2008 File Photo: Alumni of the former Vancouver TV show Sports Page will be part of the Sports Page: The Exhibit at The B.C. Sports Hall of Fame.
Sports Page, the iconic and beloved Vancouver sports highlights TV show that launched the careers of some of sports broadcasting’s biggest hitters, is getting its own exhibit at the B.C. Sports Hall of Fame.
Sports Page: The Exhibit celebrates the 40th anniversary of the start of the show, which first hit the airwaves in 1977 on CKVU.
Canucks play-by-play man John Shorthouse’s career started on CKVU’s Sports Page. .
.
The show, which launched the careers of Don Taylor, Barry Macdonald, Paul Carson, Dan Murphy, Dave Randorf, John Shorthouse, Scott Rintoul and Blake Price, continued on CKVU until 2001 before moving to CHEK for its final four years.
Before we had a universe of 24-hour sports channels and online content, Sports Page was must-watch TV for B.C. sports fans.
The brand-new exhibit, which opens Dec. 9, will feature a re-creation of the Sports Page anchor desk, interactive trivia games, items of memorabilia, inside stories and anecdotes as well as artifacts related to both the show and the events it covered.
The exhibit will have a dedicated section to Yulin’ with the Page, the Sports Page’s annual Christmas-themed program, which will showcase the annual Plays of the Year footage from the past, in a 1990’s era living room, complete with period fireplaces, furniture and Christmas decorations.
Also featured will be clips of Sports Page’s first and last moments, as well as beloved anniversary shows, and a full roster of the program’s alumni.
Sports Page: The Exhibit
Public Opening: Dec. 9
Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (closed at start of game days at B.C. Place)
Location: Gate A of B.C. Place Stadium (next to Terry Fox Plaza)
Admission: Adults $15; Youth (6-17), Students and Seniors: $12
Great to see a fabulous local sports program being celebrated. I know for me it was always must watch or record television. There has been a huge void in the local sports scene since its demise. I still miss the Yukon special, a Christmas classic. I will say though that it wasn’t the same after it left VU.
Sports Page was must see TV. Only Game On on CHEK remains a dedicated 30 minutes of local sports albeit Vancouver Island sports.
And just once a week instead of Sunday to Friday as Sports Page was.
It was a big loss when the Page went off the air. Toronto-centric highlight shows don’t even come close to filling the void. Luckily our local TV news still does what they can but it will never be the same.
You had to know that Sports Page flourished in a singular space in time. The right show in the right market in the right era, before the broadcasting universe took a turn (for better or worse) and fragmented it all. I got to know these guys only peripherally, because I was in the same building, but they looked like they were having a helluva time! Ask them now and I know that most would regard those days so warmly. We all have those sweet spots in time. I’m sure this was one of those for them. Savour it guys.
SP was a Great Show and it was very unique as it was locally produced, had really “NO Name” on Air People without the Wanna Be Ego thing that did a great job and they could somehow relate to the viewers.
I am not a Media Person but I also believe that the later night time slot also worked so very well.
Many night I arrived home during those SP years and tuned in to see and hear the Sports Results and Stories of that day.
I also believe the Local SP Broadcasts greatly benefitted Local Sports Teams which ultimately helped Attendance Numbers.