Big statement from Gary Bettman: The NHL may take its distance with the cable television broadcasts
Amazon Prime Video hosted its first-ever NHL broadcast last night and it marked a new chapter for hockey broadcasting.
During the event, the NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman shared some significant insights that suggested streaming will play a much bigger role in the league's future broadcast plans. He acknowledged the growing trend of viewers shifting from traditional television to streaming platforms and hinted that the NHL's next Canadian broadcast deal will reflect this reality.
The current broadcasting agreement between the NHL and Sportsnet which covers national games is set to expire after the 2025-26 season. It seems more and more increasingly likely that platforms like Amazon Prime could outpace traditional networks like Sportsnet in terms of viewership potential. While Sportsnet recently extended its regional broadcast rights for several Canadian teams which include the Edmonton Oilers, the future of prime-time games may lie with streaming services rather than traditional TV in the future.
Gary Bettman's made remarks in the beginning of a decline in NHL opening night viewership with a 39% drop from the previous year. This trend reflects that more households cut cable in favor of streaming services and Bettman hinted that the NHL needs to follow its fans and meet them where they are.
While this transition raises concerns about the need for multiple subscriptions to access all games may need us to have, we think there is some positive. If a single streaming service can offer more games without blackouts then fans might ultimately benefit from the shift.
Source: Oilers Daily
Gary Bettman Says the NHL May Move Away From Cable Television Broadcasts
