Since the start of 2024, Norman Flynn has found himself at the heart of a media turmoil that he has clearly not been able to manage.
Although he is still present on the RDS airwaves, several signs indicate that he is quietly relegated to secondary roles.
Rumors abound about his future in 2025, and more and more people are wondering if he will still be associated with the Sports Network or if he is heading towards the final exit.
Since the start of 2024, Norman Flynn's presence on RDS has become increasingly discreet, without any official announcement from the network.
The analyst found himself gradually excluded from certain key segments, or even completely absent from certain flagship programs such as “5 à 7”, which he had frequented for a long time.
This situation, unusual for such a well-known face, raises several questions among hockey fans.
However, RDS issued no statement, giving no explanation for Flynn's unclear position. Behind the scenes, some employees speak of an “assumed and perfectly calculated” choice by management: to decrease Flynn's visibility without rushing the situation, in order to avoid any media shock or wave of empathy.
If this sidelining is subtle, it is clearly a strategy developed to protect the reputation of the network, already damaged by the controversies surrounding Flynn.
During the 2023-2024 season, Norman Flynn was still omnipresent: regular participation in panels, spontaneous interventions during intermissions, entire segments dedicated to his “analyses” – however questionable they may be. However, as soon as 2024 enters, things have changed:
Flynn saw his speaking time decrease in tangible ways, moving from daily interventions to an episodic presence, often reserved for less busy times.
RDS offered no explanation for this gradual withdrawal.
This strategy, which seems to be akin to a slow “settling”, would aim to avoid the chaos experienced at BPM Sports in the fall of 2023.
Indeed, the abrupt dismissal of Flynn by this station because the host did not know that Jeff Petry had been traded from Montreal to Detroit, at the time aroused a mixture of irony and sympathy among the public, while offering the analyst a strange status of “victim” of the media system.
RDS, cautious, would now prefer to proceed gently.
Flynn's succession of wild and often erroneous statements in recent years have earned him a storm of criticism.
Whether it's his multiple crazy trade proposals for the Montreal Canadiens (Nick Suzuki for Wayne Simmonds, Cole Caufield for Kyle Palmieri, Juraj Slafkovsky for Pierre-Luc Dubois) or his false rumor regarding Patrick Roy in Ottawa , Flynn gradually lost public trust.
Each new controversy only fueled the discontent of the supporters, increasingly exasperated by his lack of rigor and expertise.
Over the months, this negative spiral has shaken not only its own credibility, but also that of the Sports Network.
RDS kept him in office despite his shortcomings and his dubious “scoops”.
The explanation is often the same: Flynn, despite everything, attracts ratings, even if it is as a “duty clown”.
However, this strategy ended up reaching a critical threshold. Complaints multiplied and RDS's professional image began to suffer.
The question then arises: why would RDS agree to continue to suffer the public's wrath for an analyst who attracts as much mockery as criticism?
The reputation of a sports network is based on its credibility and its ability to offer fair and relevant analysis. Flynn, by accumulating gaffes and unverified rumors, ensured that the seriousness of the broadcaster collapsed before our eyes.
In 2024, several segments of “5 à 7” or other RDS shows were marked by moments of embarrassment, where Flynn contradicted himself or was corrected live by his colleagues.
The most memorable incident remains this story according to which Patrick Roy had “lunch” in Kanata to discuss with the Senators organization.
Supposed to be Flynn's big scoop, this rumor was quickly refuted by Roy himself, who was… in Quebec.
RDS reacted in a contradictory manner: on the one hand, the network sought Roy's denial, and on the other, Flynn continued to hammer home his alleged exclusivity.
Many people saw it as a desire to exploit ridicule to get people talking about the channel, at the risk of further discrediting it.
According to internal sources, the pressure has reached such a level that the management of RDS is seriously considering removing Flynn or at least drastically limiting his presence on the air from 2025.
Confidences collected behind the scenes evoke several scenarios:
A reduction in appearances: Flynn could find himself confined to a one-off role, for example on less visible segments or during slow periods.
A “soft” departure: RDS would perhaps prefer to ratify a mutual separation, where Flynn would announce his withdrawal for “personal reasons” or to devote himself to other projects.
An internal repositioning: Some believe that Flynn could be transferred to other, more obscure tasks rather than being excluded entirely.
However, nothing has been publicly confirmed yet. Rumors have it that RDS management will wait until the end of the 2024-2025 season to make an official announcement, in order to keep the option of using him as a “mascot” until then and thus attract some more attention. media.
Beyond his sporting errors, Norman Flynn's management revealed a deeper malaise in the Quebec media landscape.
Between the need to generate audiences and the imperative to offer reliable content, RDS has seemed to be trembling in recent years.
Several observers denounced the way in which the network continued to exploit Flynn's escapades to inflate ratings, while exposing itself to a barrage of criticism that tarnished its credibility.
The fact that BPM Sports has already fired him for his flagrant lack of knowledge, particularly when he was unaware that an important transaction involving Jeff Petry had just taken place, only adds to the perplexity.
Why does RDS persist in keeping him, when the public is demanding his departure?
In 2024, social media has served as a barometer. Reactions abound:
“RDS is sabotaging its reputation for a clown.”
“He’s not funny anymore, it’s sad to see him making a fool of himself.”
“He should retire, it would do us all a great service.”
These comments reflect general annoyance. Many criticize Flynn for his lack of professionalism, while others sympathize, seeing him as a figure trapped in an unwitting role as “media buffoon.”
We must not forget that Flynn experienced a personal tragedy in 2017, losing his son at the age of 32. This event aroused immense sympathy, and some believe that RDS may have kept him in office out of empathy or loyalty.
The only certainty is that the year 2025 promises to be decisive for the future of Norman Flynn. Several elements militate in favor of a repositioning, or even a departure.
The jokes and mockery reached a saturation point. Sports fans seem eager to turn the page.
“Flynn the Clown” is funny once. But the public seems fed up.
Every year, younger, better-trained journalists and analysts seek to make their mark in sports media. Is it time to give way to the younger generation?
Faced with the outcry caused by false scoops and dubious analyses, the network must restore its credibility. Can she do it with or without Flynn?
The challenge, however, is how RDS will manage this transition. An abrupt firing could spark an outpouring of sympathy for Flynn, something the network may want to avoid.
A discreet repositioning seems more likely, especially since Flynn remains popular with certain audiences who find him “entertaining”, even unintentionally.
In 2024, Flynn has become a symbol of an era where sensationalism paid more than credibility.
In 2025, RDS will be at a crossroads.
Flynn's escapades amused Quebec, but the sports network will have to choose between the circus…or sports TV…
