JUSTCAWS

With the NHL All-Star game upon us I thought it would be a good time to propose some league changes to give the league a boost in the States.   First up, let's revamp the divisions and place them based more on geography. Suggest putting all the Canadian teams together to not only reduce travel, but more importantly reducing the number of times Canadian based teams play their American counterparts. Canadian teams are a bad draw both at the gate and on U.S. television, so reducing their number benefits the league on both fronts.   EASTERN   CONFERENCE  NORTHEAST   METRO     EAST                      SOUTH TORONTO           NY RANGERS             BOSTON               TAMPA BAY MONTREAL        NY ISLANDERS             PITTSBURGH   ...

Last post explained how parity through a strict salary cap has contributed to NFL media dominance. Now will look at some of the other reasons they rule over all sport and entertainment properties.  First off, as any television sport broadcasting expert will tell you, football is made for TV.  Plays begin with all participants on screen and usually last under 5 seconds. The remainder of time allows for a good number replays of past plays and close ups to build up to the next.  The basic rules of the game and lines on the playing surface are easy to follow.  There are plenty of embedded stoppages in play for sponsors and casual phone glancing. The game can also be easily manipulated by officials (if desired) to keep scores close. I could go on and I am sure you have your own, but I want to get into what I believe are the more meaningful factors. A short, meaningful regular season and playoff matchups decided in one game.  All the other three majors pro sport leag...

In case you still had any doubts, the television placement of this weekend’s playoff games once again proves the NFL is the king of sport leagues.  Of the four time slots for this weekend’s NFL playoff games, the most watched time slot will be Sunday primetime. This marquee time slot is reserved for teams who league and tv execs believe will deliver the biggest audience. For most leagues this slot would be given to large market cities with their significant fan bases ie. New York and LA. The NFL, however, is not most leagues. While a small market play off matchup between Buffalo and Kansas City would depress other league executives, the NFL places this game between two star quarterbacks in its favoured time slot.    This year’s MLB’s World Series between Arizona and Texas was a ratings dud . Oh, how happy the league and tv partners were that Ohtani signed with LA and not Toronto.  In the no salary cap league of Major league baseball, only the big market, high sp...

  Often it takes some quiet reflection for things to become clear. This time it was a long drive back home after taking my son to school after the holidays. On the way we went under numerous overpasses in the GTA covered with Palestinian flags. I recalled this being done for fallen soldiers during the war in Afghanistan. Back then it put a lump in my throat. Now it gets me hot under the collar, but not for the reasons you might think.  I have been annoyed by a number of protests in my life when they disrupt my day to day.  The most egregious being when the First Nations blocked the rail tracks near Belleville. That action cost me both considerable time and money on more than one occasion. I may have fired off a disgruntled tweet, but there is a part of me that respects the cries of injustice or pleas for justice and the legitimate personal sacrifice protesters make to demand change.    I may not always agree with their cause or methods, but I will take pass...

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  Trust but verify, was a line from former U.S. President Ronald Reagan. I have heard it being used more now as there seems to be an erosion of trust in global affairs. It is a line I believe our news media needs to follow in a world where deciding between what is fact and fiction is only going to get more difficult. I have been an avid consumer of news for decades. Whether it be from watching a nightly newscast or getting the daily paper to now streaming and digital subscriptions - I will follow. Obviously, the evolution in the distribution model is what people will point to when discussing change in the news media, but I believe a more profound transformation has taken hold. Some argue that once the U.S. News became a profit centre for networks that the decline in journalism began. Just take a look at this prophetic article from 1986 in the LA Times that predicts pending doom . The onslaught of social media was the next salvo to hit the news as more people discovered they could b...

  Protests in support of Palestine are growing here at home and across the world. This is not surprising when seeing images of war and brutality coming out of Gaza. There has also been a call for a ceasefire in the region getting louder as well. I would support this call, if I thought it meant the hostages would be freed and Hamas would also stop its attacks. Our own Liberal government does not believe that would happen, so you can pray or shout for it, but any type of peace in Gaza is not happening anytime soon.    This current conflict and the accompanying protests also serve as examples to why what JFK referred to as "genuine peace," remains elusive.     Too many Palestinian supporters do not believe in the right for Israel to exist. Their numbers are too great and their voices are too loud to ignore. Even in places miles away from the Mideast, support within protest movements of organizations like Hamas, that seek to destroy Israel, show symbols of hate...

As I write this, all the top seeds in the MLB playoffs have been bounced early and teams with good, but not great seasons that barely made it into the playoffs are advancing.  Winning a division and getting home field advantage doesn’t seem to provide much of an advantage.  Just getting in is all you need to do.  Does this matter?  To some, not at all, but if your regular season doesn’t matter - why watch. I know plenty of sport fans who now only watch the playoffs - “when it matters”.  Leagues and their broadcast partners should be concerned.  Fandom is about passion not apathy.  Upsets do happen - and they’re not necessarily the issue.  Having a compelling regular season where every game matters is key. The NFL, the gold standard league gets it right.  With only 17 games and  only 44% teams who qualify, it makes game matter.  Due to the grueling nature of football - a bye is really an advantage and the top seeds usually win. ...