NFL Blitzes Trudeau in Arcane Super Bowl Advertising Dispute

Recent telecom ruling allows U.S. spots to air north of border
But league, BCE Inc., actors and lawmakers are fighting it

SANTA CLARA, CA - FEBRUARY 07: Peyton Manning #18 of the Denver Broncos holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy following during Super Bowl 50 against the Carolina Panthers at Levi's Stadium on February 7, 2016 in Santa Clara, California.
Photographer: Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

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By Josh Wingrove and Gerrit De Vynck

January 9, 2017 at 10:00 AM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

The Super Bowl always comes with a dose of Canadian grumbling. The U.S. ads synonymous with television’s premiere event have long been blocked north of the border, riling viewers who are force-fed local ads instead.

This year, that’s set to change after a populist ruling cleared the way for Budweiser Clydesdales to trot onto Canadian airwaves. The only problem? It also kicked off a Super Bowl-sized fight that landed at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s feet.