American Super Bowl commercials to air in Canada; is it the right move?

While the following story may not impact many American Super Bowl viewers out there, what we are reporting on today is something that has huge implications for viewers who live north of the border.

For the first time in several decades, Super Bowl LI will feature American commercials no matter where you live in the United States and Canada — depending on where you watch. This was a move determined recently by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (a.k.a. the CRTC), an organization responsible for regulating many matters in the country related to TV.

Here are the specifics – If you watch CTV specifically, you can still see Canadian ads. If you watch Fox or another feed in Canada, you’ll get a chance to see those American ads.

This is a move that has also been heavily criticized and fought by a number of different sources, including CTV (who still wants the majority of the viewers) and also the NFL at times. The CRTC decision is based on one perception — the American ads, which are often expensive and star-studded, are a huge part of the game experience. As a viewer, we do agree with this for the most part given that they are a big part of the cultural narrative.

On the flip side, the big critique with this move is that you’re taking money away from the network, and exposure away from many quality Canadian advertisers who could benefit from the exclusive air time. Many of the advertisements during the game are for things not even available in Canada, so it seems rather strange for people to view them.

Here’s another big critique for putting U.S. ads in the game — it’s not like they are hidden on the internet. You can easily find them on YouTube; we’re even going to be reviewing many of them throughout the day for your convenience.

Is there a way to satisfy everyone with this debate? Probably not, given that you’re never going to make everyone happy, especially in terms of business. If we were to be a key decision-maker in all of this, what we would say is this: Keep the American commercials who are relevant, and replace the ones that have no bearing on Canadian consumers. Give local advertisers a chance, while keeping at least some of the spirit of the big game alive. It’s the closest thing to a compromise that you’re going to get.

What do you think about this move: Do you enjoy the U.S. commercials, or do you think it’s a slap in the face to Canadian businesses and advertisers? Share in the comments below. (Photo: Super Bowl LI.)