Beloved Hockey Night in Canada broadcaster takes jabs at Maple Leafs fans
Jim Hughson, the former broadcaster known to hockey and video game fans alike, has made some negative remarks about the Leafs fanbase.
After retiring in September 2021, Jim Hughson looked back on a career that included stints with Hockey Night in Canada, Sportsnet, the Vancouver Canucks, and EA Sports video games. Despite his many achievements, he recalls a particularly negative experience involving the Toronto Maple Leafs and their fans, who frequently criticized him for allegedly not being a true fan when calling their games.
"One downside of having the top chair on Hockey Night in Canada is you basically become a Toronto Maple Leafs broadcaster," Hughson said. "Everyone in a local fanbase expects their broadcasters to be like them. It's hard to win."Local people didn't think I was a big enough fan, and others thought I was too much of a fan," he recalled. "When I broadcasted the Maple Leafs, fans wanted me to be just like them, and if I wasn't, they assumed I hated the team."
Hughson voiced significant criticism of social media, claiming that the widespread availability of these platforms has posed challenges for broadcasters, as they now have to contend with the ease of public opinion expression.
"As the years have gone by, I've noticed a real change in fandom. Part of it is social media, but it's just the way local fans expect their broadcasters to be like them," he said. "Now, you get judged every minute on social media, which has changed broadcasting entirely."
No matter how little Hughson felt appreciated by Leafs fans, his voice will undoubtedly be etched in the memories of hockey enthusiasts for years to come.
Source: House of Hockey
Maple Leafs fans get exposed by famous broadcaster
| POLL |
JUILLET 19 | 90 ANSWERS Beloved Hockey Night in Canada broadcaster takes jabs at Maple Leafs fans Would you consider Jim Hughson your favorite hockey announcer of all time? |
| Yes | 19 | 21.1 % |
| No | 71 | 78.9 % |
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