From a media release:
– 25 communities from across Canada set to receive hockey-themed festivities and outdoor viewing parties, beginning with London, ON, October 11 & 12 –
– Live Sunday broadcasts from Sportsnet Mobile Studio to feature local NHL player profiles and grassroots stories each week, hosted by MacLean –
– Sunday night broadcasts culminate with NHL national game each week on City –
This hockey season, Canadians across the country will get to experience the game they love with the ones they love, along with one of Canada’s favourites – Ron MacLean – as Rogers today unveiled the 25 communities that will be part of the inaugural Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour presented by Scotiabank and Dodge.
Each week during the 2014/15 NHL season, the Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour will roll into a different community across the country with a weekend of free outdoor hockey festivities for all ages, culminating in an outdoor viewing party of an NHL game broadcast every Sunday, with MacLean hosting live onsite from the Sportsnet Mobile Studio.
“The passion for hockey in this country is unrivaled. Every Canadian has a connection to the game – it is part of our DNA, it is part of our communities,†said MacLean. “We’re excited to share in this season-long celebration of Canada’s favourite pastime, help grow the game and bring to life those great hockey stories every Sunday.â€
Each Weekend of the Tour:
Kicking off in London, ON on October 11 and 12, the Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour will bring together a community with deep hockey roots and deliver a jam-packed weekend of interactive games, activities and entertainment for the whole family, celebrating all things hockey in the heart of each town.
Rogers Hometown Hockey – Sunday Night Broadcast
- Each Sunday– the newest national night for hockey – City will air a half-hour pre-game show hosted by Ron MacLean live from the Sportsnet Mobile Studio, leading into an NHL game broadcast. MacLean, along with other Sportsnet personalities, will also make appearances during the intermission and post-game show
- The broadcast will include interviews with celebrities, NHL alumni, and special guests with connections to the community, including features on local NHL players and grassroots stories
- The first Rogers Hometown Hockeybroadcast will feature the Toronto Maple Leafs vs. N.Y. Rangers on Sunday, Oct. 12 at 6:30 p.m. ET/ 3:30 p.m. PT on City
They spread out the hometowns fairly well. I’m glad to see that there’s 4 Atlantic hometowns, 2 Quebec, 8 Ontario and 11 Western stops. No stops in the Territories but at least they go up to Thompson and Fort Mac which is something. As for games, there’s 6 Vancouver games, 5 Ottawa games, 5 Calgary games, 4 Toronto games, 4 Montreal games, 2 Winnipeg games and 1 Edmonton game. I had worried that the schedule would be pretty Toronto-heavy and I’m surprised there aren’t more Toronto games but I guess that’s how the schedule fell. I know in recent years, prior to the NHL purchase, Rogers made a big effort to make CityTV into a national network and I think that they are doing well at that although they have yet to launch an affiliate in Atlantic Canada.