This month marks the end of three Canadian sports radio stations after Bell Media announced hundreds of layoffs and pulled The Sports Network (TSN) from the airwaves in Vancouver, Hamilton, and Winnipeg. With loyal listeners shocked by the announcement, we reflect on the impact sports media has on our communities.

Being from a small town just outside of Vancouver, I grew up listening to TSN 1040 AM with my dad. Driving to and from school or basketball practice, the sports radio was always on. My dad and I would weigh in on the commentary as if we were a part of the broadcast, and from that point on, I knew that I wanted to get behind the microphone myself one day. 

So when Bell Media decided to pull the sports format on February 9, I felt like I had lost a piece of my childhood.

For many people, consuming sports media is a part of their everyday routine. We don’t always share the same opinion or cheer for the same team, but discussing sports remains a great Canadian pastime. Sports have a way of bringing people together. 

Sports media has become more than a platform to recap the previous night’s game or to catch the latest update on the NHL standings; it is a network of diverse personalities across TV, radio, and podcasts. At TSN, these were local people who lived in our neighborhoods and represented our communities. They brought us together — not only as sports fans but as a community.

This past week, I had the chance to hear from Jeff Paterson, a former broadcaster for TSN 1040 AM, to get his take on the importance of sports media in our communities. He wrote that good radio hosts are trusted by their listeners and make those listeners feel like a crucial element of the show.

He also shared the response he has received from fans, writing about how amazed he was that people reached out to him from around the world to say that they used his radio station to stay connected to their hometown. This is just one example of how impactful sports media can be in creating a sense of community.

As a fan, it’s upsetting to lose a piece of what brings you closer to others everyday, especially during the pandemic. Sports media will press on and will continue to bring communities together and update you on everything you need to know about the latest sports. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do, sports will always bring us together.