Hockey Night in Canada Theme song

[clutch]

Say it isnt so??????

CBC To Cheep to pay the $500.00 per show to the creator of the Hockey Night in Canada opening song.......

Canada's "Hockey Night" theme song on thin ice
Cameron French, Reuters
Published: Friday, June 06, 2008
TORONTO (Reuters) - The "Hockey Night in Canada" theme song, a mainstay of Canadian households for 40 years and often thought of as the unofficial second national anthem, may have launched its final hockey game, according to the company that controls use of the song.

The tune, which has opened the Canadian Broadcasting Corp's Saturday night National Hockey League broadcasts since the late 1960s, will not be renewed as the broadcaster has chose to move in a new direction, said John Ciccone, president of Copyright Music & Visuals.

"Effective immediately following the last playoff game of this season the CBC will cease using the Hockey Night in Canada theme," he said in a statement on the company's website.

He said the CBC had advised the firm it is not prepared to enter into a new license agreement. The old agreement, which cost the CBC about C$500 ($490) for each game broadcast, expired following the final game of the Stanley Cup playoffs on Wednesday.

"Hockey Night," which made its television debut in 1952, has consistently been a top-rated program in Canada, where hockey reigns as the most popular sport.

The theme music was written in 1968 and has continued with minor changes since then. Last year, it became downloadable as a cellphone ringtone.

Calls to the CBC were not immediately returned. The CBC was sued in 2004 by the composer of the tune, saying the public broadcaster used it too much.

Reaction to the story was quick among hockey fans in both Canada and the northern United States who have grown up with the song.

By mid-afternoon on Thursday, the Globe and Mail newspaper's online edition had 176 reader comments, most of which were heavily critical of the idea of retiring the tune.

"This change reminds me of the "new Coke" attempt back in the '80s," read a note from E. Stuhl of New York City.

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

[Saturnin]

somthing fishy is going on.. and i dont think its about the money.. 500 per play is fucking robbery as it is....anwyay... i'm eager to see what comes of this .....

http://www.mytelus.com/ncp_news/article.en.do?pn=regional/alberta&articleID=2934099

[J_Scott]

It sure makes me proud of my country seeing how important a stupid hockey tune is to my fellow Canadians.

[Kamui]

hmm that would be a shame... i grew up with that tune.

Hey J Scott, you clearly don't like hockey but there's really no need to degrade those of us who do right?

[Booger]

yeah, me too. They don't play it the way they used to. It used to have a nice long, slow section in there, and I remember hearing it go on for about 2 mins or more, but all we hear now is about 30 seconds of it each game.

[g_spyder91]

That song is a branding. You hear it you automatically think CBC Hockey Hight In Canada, NHL, they'd have to be complete idiots if they got rid of it.

[J_Scott]

hmm that would be a shame... i grew up with that tune.

Hey J Scott, you clearly don't like hockey but there's really no need to degrade those of us who do right?

I played hockey all my life and loved the sport. But I'm not going to cry about a hockey tune on a TV show.

No wonder American's think we're all beer-drinking, mullett sporting yahoos that do nothing but build igloos and play winter games.

[SpideRider]

It's historic.
It's not just a ditty on TV, it's part of our cultural identity, and given we don't have much, we should be proud of what we do have, and what we value.

[J_Scott]

It's historic.
It's not just a ditty on TV, it's part of our cultural identity, and given we don't have much, we should be proud of what we do have, and what we value.

I guess here's where we differ. I don't consider Hockey Night in Canada part of our cultural identity.

If a TV hockey show is what defines us... We need help. BIG time. :D

[SpideRider]

I don't understand how you can't consider Hockey Night in Canada part of this nation's cultural identity. Not everything labelled "cultural" has to be traditional, like art on walls, sculptures or food.
I don't even watch hockey anymore, and I was disappointed to hear about this.

[SnoDragon]

It's not about the money. CBC does not want to be in business with the bitch who wrote the song. She's also got litigation going against the CBC for playing the song too much. We can wait for her to die, then those who inherit the estate will most likely do better business and the song will be back.

[Kamui]

I played hockey all my life and loved the sport. But I'm not going to cry about a hockey tune on a TV show.

No wonder American's think we're all beer-drinking, mullett sporting yahoos that do nothing but build igloos and play winter games.

No, the reason Americans think of us like that is because they are self centered and ignorant.

You would rather be a stereotypical American? What do we think of them here? Let's see, they're a bunch of red-necked, jesus-lovin', gun totin', hicks who like to shoot each other and start wars. Am I really off the mark here?

Anyways, back onto the topic. That simple tune has a lot of nostalgia and it would be a shame to see it go away.

[cyclestarter]

There is an unrelated lawsuit in which the creator of the song is suing the CBC for using the tune not during just the show.
They say its un-related, but I don't buy that comment.

I do like the theme tune, but I know I'm in the minority of people that wouldn't mind seeing it be replaced. CBC should do a one time payout and just buy the rights, vs renting it all the time if they want it that badly.

[BMR]

Johnny Carson used to pay Paul Anka a fee every night that the Tonight Show was on, as Anka wrote that theme for the show.

That theme is part of their culture, be it pop or historic. It is recognizable and has merit based on that.

I guess Stompin' Tom Connors "Hockey Song" will be the next theme for HNIC.

[geobeck]

TORONTO (Reuters) - The "Hockey Night in Canada" theme song, a mainstay of Canadian households for 40 years and often thought of as the unofficial second national anthem...

What, you mean we have another one?

[heisenberg]

I am almost certain it is all about money. The contract expired on the tune. The branding weight that tune carries is HUGE. The composer wants mo' money. Hockey Night in Canada make stoopid amounts of money. More than most of us can imagine. The dollar value of this tune which contains so much of the brand is worth A LOT more than $500 a game. It is.

[masonjarz]

It sure makes me proud of my country seeing how important a stupid hockey tune is to my fellow Canadians.

Maybe you should move to the US where they love "Take Me Out To The Ballgame"

[J_Scott]

Maybe you should move to the US where they love "Take Me Out To The Ballgame"

At least Americans wouldn't be too cheap to pay someone $500+ a spin for that jingle. :laughing

No, the reason Americans think of us like that is because they are self centered and ignorant.

You would rather be a stereotypical American? What do we think of them here? Let's see, they're a bunch of red-necked, jesus-lovin', gun totin', hicks who like to shoot each other and start wars. Am I really off the mark here?

Anyways, back onto the topic. That simple tune has a lot of nostalgia and it would be a shame to see it go away.

Good thing you made fun of Christians, otherwise that post might have been offensive to someone. ;)

Back on topic, you guys have no one to blame but CBC about it.... it's always about money. And unless it's going to be spent on another multi-million dollar trial the gov't won't part with it.

While I don't care I'll try and make amends and say I'm sorry for your loss

[Brian5477]

Trust a Government Corp. namely the CBC to mess with something that was not broken to begin with. The new theme will probably cost a lot more in royalties to play... Remember a few years back when the CBC wanted to turf Ron McLean when his contact came due. There was such an outcry about it that the CBC came to it's senses and his is still there. (Our tax dollars at work). :tredmill

[kamen rider]

.... please don't let Celine Dion anywhere near the new theme... :surrender

[BMR]

Remember a few years back when the CBC wanted to turf Ron McLean when his contact came due. There was such an outcry about it that the CBC came to it's senses and his is still there. (Our tax dollars at work). :tredmill



This actually came up in Question Period at the HOC.

The biggest goof of bringing back Ron McLean was they also brough back that ignorant racist xenephobe Don Cherry.

My pick of song would be "I went to the fights and a hockey game broke out".

[Kamui]

Just read in the 24hours today that CBC is done with the old tune. Like everyone said, it was a dispute over money (and more than $500 a game too).

They are now holding a nationwide competition open to amateurs and professionals alike for the next tune. The prize is $100,000. I'm sure this time they're going to assume all right to the tune ;)

[Focker]

People forget that CBC is a public broadcaster. If it weren't for the $$$ that HNIC brings in, how could they afford to put on Road to Avonlea???

[adam112]

She's getting greedy over a song, the CBC is letting her feel some pain now.

Will you stop watching HNIC if the song isn't there? I doubt it. CBC knows that.

[geobeck]

The biggest goof of bringing back Ron McLean was they also brough back that ignorant racist xenephobe Don Cherry.

Hockey without Don Cherry would be like hockey without fights. They're not strictly part of the game, but they're part of the game culture.

Of course, Don Cherry without Ron McLean would be like hockey fights without hockey.

Edit:
I was just thinking... the best possible outcome for this situation: Stompin' Tom Connors donates the use of his song to HNIC in recognition of the "cultural significance" of the show, makes a ton of cash from the positive publicity, and hockey fans have a song they can actually sing badly instead of just screaming out "da-da da-daa da daaaaaa..."

Meanwhile, the HNIC theme composer lives comfortably on all the other music she's written... unless she's been shortsighted enough to put all her pucks in one goal and think the HNIC gravy train was going to last forever.

[geobeck]

This just in from CBC.ca:

"CTV Inc. has acquired the rights to The Hockey Theme in perpetuity, the network announced Monday.

The agreement was reached with Copyright Music & Visuals, which was unable to renew a deal with CBC Sports."

Rest of article here (http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/06/09/hnic-song.html?ref=rss).

[Kamui]

Seems like the company behind the song needed to make a last ditch deal or be out in the cold with nothing. I bet CTV got a discount for picking up the scraps.

[geobeck]

Seems like the company behind the song needed to make a last ditch deal or be out in the cold with nothing. I bet CTV got a discount for picking up the scraps.

Not exactly. The deal was worth between $2.5 million and $3 million, a value that CBC claimed they could not pay because they're "a publicly funded organization."

It's a good thing the real national anthem was written over a hundred years ago, before copyright became an issue, otherwise someone else would probably be singing "Ooohhhh, Laaaatviaaaa"

[BmacR6]

So, will CTV bury the song deep in the archives somewhere? Or will they play it regularly - reminding viewers of rival CBC's HNIC every time it plays? Seems like CTV would be doing CBC a favor by playing it. Or would CTV sub-license it to CBC in some weird Canadian flag-waving variation of 'help-thy-neighbor'?

[Kamui]

Not exactly. The deal was worth between $2.5 million and $3 million, a value that CBC claimed they could not pay because they're "a publicly funded organization."

It's a good thing the real national anthem was written over a hundred years ago, before copyright became an issue, otherwise someone else would probably be singing "Ooohhhh, Laaaatviaaaa"

haha, so true... I dunno, it could be legitimate.. i mean, we don't pay for CBC's broadcasting.

[Fell]

So, will CTV bury the song deep in the archives somewhere? Or will they play it regularly - reminding viewers of rival CBC's HNIC every time it plays? Seems like CTV would be doing CBC a favor by playing it. Or would CTV sub-license it to CBC in some weird Canadian flag-waving variation of 'help-thy-neighbor'?

"Beginning this fall, the song will now be heard in NHL broadcasts on TSN and RDS. CTV will also air the song as part of its hockey coverage during the 2010 Olympic winter games."

Source: http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080609/hnic_theme_080609/20080609?hub=TopStories


As long as it continues to be used as part of a Canadian hockey broadcast, I'm okay with it. And I'm sure it was some corporate B.S. that lost it for CBC. Their own damn fault. It sounds like they wanted to make the deal include a settlement to the lawsuit, where the copyright holder did not.

[BMR]

Hockey without Don Cherry would be like hockey without fights. They're not strictly part of the game, but they're part of the game culture.Of course, Don Cherry without Ron McLean would be like hockey fights without hockey.

Cherry is so overdone, past his prime and irrelevant. Can you actually cheer that buffoon on as he dresses like Liberace's sister and talks like he barely made it to grade three? With his outlandish wardrobe, he should come out of the closet and admit he seeks enjoyment in the homo-erotic subliminal nature of the fighting.

The game was great long before Grapes came along and will be long after he gets put to pasture. Fighting doesn't do diddly for it. :eek

[Harps]

Haha, oh my god Doug, that is the best post from you I have ever read. :laughing

But I disagree about fighting.

Also, anyone miss the "NBA on NBC" theme from the '90s? That was all-time favourite sports anthem. A John Tesh classic!

[BMR]

I always try just a little bit more for you, Harps. :-)

[BmacR6]

I heard the tune for the first time on TSN today. They played it somewhere between the end of Michael Landsberg's show and the beginning of SportsCentre. Sounded very odd. Ink was barely dry on the deal.

[geobeck]

They played it somewhere between the end of Michael Landsberg's show and the beginning of Sportsnet Connected.

That's the required "nyah nyah!" play. :D