TORONTO, ON – Rogers Communications and the National Hockey League (NHL) today announced a 12-year agreement for the national media rights to NHL games on all platforms in Canada through the 2037-38 season. The $11 billion CDN agreement starts in 2026-27 following the conclusion of the current landmark 12-year deal, extending the strategic 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. “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,” said 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.”
Under the new agreement, fans will have access to more live national games than ever before and fewer regional blackouts. Other highlights include:
- 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 and all special events, and tentpole events, in all languages.
- Out-of-market rights for all regional games.
- The exclusive category sponsor for the NHL and all NHL tentpole events held in Canada.
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.”
This agreement is expected to be accretive to Rogers shareholders and continue to drive profitability for Rogers Sports & Media from the outset. The financial terms are comprised of escalating annual payments that will total $11 billion paid to the NHL over the 12-year term.
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