Not sure how much this will interest non-Canuckistan Ws, but CTV, 80% owner of TSN* (The Sports Network) (the other 20% is owned by ESPN) has just scored possibly the most astounding brand swipe I've ever seen.

A week or two ago, the story broke that CBC was having trouble coming to licensing terms with the composer of what is generally known as the "Hockey Night in Canada" theme song. This song is so ingrained into the average Canadian psyche that it's known as our second national anthem. Anywhere in the world, at any time, you could sping the first few bars of this song and immediately find out if there are any other Canadians present, as they will almost certainly join in. With gusto.

Aaaanyways, CBC couldn't come to terms. They had paid $500 per night of use last year, but the owner was unhappy with it being released as a ring tone by the CBC. Before the CBC could sort it out, CTVglobemedia swooped in yesterday and bought the rights, in perpetuity for all platforms, to the tune. Its official name is "The Hockey Theme" and it will never be heard on CBC again.

It's almost unthinkable that Hockey Night in Canada will start with a different song (even if it's Stompin' Tom's "The Hockey Song") after 40 years of triumphant horns. Meanwhile, CBC is holding a contest to find a new, audience-written song.

I don't think CBC bungled this as much as CTV saw an opportunity and jumped on it. The Hockey Theme will be re-arranged, re-recorded, and played to open all of TSN's Hockey Coverage, including the Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver 2010.

Wow, that is a big coup. I religiously watch HNIC every Saturday on Centre Ice and have always looked forward to the familiar tune. When I heard about CBC losing the song on Mike Tirico's show, I was not a happy camper. Now Centre Ice needs to show more TSN games.

For us football-rabid, basketball-rabid, mostly hockey-indifferent Americans on the board, does anyone happen to have, well, a link to the theme song so I know which theme you're talking about? Pretty much the only sports themes that are ingrained into my memory (outside of college fight songs) are the NFL on CBS theme, and the old NBA on NBC theme.

"It, uh... it was not supposed to be a fight to the death.""Trust me, they're better off now.""Yeah, you're probably right."

Originally posted by ekedolphinFor us football-rabid, basketball-rabid, mostly hockey-indifferent Americans on the board, does anyone happen to have, well, a link to the theme song so I know which theme you're talking about? Pretty much the only sports themes that are ingrained into my memory (outside of college fight songs) are the NFL on CBS theme, and the old NBA on NBC theme.

My bad.

Here's a link right here. Hopefully that link works outside of Canadia.

Basically, if you've heard it before you'll know in a second and if you haven't heard it before, you may very well listen to it and still wonder what all the fuss is about. College fight song is an excellent analogy that way -- many may find it an unremarkable tune, but to those who care, it's a very sweet sound.

I gotta say that I really wonder why TSN would even want it. I hear that song and I think of Saturday night hockey on *CBC*.

I'm sure I'm not the only person who's going to hear the song and only be reminded that I'm watching an inferior broadcast than the one that used to have that song before TSN stole it.

CBC may have to replace a few of their on-air personalities to improve their presentation, but as bad as TSN's coverage is, they will have to replace *at least* 99% of theirs before I can get through a full game on their station.