On Saturday night Team Canada won the Rivalry Series in dramatic fashion over Team USA, but French Broadcaster RDS felt it wasn't worth showing the trophy presentation.
On Saturday night in Summerside Prince Edouard Island, Team Canada faced Team USA in the fifth and deciding game of this year's Rivalry Series, and as per usual, it was a tight contest. The home team was able to get the win when Jennifer Gardiner scored Canada's second goal of the game. Laura Stacey then scored the insurance marker, putting the final nail in the Americans' coffin. Canada took the game 3-1 and the Rivalry Series 3-2.
The Series was broadcasted both in English and in French in Canada on TSN and RDS, but only one station gave the fans what they wanted and deserved, a full coverage. After the Canadians had sealed the win, RDS abruptly cut its coverage to broadcast a repeat of the latest episode of L'Antichambre, analysing the Montreal Canadiens' 4-0 defeat to the New Jersey Devils.
In other words, fans couldn't see Canada lift the trophy and celebrate their win. French speaking fans couldn't see Marie-Philip Poulin collect the trophy but once again refuse to lift it on her own as she considers it's a team win and the C on her jersey doesn't make her anymore worthy than her teammates. When RDS covered the Stanley Cup Playoffs (they have lost to rights to TVA Sports years ago), not once did they ever cut the coverage after a Stanley Cup win and not let the fans see the celebrations and the post game interviews.
Those post championship moments are incredibly important to fans, that's when they watch their heroes finally reach their goal and lift the Cup, who has never shed a tear watching their favorite player reach the Cup? Can you imagine if no-one saw Joe Sakic refuse to lift the Stanley Cup in 2001 and passing it straight to Raymond Bourque? That was a great television moment and one that showed just how great a leader Sakic was and fans loved seeing that. Why shouldn't they be able to see Poulin show her own brand of leadership and humility?
During the PWHL season, RDS also struggles to come back from advert breaks on time and is often late coming back after the intermission, something that never happens when they are covering the Canadiens. Don't the PWHL fans deserve the same service and respect the NHL fans get? I certainly think they do, please RDS be better.