Hockey Night in Canada
Hockey Night in Canada is a long-standing sports tradition that was first broadcast on television in 1952. It’s not only a monument in sports broadcasting; it’s a testament to the passion of the country that invented the sport of hockey. The broadcast usually focused on a single game in its early years, and even that single game wasn’t televised in its entirety until the mid-60’s The most similar tradition in the U.S. is Monday night football. Just like Monday Night Football is played every Monday, Hockey Night in Canada is broadcast every Saturday evening. The format has changed over the years from one game to a double header with one early game and one later game. This way both coasts have a primetime hockey game to watch on Saturday night.
Unlike football in the U.S., which has a season of sixteen game, hockey has a season that is over eighty games long! Because of this Hockey Night in Canada offers just a snap shot of two different teams each week, and the games are not as hyped up as those on Monday night football. The broadcast was home to several firsts in the industry. For example, the first instant replay was on Hockey Night in Canada in 1955!
Hockey is a very physical sport, but in Canada it is considered to be the national pastime in a way, kind of like baseball is to the U.S. Over the years many hockey teams that were started in Canada have moved to the U.S. and been renamed, so Canada is extremely loyal to its four remaining teams, and will always cheer for the Canadian team. The only teams that remain are the Montreal Canadians, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Vancouver Canucks and the Calgary Flames. The Colorado Avalanche, a popular U.S. team, used to be based in Canada under a different name. Nonetheless Hockey Night in Canada carries on the tradition of Canada and its great pastime.