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The real reason for Jeff Marek's split with Sportsnet has finally been revealed

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Ryan Smitheram
August 1, 2024  (10:34)
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Jeff Marek was let go by Sportsnet last week
Photo credit: Sportsnet

Last week, it was confirmed that Jeff Marek had been fired by Sportsnet and new details reveal why the sports media giant was forced to let him go.

Marek had been oddly quiet following the first round of June's NHL Entry Draft, but no one really noticed until late July when Jonah Sigel of YYZ Sports Media broke the news that Marek had been let go by Sportsnet.

No real details were known at the time as to the reasoning behind his dismissal, but thanks to investigative reporting by The Athletic's Katie Strang and Dan Robson, we finally know why.

"Marek was scheduled to leave Las Vegas that night on a red-eye flight. But before he left, at least one NHL official approached Marek about wanting to speak with him," wrote Strang and Robson.

Strang and Robson later revealed that the NHL official wanted to speak with Marek about the potential "misuse/dissemination of insider information" as they called it. The issue reportedly arose when former NHL scout Mark Seidel was correctly predicting picks from the draft, leading many to believe that he was being given privileged information.

"League and media sources said that Marek gave Seidel a heads up on the picks so that Seidel could better prepare and offer analysis of those selections on social media. One source briefed on the draft night situation said that no gambling impropriety was discovered or any intent for Marek to gain financially from what happened," divulged Strang and Robson. "However, because Marek was alleged to have shared proprietary information with someone outside the company, and given the company's partnership with the NHL � Sportsnet has two years left on a 12-year deal as the league's national rightsholder � the network was in a difficult position involving one of its most prominent broadcasters."

In their efforts to collect more information, Strang and Robson reached out to a number of people close to Marek, including Elliotte Friedman and Seidel himself with everyone declining to comment on the matter. Marek's dismissal was essentially something that Sportsnet was forced to do given their partnership with the NHL, but it has certainly raised a lot of questions as to why Marek was released from his job.

Frank Seravalli was able to leak the entire Seattle Kraken expansion draft before each pick was made and every pick by the Vegas Golden Knights for their expansion draft hours before it even took place without an ounce of discipline. Figure that one out.

While it is doubtful that Marek will be allowed to join Friedman as a guest on '32 Thoughts', many in the hockey community hope to see Marek back on the air soon.

Source: The AthleticWhy was a beloved hockey broadcaster pulled off the air?

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The real reason for Jeff Marek's split with Sportsnet has finally been revealed

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