New music, new graphics, new era
The first major televised event of the season is underway and it comes with a big shock, which has nothing to do with upsets or team changes.
TSN has changed their curling show intro, including the theme music.
Gone is the triumphant, brassy fanfare we’ve been used to for the past 20 or so years. A new, dramatic, strings-heavy epic with a fresh appearance now introduces us to each game of “TSN Championship Curling” coverage going forward.
When asked about the update, Curling Canada’s Kyle Jahns described how “the presentation was updated to align with how Curling Canada is showcasing the sport.
“It was a collaborative effort between TSN and Curling Canada.”
Curling Canada first got serious about the sport and its external perceptions last season, with their annual release of promo commercials for the Brier and Scotties starring Brad Gushue and Kerri Einarson.
This time there was no levity in the spots.
Both skips were throwing stones in a very dark rink. There were closeups. There was a moody soundtrack and a crisp voiceover.
Serious stuff.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIii-HEyigI[/embed]
Apparently, curlers had been telling their adminstrators that recent depictions of the sport were somewhat embarrassing, and they wanted to be treated with more respect... like athletes from other sports.
Now comes this big change to TSN’s opening titles and soundtrack.
Personally, I give the new theme music a big thumbs up. While many fans might have had a soft spot for the old tune, it had long ago become tired.
The attachment we had for the previous theme wasn’t because it was a timeless piece of music, but rather because we associated it with the feelings that crept in when we were about to watch some championship curling.
The new theme will have the same effect in time.
Along with the new music comes an updated graphics package, which is still a series of CGI rocks sliding along ice, but at least it’s updated. A couple of the stones are fully encased in ice, which is kind of cool—cold, actually.
This marks the first major change to TSN’s stagnant production since the introduction of high-definition broadcasts, and hopefully more shakeups are on the way.
There’s new competition in the neighborhood, after all.