Ron MacLean returning to HNIC

[mr grieves]

Outside of Stromboulopoulos having an earring I'm really struggling to come up with anything about HNIC that could even vaguely be called "edgy" or even attempting such. It was a bunch of ex-players talking in a circle.

To me, any attempt at edginess in their broadcasts has come from the likes of guys like Kypreos and Healy, who are "edgy" in that they're loudmouths.  I'm good with guys being outspoken, but please combine that with refreshing insight, which Kypreos and Healy think they have and really don't.  They're more or less mini-Don Cherrys and one Cherry is already too much.

Which seems typical of most sports broadcasting, no? I mean, it's not the most innovative of television formats. Take some cues from Fox News (heighten contrasts) and CNN (new tech, graphics!), and that's about it. I like Ron as a host -- perhaps mostly out of nostalgia -- but I'm hoping his return is accompanied by other changes.

None of which is to say HNIC's inherent problems have anything to do with the ratings decline which has motivated them to make changes in the broadcast. I think the tailing off in ratings is almost certainly a combination of how poorly the Canadian teams have been playing and how few great teams there are, the latter seems to be what builds a national base of casual fans. But I'd certainly welcome a better broadcast, however it comes about.

 

[TBLeafer]

I like that we do have a network that listens.

Back to what works and putting the right wheel back on the cart.  8)

 

[Bullfrog]

I find Friedman so boring and dry. But he seems intelligent.

 

[Kin]

I think this thread is pretty good evidence that there really isn't a way to put together a studio show that everyone likes equally. The problem I think some people are going to have is that HNIC is going to have to try and pursue new viewers and in Canada there aren't a lot of people who are undecided on HNIC or don't watch it because they haven't been exposed to it. Arguing that HNIC should only ever be what it's always been and only service their existing fan base is probably fighting a battle you're not going to win.

If hiring a Canadian hockey fan in his 40's with a long history in the broadcast industry is too much of a departure for some people I'm really not sure what they'd be willing to accept as they try looking for new viewers.

 

[TBLeafer]

I think this thread is pretty good evidence that there really isn't a way to put together a studio show that everyone likes equally. The problem I think some people are going to have is that HNIC is going to have to try and pursue new viewers and in Canada there aren't a lot of people who are undecided on HNIC or don't watch it because they haven't been exposed to it. Arguing that HNIC should only ever be what it's always been and only service their existing fan base is probably fighting a battle you're not going to win.

If hiring a Canadian hockey fan in his 40's with a long history in the broadcast industry is too much of a departure for some people I'm really not sure what they'd be willing to accept as they try looking for new viewers.

They still can't turn back the clock on the studio redesign and technology upgrades. 

 

[Bullfrog]

I think this thread is pretty good evidence that there really isn't a way to put together a studio show that everyone likes equally. The problem I think some people are going to have is that HNIC is going to have to try and pursue new viewers and in Canada there aren't a lot of people who are undecided on HNIC or don't watch it because they haven't been exposed to it. Arguing that HNIC should only ever be what it's always been and only service their existing fan base is probably fighting a battle you're not going to win.

If hiring a Canadian hockey fan in his 40's with a long history in the broadcast industry is too much of a departure for some people I'm really not sure what they'd be willing to accept as they try looking for new viewers.

I'm having troubles forming an opinion. I wonder if he was introduced simply at the wrong time? The specific lack of success for the Leafs and the general crapiness of all Canadian teams has seriously put a damper on my enthusiasm to watch hockey at all, so obviously my enthusiasm for HNIC has dropped accordingly. I'm suggesting, perhaps, that he didn't really have a chance.

 

[Kin]

I'm having troubles forming an opinion. I wonder if he was introduced simply at the wrong time? The specific lack of success for the Leafs and the general crapiness of all Canadian teams has seriously put a damper on my enthusiasm to watch hockey at all, so obviously my enthusiasm for HNIC has dropped accordingly. I'm suggesting, perhaps, that he didn't really have a chance.

I don't think they ever really found a sweet spot for him. His biggest strength is as an interviewer but no interviewer is good enough to make a dull subject seem interesting and a truth hockey has to deal with is that a lot of the guys involved with the sport are dull and the ones that aren't tend more towards the dumb bro-y side of things than being genuinely interesting(Looking at you, NBC)

So ultimately what they did was just have him host a slightly reformatted version of the old show and that didn't really suit him. Like I said earlier I don't think studio shows drive ratings but in the absence of compelling product the bad show is easy to focus on.

 

[hap_leaf]

Well, this really made my day since I can't stand "Canada's Boyfriend".
I don't need his hipster edginess, just give me someone that's not absorbed in themselves.  Ron doesn't demand any spotlight.  He just does his job and does it well.

 

[McGarnagle]

I think some are making excuses for him, but I found him genuinely embarrassing to watch. The "bro" fist bumps. The prancing around. The false intensity. The format and the co-talent left much to be desired, but he approached a very tradition-laden enterprise and applied an "MTV" style energy to it that was a put-off for a lot of long time viewers and didn't seem to endear the product to the millenials either.

I think if you had the exact same studio, and put ie-Marek as the main host, it would have been far more credible and relatable for older fans, and still allowed for some creativity. Strombo was a bad choice, and I think some called it from the outset.

 

[pnjunction]

I think some are making excuses for him, but I found him genuinely embarrassing to watch. The "bro" fist bumps. The prancing around. The false intensity.

I agree, his segues in and out of commercials and stuff like that were especially cringe to me.  The false intensity is probably why now that you mention it.

Still with the general direction that Rogers took the broadcast and the Leafs completely tanking it's hard to see how anyone could have maintained or increased the ratings.

 

[Kin]

The prancing around?

 

[McGarnagle]

The prancing around?

[Smithers] A little mincing would be nice [/Smithers]

 

[herman]

Related, sort of:
[tweet]746080948597383168[/tweet]

 

[Zee]

Related, sort of:
[tweet]746080948597383168[/tweet]

Cox loves Bob McCowan so that's good for him I guess.  Good for me too since I won't ever hear either of them.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I'm hoping that this is a sign that they're pretty much clearing house, because so far they've only knocked off two people from the broadcast who weren't really the big problem.

I know Cox isn't everyone's favourite, but his presence with Elliotte Friedman on the Saturday Headlines bit was good. And as a regular analyst I wouldn't say he was one of the top-3 worst ones (MacLean, Kypreos, Healy).

 

[McGarnagle]

Related, sort of:
[tweet]746080948597383168[/tweet]

Cox loves Bob McCowan so that's good for him I guess.  Good for me too since I won't ever hear either of them.

Agreed. If McCowan could also aggregate Healy, Button and Kypreos onto his show, it'd be much more convenient to avoid just one thing.

 

[Kin]

I'm not really a fan of Cox and I think he's tried too much to go from curmudgeon to the umpteenth generic NHL insider but I agree I didn't have a problem with him all that much. I really hope this isn't a sign that they're going to just be ex-players.

 

[TBLeafer]

Related, sort of:
[tweet]746080948597383168[/tweet]

This shuffle keeps getting better and better.  8)

 

[Peter D.]

Good.  In terms of members of the Toronto media I despise, Cox is pretty much at the top of the list. 

Solid moves by Rogers thus far.  Keep them coming.  I'll certainly be tuning in more to their hockey broadcasts this year.  It comes at a small expense that I will hardly ever be listening to their radio program from 4 to 7 p.m.   

 

[L K]

Certainly not a bad move by any means, but we are still left with the trifecta of Doug, Nick and Glenn sitting at the top right now.