– Three-year agreement includes a minimum of six Cree-language NHL broadcasts per season –
– First Cree-language broadcast of the 2019-20 NHL season features the Winnipeg Jets vs. Chicago Blackhawks, Sunday, Jan. 19 at 6:30 p.m. ET / 3:30 p.m. PT on APTN
TORONTO – Following the historic first NHL broadcast in Plains Cree last season in conjunction with Rogers Hometown Hockey’s visit to Enoch Cree Nation, Sportsnet and APTN are expanding their partnership to deliver more games over the next three seasons. In total, a minimum of six games per year will be broadcast on APTN in Plains Cree – full 2019-20 broadcast schedule below.
Sportsnet will continue to deliver the broadcast production, which will feature exclusive Cree-language commentary and analysis from APTN broadcasters for fans across the country. Broadcaster Clarence Iron will have the play-by-play call for APTN, while Juno Award-winning musician Earl Wood will host the studio show alongside influential Cree-language promoter Jason Chamakese, with game analysis from NHL alum John Chabot.
“Last year we partnered with APTN to deliver the first-ever NHL game in Plains Cree and saw first-hand the positive impact it had uniting hockey fans across the country,” said Rob Corte, Vice President, Sportsnet & NHL Productions. “We know that Canada’s Indigenous communities have a great passion for hockey and we are excited to grow our partnership with APTN to deliver more games over the next three years.”
This season’s Cree-language broadcast schedule also features a special Rogers Hometown Hockey stop as the tour visits Peguis First Nation, Manitoba on Sunday, March 1 where Ron MacLean and Tara Slone will host a live broadcast of the same game on Sportsnet.
“By teaming up with Sportsnet and broadcasting more games in Plains Cree, we can connect with Canadian hockey fans and share the beauty of Indigenous languages and cultures,” says Jean La Rose, outgoing CEO of APTN. “We are very excited to know we will soon hear more cries of kociw osihew, pihtokwahew! – he shoots, he scores! – across the country.”
