TELEVISING WORLD JUNIORS `MONUMENTAL TASK' FOR TSN
Amid a pandemic, annual holiday tradition is more important to Canadians than ever
The biggest team — and in 2020, arguably the most important team — is now checking into the IIHF world junior bubble along with 250 of the top teenage hockey players from around the world.
At the same time as the 10 hockey teams, Paul Graham's 90-member Team TSN is arriving on the scene to bring everything together for one of the most challenging, important and responsible productions in the history of the network.
TSN, the host broadcaster, has played a massive role in building the holiday season event first in Canada and, recently, around the world.
But this year is different.
This year, with COVID-19 numbers out of control in many areas, people are being asked to trade in traditional large family gatherings for small, intimate ones. It won't be the same with no fans in the stands in Edmonton, but there will still be a world junior. And TSN is well aware of the role the network is about to play in delivering more than just hockey.
In a way, they're delivering Christmas 2020.
“It's nirvana for our viewers missing hockey,” said Graham, the network's VP and executive producer.
“And we absolutely know the responsibility this year involving the coronavirus and Christmas holiday season to maintain our standards and deliver a firstrate television production as we always do.
“This year, more than any other year, Canadians and the millions around the world watching will be expecting it.”
If you figure the Stanley Cup is the Stanley Cup and the world junior tournament won't match the TV numbers, think again.
“I'm fairly certain we will surpass any NHL Stanley Cup numbers easily,” said Graham.
“It hurt the NHL that a Canadian team didn't go deep. COVID aside, the world juniors at Christmas is a Canadian tradition and we can't lose sight that several other countries are now making it their own tradition.
“All tournament games are being aired live in Russia,
Sweden and Finland. Last year's gold-medal game between Canada and Russia was watched by 36 million Russians. That's the entire population of Canada!”
The NHL ended up spending more than US$100 million on bubble hockey. The IIHF won't come close to doing that.
“The economics are not the same,” said Graham.
“The NHL had a much larger budget to work with so the bowl execution in the building will be different,” he said of the look in transforming the empty seats into staging.
“There will be no big video screens. The NHL left in the lower bowl seat covers and it just happened that the blue covers matched the tournament logo. So `Stanley Cup' and `NHL' were removed and replaced with `IIHF,' tournament branding and some tournament sponsorship.”
Hockey Canada has to be responsible with its money with no fans and having to cover all the European expenses.
“More important for all of us is that any additional funding goes back into minor hockey where it belongs,” said Graham.
Not that they're cutting coverage costs.
“We'll have 25 cameras,” says Graham.
“We'll be hosting on location so James Duthie and Bob Mckenzie will be here. But no scouts or NHL general managers will be allowed in the building so our in-person guests will be at a premium. We will, however, have a few tricks up our sleeve that we will reveal later.”
Nobody ever thinks much about the TV team beyond the on-air people. But this year maybe you should.
“It has been a monumental task,” said Graham.
“It turned out that it was a small blessing in disguise with Grey Cup cancelled. We normally produce the two biggest sporting events in Canada back-to-back within 30 days of each other.
I'm not sure how we would have managed this year with all the adjustments everyone has had to make with COVID.
“We normally begin our planning about 18 months out for the world juniors so we were well underway with Edmonton-red Deer plans when COVID-19 hit. Like everyone else, we had to pivot.
“Moving to a single venue was an absolute must. And then adjusting the schedule to get all the games into the regular window was a challenge. The major change was starting a day earlier on Christmas Day.
“As host broadcasters, we're the largest team here and we have our own stars. Senior production manager Arden Doidge-flynn has put in a year's worth of work in the last few months on logistics and Benoit Trudeau has been a master on the technical side. They lead a team of dedicated production and technical personnel who regularly give up their family and friends time over Christmas to be part of our world junior coverage.
“Our advance team of six entered the bubble on Saturday and we will have personnel joining the bubble all week on staggered dates to accommodate the pre-tournament games starting Dec. 20.
“Single bubble also allows us to come in earlier for setup so we can televise all the games — 38 in total.”
TSN has televised every game of the world junior for the last seven years. What makes this year different is that the network is also doing the 10 pre-tournament games.
The reach involved makes it a huge event for Edmonton, especially with the show returning to town again next year.