Ron MacLean
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Ron MacLean (born April 12, 1960, in Zweibrücken, Germany) is a Canadian sportscaster for the CBC.
MacLean's father was a communications officer in the Canadian Air Force and while he was stationed in Germany MacLean as born. Fourteen months later the family moved to Canada and MacLean grew up in Chester, Nova Scotia and Red Deer, Alberta.
He is best known as the host of Hockey Night in Canada, and in doing so he hosts Coach's Corner with the controversial Don Cherry. He also has worked the Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games, Canadian Skins Game, World Track and Field Championships, and the Calgary Stampede for the CBC. In addition to covering the National Hockey League for CBC, he has also covered international hockey (World Cup of Hockey and the Olympic hockey) competition. He also hosts the CBC's annual Hockey Day in Canada broadcast plus the annual NHL Awards ceremony. He also hosted the closing ceremonies at Maple Leaf Gardens in February of 1999. He has been named the top sportscaster in Canada on numerous occasions and has received six Gemini Awards.
He almost left the network in 2002 in a contract dispute that made headlines from coast to coast to coast in Canada. The CBC gave in to his demands a couple of days later, due to the huge public outcry that it caused. This outcry demonstrated how popular he has become in Canada.
His broadcasting career began in 1978 at CKRD radio in Red Deer, Alberta. Later he worked as a weatherman in Calgary, Alberta before he was hired by CFAC, a TV station in Calgary, to broadcast games of the Calgary Flames in 1984. In 1986, he was hired by the CBC to work on Hockey Night in Canada. Over the years, he has become known for his unique sense of humour, in particular his jokes about Don and his puns.
He is also a level 5 referee with Hockey Canada. In the past he has refereed in junior, minor pro, senior, and university leagues across Canada, mostly in the southern Ontario region. His interest in refereeing extends to his career in broadcasting. Almost everytime he interviews NHL commisoneer Gary Bettman, he spends the entire interview talking about referees and rules.
During the 2004-2005 NHL Lockout, Ron is hosting Movie Night in Canada, which is replacing Hockey Night in Canada. He has also been touring the country in support of The Shockers hockey team. Promotional footage can be found on the teams website.
MacLean is an Honorary Colonel for the 1 Air Movements Squadron at 17 Wing Winnipeg of the Royal Canadian Air Force.