The NHL has reached an agreement with Rogers Communications on a 12-year media rights deal in Canada.
Rogers officially announced the new contract on Wednesday. A company spokesperson said the financial terms include escalating annual payments totalling $11 billion to the NHL over the 12-year term.
The agreement marks another revenue boost for the NHL as the salary cap rises. The previous contract, signed in November 2013, was valued at $5.2 billion CAD over 12 years.
“Sports are core to our company, and these rights are the most valuable sports rights in Canada. This renewed investment strengthens our sports leadership and our world-class sports assets,” said Tony Staffieri, President and CEO of Rogers.
“When we announced the initial deal 12 years ago, we set a clear goal: to be the No. 1 sports media brand in Canada. Sportsnet has held that title for 10 straight years. We’ve invested and grown the game of hockey, and we are confident our new milestone agreement will continue to be just as successful.”
The new deal, pending approval from NHL owners, will commence with the 2026-27 NHL season and will more than double the annual value of the previous contract.
“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.”
Rogers says this will allow fans to access more live national games and fewer regional blackouts. With the agreement, Rogers secured national rights across all platforms, including TV, digital, and streaming, for all national regular-season games, playoff games, and Stanley Cup final games in all languages.
Rogers will continue to air games on its Sportsnet networks and maintain “Hockey Night in Canada” broadcasts.
Rogers is the parent company of CityNews.
