Sweet Music: CTV Completes Deal To Acquire "The Hockey Theme"
CTV yesterday completed a deal to acquire from Copyright Music & Visuals (CMV) the rights to "The Hockey Theme," the song heard at the beginning of the CBC's "Hockey Night In Canada" broadcasts since '68. The song now will be used on NHL broadcasts on TSN and RDS beginning this fall, as well as during CTV properties' coverage of the 2010 Vancouver Games. The deal was agreed to in principle after the CBC announced Friday that a deal could not be reached with the rights holder (CTV). CTV President Rick Brace said that the company on Friday contacted CMV "after reading its deal with CBC was on thin ice," and that by Friday evening they "had a verbal agreement." CBC Sports Exec Dir Scott Moore said that the CBC had "offered about $1[M] to [CMV] to buy the song outright," but that CMV "demanded $2.5[M] or more." Moore: "We're probably going to be accused of bungling this. But I don't know if a deal was ever possible." CMV said that the CBC "paid $500 per game to use the song," and Moore added that the net "paid about $65,000 last season." Meanwhile, Moore said, "The song is going to be forever associated with 'Hockey Night in Canada' and CBC. So I think CTV, in many ways, was smart to pick it up, but every time it's played, people are going to think of our broadcast on Saturday night." However, Brace said, "Some people associate it with CBC, but people really associate it with hockey" (TORONTO STAR, 6/10).
WE HAVE A WINNER: The GLOBE & MAIL's Peter Cheney notes the "stunning business deal ... marks the end of a bitter backroom feud" between Dolores Claman, the composer of the song, and the CBC. Hockey insiders "saw CTV as the early winner." One insider said, "The CBC played chicken and they lost." Brace: "We think it's a tremendous coup. This is the hockey anthem." Brace said that "it's 'highly unlikely' that the song would be used in connection with any other sports." Brace: "This is the hockey song. It will play the same role here as it did there. It just has a new home" (GLOBE & MAIL, 6/10). Brace said the company plans to "reorchestrate" the song. Brace: "It's still going to be the same music but a different arrangement" (CP, 6/9).
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