Rogers is ending its CBC partnership, and that decision will change Hockey Night in Canada next season.
The split closes a 74-year run for Hockey Night in Canada on CBC television, a stretch that started in 1952 and became part of the country's weekly routine.
The break comes as Rogers moves into its new 12-year NHL agreement worth $11 billion, a massive jump from its first 12-year deal at $5.2 billion.
That number changes everything. Saturday night inventory is too expensive now for Rogers to keep sharing it under the old sub-licensing setup with a public broadcaster.
Under the previous deal, giving CBC a major weekly window still made business sense because Rogers could trade some revenue for reach across Canada.
Hockey Night in Canada is leaving CBC after nearly 75 years.
Rogers and CBC did not renew their sub-licensing agreement, meaning NHL games will no longer air on the public broadcaster starting this season - the first year of Rogers' 12-year, $7.7B NHL rights deal.
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This time, the math is tighter. Rogers wants full commercial value from every NHL broadcast slot it controls, and CBC's ad model doesn't fit that push.
The biggest hit lands on access to HNIC
The sharpest consequence isn't branding. It's availability. CBC gave Canadian viewers a free over-the-air option on Saturday nights, especially for households still using an antenna.
That path is now gone. Hockey Night in Canada will still exist as a name, but Rogers keeps the brand and places it behind cable or streaming access.
That's where the backlash is coming from. Fans aren't just reacting to a media shuffle. They're reacting to hockey moving farther behind a paywall.
CBC has already signaled a new sports direction built around the 2026 Commonwealth Games, women's professional leagues, and more than 20 world championships.
Those are real properties, but they don't replace what Saturday night hockey meant for generations of viewers who built their weekend around puck drop.
So yes, the Hockey Night in Canada brand survives. But the version many Canadians grew up with is done, and next season will feel different the minute Saturday night arrives.
Should Hockey Night in Canada stay free on TV?
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