From a media release:
CBC’S BATTLE OF THE BLADES TO BE BROADCAST FROM MAPLE LEAF GARDENS IN FRONT OF A LIVE STUDIO AUDIENCE
- Four-time Stanley Cup Champion Claude Lemieux added to the men’s roster
Beginning Sunday, October 4, CBC Television’s BATTLE OF THE BLADES will open the doors to historic Maple Leaf Gardens for the first time to former world class female figure skaters and NHL players in a fierce pairs competition of athleticism, drama and intrigue.
Hosts Ron MacLean and Kurt Browning will welcome a live studio audience and viewers from across the country to the legendary ice surface for this seven-week ground breaking event. Information on obtaining tickets will be available shortly.
In addition to the announced venue, former Conn Smythe trophy winner and agitator Claude Lemieux has signed on to compete in BATTE OF THE BLADES. Over the course of his 20-year career Lemieux played for Montreal, New Jersey, Colorado, Phoenix, Dallas and San Jose collecting 786 points and 1,777 penalty minutes. The Buckingham, Que. native replaces Sean Burke who was unable to participate due to professional obligations.
BATTLE OF THE BLADES is the brainchild of Kevin Albrecht with development by Sandra Bezic. BATTLE OF THE BLADES executive producers are John Brunton, Barbara Bowlby and Kevin Albrecht. It is produced by Insight Productions in association with CBC Television.
(Photo: Enforcers Tie Domi (left) and Bob Probert (right) face-off in BATTLE OF THE BLADES on CBC Television this October.)
This is a very bad programming decision. The ratings for this debacle will be worse than The One. Good luck finding advertisers.
I agree, look at Domi and Probert ” they’re about to fight!!” NO , they’re about to dance?
Maybe this will work but I big part of me highly doubts any people will continue to watch after the first episode.
This show sounds quite stupid to me and will prob not last. But I’m surely going to try to get some tickets just to get inside maple leaf gardens
Please do not judge what is about to happen until it takes place. This is an awesome idea for more entertainment tonight. These shows are very well done and very skilled skaters whether figure skater or hockey player. It shows snowmanship and guts for new challenges and laughs in life. I would like to know how one gets tickets to join one of the shows live. My background is figure skating and have lived on ice all my life. One must give these entertainers praise for trying something new in life and new challenges no matter how old one is. You are only as old as you want to be. Keep the chins up competitors and I think this is awesome creativtiy and challenges for the hockey player and promoting all. We have learnt how to respect each other now on both sides of figure skating and hockey and this is awesome to bring this together for excellent entertainment. Thank you for the creation – Canada. Perhaps this will become a Battle of the Blades similar to Dancing with Stars and open up to the World. Boots and Blades of Luck to all the competitors.. Way to go and looking forward to the series.
Yours in Skating
Bunnykins
i think that this is an excellent ideal, to have a competition of this style.
can not wait for it to start.
My wife and I are neither NHL or figure skating fans but we loved the show and thought it a wonderful
fun concept.