Thanks for that question, MP Maloney.
Let's be honest with this. Rogers Sportsnet spent billions of dollars on the 12- or 13-year contract they got from the National Hockey League. How do you get that to pay for itself today ? People are not staying.... We saw the Super Bowl, Mr. Maloney, with the lowest ratings since 2006, yet we had a storyline there of one of the great quarterbacks of all time, Tom Brady, against the upstart Kansas City Chiefs.
Yes, the NHL has lost billions of dollars in the last year because of COVID. They desperately want to retrieve some of the money they have lost. We've seen advertising that is going to be taking place around the boards, on the ice and maybe even on the sweaters. I can tell you that one of the major concerns is the TV audience. Ratings are a big concern right now for all sports.
There was an article by Dan Barnes in the Calgary Herald last Thursday, who said that the Canadian Football League needs this bill to pass because they need the younger generation to get engaged in the sport. They are like the NHL. You need bums in seats. The CFL didn't run at all last year. If they don't run this year, I doubt the league will ever get off the ground again.
Yes, this is an avenue that all professional leagues need right now.