Former broadcaster opens up about criticism from Toronto Maple Leafs fans

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Josh Tupper
July 17, 2024 (9:27 PM)

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Jim Hughson Opens Up About Challenges with Toronto Maple Leafs Fans and Changes in Fandom Over the Years

Once one of the most well-known names in Canadian sports broadcasting, Jim Hughson retired in 2021 after a 42-year career calling games, starting with radio in 1979. Hughson saw a lot over the years and took a lot of heat at times, especially from fans of the Toronto Maple Leafs. He's now addressing that, and the changes he saw in fandom throughout his career.

For several years before retiring, Hughson served as the lead play-by-play commentator on Sportsnet and Hockey Night in Canada. His schedule included many Maple Leafs games, and the B.C. native (and presumed fan of the Vancouver Canucks growing up) took a ton of criticism for apparently not being a fan of the team.

"Local people didn't think I was a big enough fan. When I broadcasted the Maple Leafs, one of the downsides of having the top chair on Hockey Night in Canada is basically you become a Toronto Maple Leafs broadcaster. Everybody in a local fanbase expects their broadcasters to be like them...it's a hard one to win."

Hughson added fans no longer expect broadcasters to maintain impartiality when calling a game.

"As the years have gone by, I've noticed a real change in fandom. And a part of it is social media, I think. But the local fan base expects their broadcasters to be like them. They want fans. And if you're not, you must hate them! And that's the problem you get when you're broadcasting on the national level out of Toronto."

Whether or not Hughson has a point, there are still some Maple Leafs fans who remain angry at his perceived lack of love for the team.

"He was terrible for the Leafs. Every fan could hear the disdain in his voice at having to become a 'Leafs Fan' and he never was able to hide it like the Great Bob Cole."

He was terrible for the Leafs. Every fan could hear the disdain in his voice at having to become a "Leafs Fan" and he never was able to hide it like the Great Bob Cole� Leafs1966-67 (@SamWell54630455) July 17, 2024

Hughson's comments provide a unique insight into the pressures and expectations placed on national broadcasters in a sports-crazed market like Toronto. His experience underscores the growing divide between impartial sports commentary and fan-driven expectations, a dynamic that continues to evolve in the age of social media.

Source: Blade of Steel
Former broadcaster talks about criticism from Leafs fans on national broadcasts