CBC will no longer air NHL games in 'end of an era' as broadcast deal expires

CBC will no longer broadcast NHL hockey games after it and national rights-holder Rogers Sportsnet were unable to come to agreement on a new sublicensing deal that would have allowed the public broadcaster to air games on its Saturday program Hockey Night in Canada.

The CBC, which began televising NHL games in 1952, had operated under that agreement since Rogers Sportsnet acquired the league’s Canadian rights in 2013 for $5.2 billion. Rogers Sportsnet renewed those rights with a 12-year, $11.2-billion deal to begin in October. The CBC previously aired national games on Saturdays, along with all four playoff rounds each year.

The CBC and Rogers Sportsnet announced the change in a joint statement Tuesday.

“After a successful 12-year partnership, Sportsnet and CBC today announced the public broadcaster will no longer carry NHL broadcasts after the current season as it moves forward with a new sports programming strategy following the unprecedented success of the Milano/Cortina Olympic Games,” the statement said.


https://www.cbc.ca/sports/cbc-nhl-hockey-night-in-canada-ends-9.7236977