Rogers Communications and the National Hockey League (NHL) have released details of a new 12-year multi-platform media rights agreement through the 2037-38 seasons.
The $11 billion CDN agreement, to be paid in escalating annual payments, starts in 2026-27, following the conclusion of the current 12-year deal, extending the partnership to over two decades.
“The NHL has been a terrific partner for over a decade, and we’re proud to continue our partnership and bring more great fan experiences and best-in-class broadcasts to Canadians,” said Tony Staffieri, President and CEO, Rogers, in an announcement. “Hockey is Canada’s game and we’re proud to be the home of hockey. Sports are core to our company, and these rights are the most valuable sports rights in Canada.”
“For more than a decade, Rogers has done an incredible job of conveying what NHL hockey, our players and our teams mean to hockey fans and their communities from coast to coast to coast,” added NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. “We’re thrilled to continue our landmark partnership for an additional 12 years. The NHL and Rogers have a shared commitment to best serving Canadian fans and the unmatched passion that they have for our game, and we are particularly excited that through this agreement, we’ll bring more live games to more fans across Canada.”
Rogers says under the new agreement, fans will have access to more live national games and fewer regional blackouts. The deal encompasses national rights across all platforms, including TV, digital, and streaming, for all national regular season games, in all languages, national rights to all playoff games, the Stanley Cup Final, all special events, and tentpole events, in all languages, and out-of-market rights for all regional games.
The agreement allows for the possibility of strategic sub-licensing for a subset of these rights, including national French-language and a single-night exclusive national package.
“Hockey is part of the fabric of Canadian culture and our long-term relationship with the NHL helped make Sportsnet Canada’s #1 sports media brand,” said Colette Watson, President, Rogers Sports & Media. “Canadians overwhelmingly choose Sportsnet, and we are investing in this partnership, so fans have access to more games, more content and more choice from their favourite teams across the league.”
