Essay Sample on Televised Hockey

Introduction

For Canada and its citizens, ice hockey is more than just a game. Canadians' love for the sport has made it an integral part of their culture. Despite changes that have occurred in the game and its consumption by the masses, hockey remains a central feature in Canada's national culture. The people's love and adoration for the sport make it a primary unifying factor that overcomes divisions that characterize any diverse population. The game, with millions of fans, is a part of the citizens' national identity. The tradition of gathering around a radio or television to follow the matches has become a ritual for a majority of the Canadians. This paper asserts the claim that the sport and its broadcast is a unique artifact of Canada's popular culture.

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Hockey is a symbol of national identity in Canada. The emphasis of the sport's importance to Canadians is evident in many aspects of life. For instance, children get exposed to the thrill and experience of playing hockey at an early age. Parents who are enthusiastic about hockey teach their children how to skate and hold a stick while they are still young. The children take pride in possessing basic knowledge and skills necessary for participation in the sport. Bonds formed as the old shared information about the appeal of hockey and its value are a rite of passage. Given the early exposure to the game, its history and essence in Canada's culture have enabled hockey to thrive on as a favourite for most citizens.

The popularity of hockey among Canadians has thrived since the inception of the sport. The National Hockey League (NHL) is very popular in Canada. As the premier professional ice hockey league, it has impacted the nature of the sport over the years. Given that hockey is a full-contact sport, NHL has set several standards necessary to uphold professionalism. Regardless of its efforts, dramatic incidences often occur during highly-charged matches. Success in the game takes skills, speed, a team spirit, and violent contact. Fast-paced games that result in drama such as angry expressions and temper tantrums make the sport more interesting to listen to and watch. The intensity of the competition, paired with the use of electronic technology to broadcast the matches, define Canada's hockey culture.

A revolution in the technology and information world contributed to the popularity of hockey across Canada. Technological advancements in the broadcast industry enabled millions of people who could not make it to the arenas to follow the games. Several fans enjoyed the experience of the match through the radio sets while others viewed them on televisions. For listeners who relied on radios to participate in the game, the voices of the broadcasters served the much-anticipated thrill of watching the match live. Thus, whenever an NHL game aired on radio, people came together to listen, cheer, and support their teams. The dramatic presentation by the announcers sought to give the people a real experience of the action at the arena.

However, with time, the television audience grew significantly. Thus, the camera and commentators transmitted the mystique of the sport to more people. Broadcasting the intense matches to the people at the comfort of their homes increased the popularity of the hockey culture. Stations recorded high numbers of viewers across the nation as people tuned their televisions to watch hockey during the series. Canadians of diverse backgrounds united in support of their team as they keenly followed the televised action. Watching televised hockey became a national occupation. People identified with specific groups and rallied behind the players as they enjoyed the gracefulness of the sport. Thus, Canadians remained glued to the screens to partake in the glory of the competition. The presentation of live pictures impacted the appeal of the game as it heightened the excitement for viewers in distant locations.

Televised hockey allowed the people to conceive notions about the sport by experiencing some aspects of it. For some of the fans, hockey was a representation of the toughness of the Canadian people. Competing in unfavourable conditions such as the cold weather and defeating your opponents was evidence of immense power. Thus, the game symbolized strength. Broadcasting of the matches impacted the cultural identity as viewers observed the harsh and demanding nature of the sport. Televising of the competitions perpetuates the belief that the male community is robust. The audience gets to see the players endure hard and violent tackles and ugly confrontations that ensue. Such actions reinforce popular Canadian beliefs about the sportsmen.

Viewership of the games on a national scale nationalizes rituals and practices that characterize the game. For instance, successful participation in the ice hockey rink requires effort, good sportsmanship, commitment and teamwork. These are traits that the nation strives to nurture among its citizens. Televising esteemed players whose actions reflect these virtues has an impact on the audiences. Dedicated athletes who work hard and combine efforts to achieve success encourage the people to embrace these traits. Hence, Canada's popular hockey culture continues to shape aspects of daily life such as language use, patriotism and interrelations. The portrayal of the players' actions makes public activities that differentiate excellent teams from average ones. Thus, the representation influences distinct cultural features as people embrace specific traditions associated with top performers.

The televised play has also helped in the creation of artifacts that detail Canada's popular culture. Live airing of the sport increases its popularity as well as that of the most talented players too. Thus, the hockey fan base continues to grow. The fans get to relive the experience of exceptional matches through touring places such as the Hockey Hall of Fame. The site displays several memorabilia of significant value to hockey enthusiasts. Among these items are recordings of televised matches from previous years. The plays, presented through recorded videotapes, provide the fans with a trip down memory lane. Besides, television serves as a tool that facilitates the preservation of the hockey culture. The technology enables broadcasters to make and keep records of memorable incidents and competitions that Canadians treasure.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the airing of hockey games on live television is one of the avenues that highlight Canadians' love for the game. In Canada, hockey is a national sport, a symbol of national unity and an identity marker. The citizens place a lot of value in the sport. It impacts various aspects of their daily lives since most Canadians identify with hockey, the teams, players and rules from an early age. Thus, majority of the diverse populations are passionate about it and enjoy the sport. By using information and communication technology, broadcasters have relayed live experiences to the masses for several decades. The people follow and relish the high-intensity sport through their television sets with a unique keenness. Hence, the televised play is an integral part of Canada's culture.

Bibliography

Bell, Alison Joanne. From pond to pro: Hockey as a symbol of Canadian National Identity. Carleton University, 2007.

Earle, Neil. "Hockey as Canadian popular culture: Team Canada 1972, television and the Canadian identity." Journal of Canadian Studies 30, no. 2 (1995): 107-123.

Kidd, Bruce. "The making of a hockey artifact: A review of the Hockey Hall of Fame." (1996): 328-334.