1 of 1- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline 
Amazon Prime To Be The Only Place To See 6 NHL Teams
The inevitable streaming of major sports has just taken another step. But is it forward or backward?
You now have to subscribe to AppleTV in order to watch some Friday MLB games. Amazon Prime snagged the rights to Wednesday NHL matches in Canada.
But now, if you're a fan of certain teams, you'll have to subscribe to Amazon's streaming service or see none of the games at all. In a sign of the times, the streamer has gotten the rights to every single game for 6 NHL teams, including Anaheim, Columbus, Dallas, Minnesota, St. Louis and even Stanley Cup champions Carolina.
It means fans in those markets will have to subscribe to Amazon to follow their clubs, instead of relying on either broadcast TV or cable.
I'm pretty sure the Leafs will be on Sportsnet forever, given they're both owned by Rogers. But it's yet another subscription some fans will have to pay for if they want to follow their favourite team. And it just keeps getting more and more expensive.
Amazon Prime Video to broadcast games locally for six NHL teams, including Carolina
- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline
Re: Amazon Prime To Be The Only Place To See 6 NHL Teams
This deal may open the door for several well known hockey broadcasters who suddenly found themselves without a gig on Rogers Sportnet.
Elliotte Friedman, Kevin Bieksa and Kelly Hrudey are reportedly joining a major NHL broadcast
- •
Thread Starter- Shorty Wave
- Member
Offline
Re: Amazon Prime To Be The Only Place To See 6 NHL Teams
I can see more of this type of thing happening as sports is probably the most watched programming on TV these days. I wonder though how many subscribers they’ll get as people are starting to get tired of paying for something they once got “free”, after paying for cable! I wouldn’t subscribe to a streaming service to watch a team I like, at least I say that now!
- RadioAaron
- Member
Offline
Re: Amazon Prime To Be The Only Place To See 6 NHL Teams
The is great news for fans of those teams. It's nice to see a deal where all the games are on the same platform.
There are an estimated 180 million US Prime subscribers, with 85% of households having access to an account. There are only 40 million cable subscribers.
So, if we follow the logic that people were getting the games for "free, after paying for cable," more people are now, in fact, getting them for "free."
And that's not to mention the added convenience of being able to watch the game anywhere on any device,
Last edited by RadioAaron (September 3, 2026 9:08 am)
- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline
Re: Amazon Prime To Be The Only Place To See 6 NHL Teams
There's nothing to say that the fans in cities affected will cancel their cable, only that they now have to pay for yet another service they may or may not really want. But it definitely is where we're headed.
- •
Thread Starter- RadioAaron
- Member
Offline
Re: Amazon Prime To Be The Only Place To See 6 NHL Teams
If the move had gone in the other direction, from streaming to cable, it would have been an added expense for more people.
- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline
Re: Amazon Prime To Be The Only Place To See 6 NHL Teams
Glad I'm not a hockey fan. I don't have to pay for either one.
- •
Thread Starter- Fleadh
- Member
Offline
Re: Amazon Prime To Be The Only Place To See 6 NHL Teams
All 6 of these teams were on a RSN that was cratering, so the rights had to go somewhere. And 2 of them already had a streaming component to Bally, said RSN.
People seem to be pleased from standpoint apparently the Bally app was terrible.
What's interesting is it seems some teams are apparently streaming games with no extra charge if you're a subscriber to Amazon or Prime, but a couple are charging extra.