Hockey is a hell of a lot of fun. But right now, the sport is going through a reckoning. Allegations of racism, corruption, sexual misconduct and so much more are rocking the game to its core.

But the truth is that in Canada, hockey is more than just a sport. It’s a civic religion, with a billion dollar business attached to it.

Over the next seven episodes, COMMONS will be digging into the cult of hockey, scrutinizing its doctrines and exposing its secrets.

Featured in this episode: Ian Kennedy (The Hockey News)

Editor’s Note: a different version of this episode was published on the subscriber-only feed of Commons. No inaccuracies were found in the original version, changes were made by the Editor in Chief for storytelling purposes.

To learn more:

“How a Toronto hockey league turns kids’ joy into an $8.8m cash cow” by Ian Kennedy and Nathan Kalman-Lamb in The Guardian

“Aliu says GTHL rejected organization that would have assured spots for BIPOC players” by Rick Westhead in TSN

“Prospective buyer says he was coached to skirt GTHL’s rules on organization sales” by Rick Westhead in TSN

“Rinks of dreams: The Little One had style” by Bruce Lowitt in The Tampa Bay Times

Credits: Annette Ejiofor (Managing Editor)

Additional music from Audio Network

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Hockey, Salt Lake’s New Cult