TORONTO – According to, well, “TSN hockey insider” Bob McKenzie, the National Hockey League will announce on Tuesday that the CBC and Rogers Media have teamed up to grab the national television rights to NHL hockey games in Canada.
While we don’t know the details at this point, another source with knowledge of the talks said it’s expected that Hockey Night In Canada will continue on the CBC for the length of the deal (which is not yet known) and that Rogers Sportsnet will become the home of NHL hockey for the foreseeable future (its regional networks have local rights deals with the Canucks, Flames and Oilers, too). Broadcaster McKenzie tweeted the news very early this morning, lamenting the loss of live games for the network.
While the focus for so many has always been on the CBC’s chances at retaining hockey rights and continuing HNIC past its 61st season now in progress, TSN’s national deal with the NHL also expires at the end of the 2014 season and the loss of this rights package will really hurt the network – and is a major coup for both Rogers and the CBC.
If true, this deal should also put to rest any questions of Bell and Rogers, each part owners of Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment, colluding on and consolidating the TV rights to all hockey across Canada.
There will be much more to come on this today.
