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To whom it may concern,

This letter is to the men and women in the drivers seat over at CBC Sports most likely located in Toronto. I am writing to you today to inform you of two very important things. First of all to remind you where the Maritimes are located and to secondly voice my displeasure at the decision you made on Nov. 4, 2007.

To begin with, in case you have forgotten, Atlantic Canada consists of New Brunswick, PEI, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland (yes even Labrador). We are a simple bunch of people who like the slower pace of life and dream of a day when we will be taken seriously like the rest of Canada. In so many ways we are the middle child of Canada it seems. The Jan of this great Brady Bunch we call a country. We are always forgotten about in the big picture.

You may have heard of us when you last ordered lobster or maybe you had the news on when Hurricane Noel was heading for Canada. Yes that was us that was under that giant blob of colour on the fancy weather maps on the news. I am sure you know where Alexander Keith’s beer comes from? Hell there is a bank that uses part of Nova Scotia in their name.

Okay so that is a brief lesson in geography just to get you caught up. Now for my second point.

On Nov. 4, 2007 the Toronto Raptors were playing their first game to be televised on your prized network and it was going to be a special event that just might one day bring basketball to a new level in Canada.

Your network, the CBC covering the Raptors, what a great chance to please the thousands and thousands of basketball fans in this country who do not get TSN or The Score or Sportsnet. What a great chance to bring one of the most exciting teams in the NBA to the many homes in our great country and show that we do in fact succeed at something other than curling.

Here is where you went oh so wrong.

On Nov. 4, 2007 I was incredibly excited to sit down on the couch and enjoy the first Raptors game on CBC against the Boston Celtics. By the way if the Raptors are not the favourite team in Eastern Canada, the Celtics most likely are. What a great game to showcase on this eventful day. I was even more excited about this game than the NFL’s mini-Superbowl later in the day.

It was all going to happen, the day was going to go down as a great one for Canada, the Raptors and most importantly, ME!

Then it all went to shit (pardon my francais)

For reasons I still can’t figure out, you (the CBC) decided that Eastern Canada (everything east of what is important) was not going to get to see the game. It was not going to be broadcast. It was not going to be on. You get the picture (or in my case not)

You said it was because of daylight savings time or that they were unable to coordinate the time change. I find that hard to believe. I worked at TSN and there was never a time change issue.

So instead of seeing George Strombopolous do his best Dane Cook/Rod Black impression we were treated to a movie that I could not even look into enough to tell you the name. Was it not possible to show the movie another time? There are 20 hours in the day that very few people watch your channel. Shame on you CBC.

I had posted a story from the Globe about this and it seemed to be the only place that Maritimers like myself could find out what was going on. Why was it not promoted? Why were we in the dark? Your website said nothing of this, the game was supposed to be national.

Back in the day I always was under the impression that the Raptors/NBA took most of their games away from Sportsnet because they were omly showing the games regionally. So why does CBC get to do it? Is it because you are the be-all and end-all in Canadian TV?

I could not settle down on Sunday I was so frustrated. Sadly I do not have digital cable so I had to go without. Thankfully my fellow kind Canadians helped me out with phone calls and updates. All I could give back was how the movie was.

Is there a better explanation as to why the game was not on in the Atlantic Canada? My friends in Ontario were laughing because they have always assumed we live in the dark ages out here and seeing as we just got Sunday shopping last year how can I argue?

The East Coast loves hoops as much as the rest of Canada. The college final four has been out here ever since I can remember and the grass roots level of play is high.

It should be your mandate as a Canadian broadcaster to sharethe only Canadian NBA team with the whole country. There was no hockey on, the figure skating was over and I am sure Rick Mercer does not have to be on the air 24-7. Show some Raptor love, show some East Coast love.

When there was a fire reported at the CBC building in Halifax on Monday morning, I admit to having a private chuckle to myelf. Nobody was hurt and it was blamed on Noel.

I would like to think that the basketball gods were looking down on you and getting their two cents in.

I survived the day and even though it was a game that was worth seeing I will be letting it go by the time this letter is posted. My anger will be clear and my mind will be ready to move on.

That being said, don’t do it again. Who knows what the basketball gods will do next.

They may just hit you where it hurts and take Strombo away.

Thank you for you time,

Michael Cusden

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