Amazon Prime NHL Canada deal gives streamer exclusive Wednesdays
Prime Video will carry 26 exclusive Wednesday NHL games in Canada under a 12-year sublicensing deal with Rogers.
By Bianca Rossi · Entertainment Editor
2 min read
Amazon Prime NHL Canada coverage is getting a bigger spotlight: Prime Video has struck a 12-year sublicensing deal with Rogers Communications for exclusive Wednesday night NHL broadcasts, Deadline reported.
The arrangement gives Prime Video 26 regular-season games each season in Canada, with broadcasts in English and French, beginning September 30. Deadline reported that the package also includes first- and second-round playoff series.
The deal expands a hockey presence Prime Video had already built in Canada. Before this agreement, the streamer was already carrying NHL games and studio programming, according to Deadline.
What NHL games will be on Prime Video in Canada?
Prime Video will show 26 regular-season Wednesday night NHL games in Canada, in both English and French, starting September 30, Deadline reported. The streamer will also carry playoff series from the first two rounds.
The agreement is a sublicense, meaning Rogers keeps the main national NHL rights but grants Prime Video a specific portion of that package. Deadline reported that financial terms for the Amazon-Rogers pact were not disclosed.
Rogers, the Canadian telecom and media company that owns Sportsnet, secured an $11 billion NHL rights agreement last year that runs through the 2037-38 season, according to Deadline. The Prime Video deal now carves out a weekly exclusive slot inside that broader rights setup.
What happens to Hockey Night in Canada?
The streaming move comes as a major Canadian hockey TV tradition changes. Deadline reported that Rogers and the CBC said they would not renew their sublicensing agreement, ending Hockey Night in Canada as a public broadcast.
Citytv, which is owned by Rogers, is also stepping away from national game telecasts, according to Deadline. That shift continues a wider sports-rights trend as streaming platforms compete for live events that once sat mainly on broadcast or cable TV.
Deadline noted that the future of free, over-the-air live sports has become a major issue in multiple countries. Netflix, YouTube, Apple and Prime Video have all been part of the fight for top sports rights.
Jay Marine, head of global sports at Prime Video, said the agreement expands Amazon’s work with the NHL and Rogers and brings more live sports to Prime members in Canada.
Rogers CEO Tony Staffieri said the Prime Video partnership builds on the companies’ existing work together and strengthens NHL hockey’s position as Canada’s most valuable sports content.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Prime Video has been a valuable part of the league’s media lineup in Canada, Deadline reported.
This story draws on original reporting from Deadline.