CBC to stop airing NHL games after 74 years, end of free hockey on Canadian TV
7 hours ago
- #Media Transition
- #NHL Broadcasting
- #Canadian Sports
- The era of free hockey on Canadian television has ended, with Sportsnet and CBC announcing the end of their pact, marking the conclusion of Hockey Night in Canada in its current form.
- Hockey Night in Canada, a cultural icon since 1952, will now air Saturday night games exclusively on subscription service Sportsnet, moving away from public broadcaster CBC.
- Sportsnet, owned by Rogers Communications, acquired NHL rights in a $5.2-billion, 12-year deal starting in 2014, leading to exclusive broadcasts and increased subscription fees.
- Viewership for Hockey Night in Canada on CBC has declined significantly, with early Saturday night game audiences down 70% since 2014, prompting the shift to Sportsnet.
- CBC will focus on amateur and Olympic sports, launching a new prime time Saturday show to profile Canadian athletes between Olympic and Paralympic Games.
- Rogers is positioning its sports media division as a premium offering, with a new $11-billion, 12-year NHL agreement signed in 2025, aiming for immediate profitability.
- The CBC retains ownership of the Hockey Night in Canada brand and plans to use it in the future, despite the end of its traditional broadcast format.