Looks like Ron MacLean isn't leaving Hockey Night in Canada after all; but there will be changes
According to a Wednesday report, Ron MacLean's workload with Sportsnet next season will be limited. In addition, Sportsnet confirmed to writer Sean Fitz-Gerald of The Athletic that Rogers Hometown Hockey, hosted by MacLean and Tara Slone, has been cancelled.
Hometown Hockey began in October 2014 and is hosted weekly by MacLean and Slone. They would have profiles on communities, cities and local players from whichever town they were in that week. Games would be broadcasted from those sites on City TV and Sportsnet.
Fitz-Gerald says that Sportsnet will be doing something different this upcoming season. MacLean says he has a new contract that hasn't been finalized to return on Saturday nights for Hockey Night in Canada. As for Tara Slone, it's unknown as of right now what Sportsnet has in store for her, if anything.
During Fitz-Gerald's interview with Sportsnet, the company said that Hometown Hockey was "retiring from the road after making 160 stops across Canada over almost a decade on the air. The time is simply right to bring it to a natural close, explore new broadcast opportunities, expand our storytelling capabilities, and evolve the viewer experience."
With Hometown Hockey coming to an end, hockey fans will be waiting to see what Sportsnet has set to premiere for their audience. Perhaps the success of the NHL on TNT broadcast will lead to changes that would allow Sportsnet to connect with its younger demographic.
Sportsnet has four years left on a 12-year $5.232 billion contract.
