Rogers Communications and Amazon's Prime Video have entered a 12-year sublicensing agreement for exclusive Canadian broadcast rights to Wednesday night NHL games starting in the 2026-2027 season. The deal solidifies the movement of premium live sports content toward digital streaming platforms in the Canadian market.
This long-term commitment cements streaming as a primary pillar for Tier 1 sports in Canada rather than just a secondary experimental window. By shifting the Wednesday night franchise to Prime Video, Rogers offloads significant sublicensing costs while maintaining the bulk of 'Hockey Night in Canada' inventory on Sportsnet. For Amazon, the 12-year lock-in mirrors its aggressive NFL strategy, giving the streamer stable, high-intent reach to drive Prime memberships in a critical market. The move effectively ends the era of free-to-air national mid-week hockey in Canada as the industry pivots toward authenticated digital platforms. Watch for how this affects Sportsnet+ subscriber retention as high-value playoff series move behind Amazon’s wall.
The expansion of the Rogers-Amazon partnership follows the June 2026 announcement that the CBC will no longer broadcast NHL games, per CBC and Sportsnet. This ends a nearly 75-year tradition of 'Hockey Night in Canada' on the public broadcaster. Rogers had previously sublicensed Saturday night games to the CBC at no cost to maximize reach, but the new broadcast cycle beginning in 2026 focuses on paid platforms. Per Newsday, July 2026, Rogers-owned Citytv will also cease airing national games, meaning national NHL broadcasts will no longer be available on free-to-air television in Canada.
Amazon's increased investment in the NHL comes as its sports strategy yields significant viewership gains in other territories. Per Forbes, November 2025, Amazon’s 'Thursday Night Football' averaged 14.78 million viewers during the 2025 season, a 12% year-over-year increase. Amazon also reported that its NFL audience median age is roughly seven years younger than linear television, a demographic shift the NHL is keen to replicate through this 12-year Canadian deal.
The sublicensing structure allows Rogers to manage its $11 billion commitment to the NHL by sharing the production and rights burden. Rogers recently moved to consolidate its sports holdings further; per Dow Jones, July 2026, the company agreed to buy out the remaining 25% stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) for $4.35 billion CAD. This transaction grants Rogers total control over the Toronto Maple Leafs, enabling tighter integration between its team ownership and its multi-platform media strategy through 2038.
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