hockey Playoff Games

Canadians from across the country have expressed their disappointment and outrage towards the CBC for failing to air crucial hockey playoff games featuring Canadian teams. The national broadcaster opted to not show games five and six of the Stanley Cup Playoffs Western Conference final, leaving many fans without access to watch their favorite teams in action. The rights to broadcast all hockey games in Canada are held by Rogers Media, the parent company of Sportsnet.

Despite a previous agreement allowing CBC to broadcast all Hockey Night in Canada and Stanley Cup Playoffs games, the network chose to show other programming instead of the Edmonton Oilers‘ pivotal games in the Western Conference final. This decision left many viewers without the option to watch the games on free television, leading to frustration among hockey fans across the country.

While the CBC did not air the Canadian team’s playoff games, they broadcast a match between the New York Rangers and Florida Panthers, both American teams. This choice sparked further criticism as Canadians felt overlooked in favor of American teams by their national broadcaster. Many fans took to social media platforms to express their dissatisfaction with CBC’s programming decisions.

One user highlighted the disparity by comparing the situation to the BBC not showing England in the Euro Finals, emphasizing the disconnect between CBC’s choices and the expectations of the Canadian audience. Comments on the lack of access to playoff games and the preference for American teams over Canadian teams continued to flood online platforms.

Eva Chipiuk, a vocal critic, questioned the CBC’s priorities, highlighting the significant taxpayer funding the network receives while failing to meet the demands of Canadian sports viewers. The CBC’s CEO, Catherine Tait, received backlash and was recently awarded the Waste Award by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation for the perceived misuse of taxpayer dollars.