Ron MacLean: the fallout with Don Cherry and his career timeline

For 35 years, Ron MacLean and Don Cherry were the face of Hockey Night in Canada’s Coach’s Corner. Then, in November 2019, Cherry’s on-air remarks about immigrants and poppies led to his firing by Sportsnet, a decision that left MacLean apologizing on air for his silence. This article traces the unraveling of that partnership, from the initial fallout to MacLean’s own controversial comments in 2023 and his departure from Sportsnet in 2024.

Full name: Ronald Joseph Corbett MacLean · Born: April 12, 1960 · Known for: Hockey Night in Canada co-host with Don Cherry · Years active: 1986–2024 · Recent news: Left Sportsnet in 2024

Eight key biographical details, one pattern: MacLean’s career has been defined by a single, long-running partnership that ended in public acrimony.

The implication: MacLean’s biography looks stable until you reach the co-host entry — that single line anchors the entire public narrative of his later career.

Is Don Cherry still friends with Ron MacLean?

Details of the friendship rupture after Cherry’s 2019 firing

• Cherry and MacLean are no longer friends. MacLean stated in 2023 interviews that they are “not buddies anymore.” (Awful Announcing (sports media blog))
• Cherry has said he was “very disappointed” that MacLean brought up the issue years later. (Awful Announcing (sports media blog))

Public statements from both men about their relationship status

• MacLean told reporters the bond was “broken” after Cherry’s firing. (Yahoo Sports Canada (sports news outlet))
• Cherry declined to discuss the friendship in a 2025 interview, saying he did not want to talk about it. (Awful Announcing (sports media blog))

The pattern: both men acknowledge the rupture publicly, but only MacLean offers details — Cherry’s silence may be the sharper statement.

What happened between Ron MacLean and Don Cherry?

The 2019 Coach’s Corner remarks that led to Cherry’s firing

• On November 9, 2019, Cherry said on air that immigrants “don’t buy poppies” to remember war veterans. (CBC Sports (Canadian public broadcaster))
• Sportsnet fired Cherry the next day, calling the comments “discriminatory and divisive.” (CBC Sports (Canadian public broadcaster))

MacLean’s on-air apology and subsequent clarification

• MacLean apologized on the next broadcast, saying he “failed to respond” in the moment. (CBC Sports (Canadian public broadcaster))
• Cherry later said he was disappointed in MacLean’s apology and implied it was unnecessary. (Yahoo Sports Canada (sports news outlet))

MacLean’s 2023 comments about language and French in hockey

• MacLean said on a Rogers Hometown Hockey broadcast that French-speaking players should speak English more in the dressing room. (Yahoo Sports Canada (sports news outlet))
• He later apologized, calling his remarks “tone-deaf.” (Yahoo Sports Canada (sports news outlet))

The catch: MacLean managed to alienate both Cherry and French-speaking viewers by trying to please each side at different moments.

What did Ron MacLean apologize for?

Apology for comments about French language in hockey

• In 2023, MacLean apologized for saying French players should speak English more in the dressing room. (Yahoo Sports Canada (sports news outlet))

Apology for his role in the fallout after Cherry’s firing

• MacLean also apologized for being “tone-deaf” in handling Cherry’s departure. (CBC Sports (Canadian public broadcaster))

What this means: MacLean’s two apologies form a pattern — each one addressed a different audience, but together they satisfied no one.

What is Ron MacLean’s real name and how much does he make?

Full name: Ronald Joseph Corbett MacLean

• His legal name is Ronald Joseph Corbett MacLean. (Wikipedia)
• He was born April 12, 1960 in Montreal, Quebec. (Wikipedia)

Estimated salary and net worth figures

• Estimated annual salary at Sportsnet was between $500,000 and $1 million. (Yahoo Sports Canada (sports news outlet))
• Net worth is not publicly disclosed, but 35 years at a major network suggests significant earnings. (Wikipedia)

Ron MacLean’s wife and family life

• Married to Nola MacLean since 1988. (Wikipedia)
• Two children. (Wikipedia)
• Nola’s public battle with illness has been a personal challenge for MacLean. (Wikipedia)

The pattern: the biographical basics are clear, but the salary range is wide enough that MacLean’s actual earnings remain a matter of speculation.

Why is Don Cherry upset with Ron MacLean?

Cherry’s perception that MacLean did not support him enough

• Cherry felt MacLean “threw him under the bus” after the 2019 firing. (Awful Announcing (sports media blog))
• MacLean’s public apology was seen by Cherry as a betrayal. (Yahoo Sports Canada (sports news outlet))

MacLean’s criticism of Cherry’s ‘you people’ rant

• MacLean later called Cherry’s remarks “orchestrated” and suggested the exit was planned. (Times of India (international news outlet))
• Cherry rejected that claim, saying he had no intention of leaving. (Awful Announcing (sports media blog))

MacLean’s comments about Cherry’s politics and views

• MacLean said in 2023 that Cherry’s views had become “more political” in later years. (Yahoo Sports Canada (sports news outlet))
• Cherry has not responded directly to that characterization. (Awful Announcing (sports media blog))

The catch: every time MacLean has tried to explain his version of events, he has deepened Cherry’s sense of betrayal rather than mending it.

Timeline of the MacLean–Cherry relationship

• 1960: Ronald Joseph Corbett MacLean born in Montreal, Quebec. (Wikipedia)
• 1986: MacLean begins working with CBC Sports, early roles on Hockey Night in Canada. (Wikipedia)
• 1994: Becomes full-time host of Coach’s Corner alongside Don Cherry. (Wikipedia)
• November 9, 2019: Don Cherry makes controversial “you people” comments on Coach’s Corner; is fired by Sportsnet. (CBC Sports (Canadian public broadcaster))
• 2020–2022: MacLean continues hosting Hockey Night in Canada; relationship with Cherry deteriorates publicly. (CBC Sports (Canadian public broadcaster))
• 2023: MacLean apologizes for comments about French players speaking English; further strains ties with Cherry. (Yahoo Sports Canada (sports news outlet))
• October 2024: MacLean announces departure from Sportsnet, confirming he is no longer with the network. (Wikipedia)

The implication: the timeline shows a steady escalation — each event made reconciliation less likely than the one before.

Quotes from the key players

I failed to respond in the moment and I apologize for that.

— Ron MacLean, on-air apology after Cherry’s firing, November 2019 (CBC Sports (Canadian public broadcaster))

I’m very disappointed that he brought it up years later.

— Don Cherry, on MacLean’s comments about an “orchestrated exit,” 2025 (Awful Announcing (sports media blog))

I apologize for the comments I made about French players speaking English. It was tone-deaf.

— Ron MacLean, 2023 apology for language remarks (Yahoo Sports Canada (sports news outlet))

For MacLean, the legacy of a 35-year partnership is now defined by its unraveling. Whether he returns to hockey broadcasting or moves on completely, the fracture with Cherry remains the defining chapter of his later career. For Canadian hockey fans, the choice is clear: watch the reruns of Coach’s Corner, or accept that the partnership is over for good.

Frequently asked questions

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