In a dramatic turn, TVA Sports has officially admitted defeat in the fight to bring the Quebec Nordiques back to the NHL.
After years of desperate efforts and colossal investments, the specialist channel announced today that the Nordiques will never come back by publishing the devastating survey from The Athletic.
This recognition marks the end of an era and paves the way for a controversial expansion of the NHL to Houston and Atlanta, leaving Quebec without its team for eternity.
Since its creation in 2011, TVA Sports has unsuccessfully attempted to become the pillar of French-speaking sports broadcasts in Quebec, banking mainly on hockey to ensure its financial survival.
However, despite an investment of $720 million to obtain exclusive NHL broadcast rights, the channel never managed to achieve profitability.
Accumulating nearly $300 million in losses, TVA Sports now finds itself on the verge of a financial abyss.
Discussions about possible expansion of the NHL into new cities have intensified speculation about the future of the Nordiques.
However, the case for expansion to Quebec was largely rejected by the players themselves. A survey carried out by the media The Athletic among skaters on the NHL circuit reveals a clear preference for Houston rather than Quebec.
Out of 159 players surveyed, 54 voted for Houston against 47 for Quebec.
The reasons given are clear and reflect economic and demographic reality. One player, speaking on condition of anonymity, was simply scathing.
“Houston. It’s the fourth largest city in the United States and they still don’t have a team. We cannot go to a Canadian market now, especially not with the situation of the Canadian dollar.
You can’t go to Quebec. The Canadian dollar is crap. The Winnipeg Jets should be relocated. »
Another player said:
“Let’s get out of Canada, we need income, Houston. There are five million people. Quebec is a superb city. But I don’t think it’s big enough for an NHL club. »
These testimonies underline an unavoidable reality: Quebec is no longer considered a viable market for an NHL team, especially in the current economic context where the Canadian dollar is falling.
Not only did Gary Bettman and the NHL leaders block the return of the Nordiques, but now the players don’t want to know anything.
The final nail in this impossible dream is driven forever.
Faced with the impossibility of keeping the Nordiques in Quebec, the NHL is now turning to promising American cities like Houston and Atlanta.
This decision, although logical from an economic point of view, deeply disappoints Quebec fans who lost their historic team.
The expansion to Houston, which has received majority support from players, promises to breathe new life into the league with a potential fan base of five million people.
TVA Sports’ recognition of its defeat marks a final step in a process of decline that could have been avoided with better management and more adapted strategic decisions.
Pierre-Karl Péladeau’s errors, between stubbornness and poor financial management, precipitated the fall of the sports channel.
The CEO of Quebecor persisted in his ambition to relaunch TVA Sports by banking on the return of the Quebec Nordiques.
However, this decision turned out to be a major strategic error. The ratings, although above the usual average, never reached the levels necessary to justify the exorbitant costs incurred. The Montreal Canadiens’ opening game attracted only an average of 570,000 viewers per minute, a disappointing figure that precipitated the channel’s decline.
At the moment, we are talking about barely 400,000 viewers, even if CH matches are broadcast on TVA on Saturday evenings.
Péladeau’s stubbornness in keeping TVA Sports alive, despite the obvious signs of decline, has been criticized by many observers.
Rather than reassess the strategy and adapt the chain’s economic model, Péladeau chose to persevere on an unsustainable path.
This decision led to massive layoffs, affecting hundreds of employees and worsening Quebecor’s financial situation.
While employees suffer the consequences of these budget cuts, executives continue to receive astronomical compensation, creating an insurmountable gap between management and staff.
In 2023, Pierre-Karl Péladeau received total compensation of $4.9 million, an increase of 57% compared to the previous year.
Quebecor’s five highest executives shared $13.8 million, doubling their earnings. This disparity is all the more shocking as TVA Sports is accumulating colossal losses and television ratings continue to fall.
The decision not to adapt the economic model, to persist on an unprofitable path and to favor executive remuneration to the detriment of employees led TVA Sports to an inevitable impasse.
Today, with expansion confirmed in Houston and Atlanta, it is clear that TVA Sports can no longer carry the weight of financial expectations and disappointing ratings.
This bitter ending will leave a void in the Quebec media landscape, it must be admitted.
We have never been fans of TVA Sports, but we cannot take away the fact that their employees gave everything, despite the criticism and mockery on social networks.
As the end of the contract with the NHL approaches (summer 2026) and highlights the need for media companies to quickly adapt to market changes and viewer expectations, the future of TVA Sports has never been clear. so dark.
The disappearance of the Nordiques truly sounds like the end of TVA Sports, a poignant reminder of the consequences of poor management and resistance to change.
While the NHL continues to evolve and expand towards new horizons, if TVA Sports disappears, Quebec will not only lose the hope of the return of the Nordiques, but also a player in its sporting culture.
The legacy of TVA Sports, marked by massive investments and excessive ambitions, will remain an example of a company that failed to read the warning signs of its own collapse.
With the imminent closure of TVA Sports, Quebecor faces an uncertain future. Massive financial losses and reputation tarnished by unpopular decisions point to major challenges for the media group.
The question remains: Will Péladeau be able to turn things around or will this defeat mark the beginning of an irreversible decline for Quebecor?
This fierce fight, whether motivated by passion or pride, will have lasting repercussions on the Quebec media industry and on hockey fans who continue to feel betrayed by the disappearance of the Nordiques and the collapse of VAT Sports.
The sporting landscape of Quebec is now marked by this imminent end, and history will remember this moment as the one where excessive ambition led to a crushing defeat.
Pierre-Karl Péladeau must face reality. It’s time to admit defeat.
