Fall. The best time of the year for sports fans. Baseball is gearing up for the World Series, the NFL is going full tilt, the CFL is in the stretch drive, hockey is facing off and basketball is ready to open training camp.
Ahh, but what a life, sit in front of the television and let the good times roll.
But a curious thing has happened to sports in Canada the last ten years or so. October used to be relished because the ice gods were about to take centre stage. Now, the giant U.S. hype machine has crowded hockey to the fringe, some worry it may fall off.
An informal poll of kids wearing sports paraphernalia declares the Toronto Blue Jays champion over the Maple Leafs. In Canada's biggest city, baseball is a bigger deal than the Canadian institution of hockey.
The most eagerly anticipated sports event is no longer hockey night in Canada, but CBS presenting the American League Championship.
Without getting political, this is a fringe effect of free trade. The invasion of our television sets by American networks has left a deep imprint on the minds of Canadian fans. The homogenization of our cultures has left us thinking anything Canadian is inferior. Bigger and better, that's the motto of the U.S.
Who wants a piddly Canadian Football League with only eight teams when you can have the GIANTS VS BEARS. Cheerleaders, fancy logos, music, controversy, 42 camera angles, fireworks, but what about the game?
Hockey is desperately prostituting itself in an effort to get an American television contract. Why? The extra dollars are going to go straight into the pocket of players who are already overpaid and underworked. The average Joe will still have to shell out $40 for one ticket to see one game, and forget about having a beer and a hot dog unless you own your own practice.
Just wait for the day when you have to pay $10 to watch the Canucks and the North Stars on TV, that's providing it's not preempted for the Seniors Jeopardy tournament, because we wouldn't want to upset sweeps week now would we.
Remember when the Canadiens and the Leafs were a big deal? Bigger is not always better. If sports doesn't wake up they'll realize they've lost sight of their most valuable customer. No, not the networks or their sponsors, but the fans.
