The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s most recognizable brand remains Hockey Night in Canada, even though the Saturday night juggernaut is now actually run by telecom giant Rogers.
So after being priced out of NHL hockey, is the public broadcaster turning its eye toward a future when the Great White North becomes as consumed with the beautiful game as it is with hockey?
Here’s the CBC’s recent trademark filing with Industry Canada:
Well, if I had to take a guess, I’d say “probably not.”
As far as I can tell, the CBC doesn’t own any soccer broadcast rights of note, nor would it be a smart move to file this while it was in the midst of acquiring some. In all likelihood, this is a bureaucratic move to protect a variation of a well-known brand. It wouldn’t be the first time someone piggybacked their idea, either – we all kind of suspect where those copiers at NBC came up with Football Night in America.