The NHL’s Local Broadcast Strategy Is Falling Behind

LocalProximity
Written By Tim Hanlon

Back in April, our TVREV colleague John Cassillo opined on what the National Hockey League’s “post-cable” media footprint might eventually look like - and how the league’s love-hate relationship with national game coverage needs to evolve to stay relevant to a new generation of media-savvy fans. Here’s our take - but from a decidedly local perspective.

RSN = Resoundingly Shaky Now

As regional sports networks (RSNs) continue their slow-motion collapse, every major sports league has been forced to rethink how its games reach local fans. The NBA has responded aggressively — embracing a more centralized and coordinated shift toward streaming and free over-the-air (OTA) television. The NHL, on the other hand, has taken a slower, more fragmented approach — one that could prove risky if the league doesn’t act with greater urgency in the years ahead.

The RSN TV model that once underpinned the local sports business is waning - as MVPD cord-cutting, on-demand streaming, and the bankruptcies or exits of Diamond Sports Group (Bally Sports), Warner Bros. Discovery’s AT&T SportsNet RSNs, and other major players have destabilized the entire ecosystem.

While The NBA Zigs . . .

The NBA has interpreted this disruption as a signal to build something new. Franchises like the Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz were among the first to walk away from traditional RSN partners, embracing a “beam and stream” model — airing games on free broadcast TV while launching their own direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming platforms. These efforts help teams rebuild local reach, collect first-party data, and future-proof their business models.

Even more notably, the NBA is preparing to consolidate local digital rights at the league level. Commissioner Adam Silver has stated that the league is exploring a national in-market streaming package — akin to the NFL’s Sunday Ticket — potentially launching as early as the 2025–26 season. This unified app could let fans legally and affordably watch their hometown team from anywhere, improving discoverability and simplifying access. Combined with the NBA’s new $77 billion media rights deal with ESPN, Amazon, and NBC, the league is aggressively moving into its next local broadcast era.

. . . The NHL Zags

By contrast, the NHL has taken a more reactive posture — allowing its clubs to navigate this transition largely on their own. That’s not to say there hasn’t been innovation. The Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights, Florida Panthers, and Utah Mammoth (fka “Hockey Club” - née Arizona Coyotes) have all partnered with OTA broadcasters and launched streaming apps. Dallas, for example, introduced Victory+, a free ad-supported streaming service; the Panthers and Golden Knights signed multi-year OTA deals with Scripps Sports; and Utah created its own paid DTC platform, Mammoth+. But these efforts remain isolated. There is no NHL equivalent of League Pass for local, in-market games. The league’s streaming deal with ESPN+ only covers out-of-market content.

Commissioner Gary Bettman has publicly acknowledged the challenges, saying the league is developing contingency plans for teams losing RSN coverage. However, he’s also been clear that the NHL prefers local solutions tailored to each market, rather than a centralized one-size-fits-all approach. As a result, there is no clear roadmap for aggregating rights, managing the financial shock of lost RSN revenue, or making the fan experience more seamless across markets.

The NHL’s Local Tightrope

And that’s a problem — because while the NHL doesn’t command the same scale as the NBA or NFL, its local markets still matter deeply. Many franchises are heavily dependent on local media rights revenue, especially in smaller US markets where gate and sponsorship dollars don’t go far enough. In Canada, teams remain locked into a 12-year, CAD $5.2 billion deal with Rogers Sportsnet that centralizes both national and regional NHL rights through the 2037–38 season. In the US, major-market teams like the New York Rangers (MSG Network) and Boston Bruins (NESN) continue relying on aging RSNs for both linear and app-delivered coverage.

Some NHL clubs have managed the shift effectively, but others are clearly unprepared. A few have scrambled to launch their own DTC apps with mixed results. Early feedback suggests fan experiences vary widely: some fans have praised the accessibility of OTA and streaming, while others report poor app quality, inconsistent picture resolution, or limited device compatibility.

To be fair, overhauling a media strategy isn’t easy — especially for a league without the NBA’s national rights war chest. But the NHL must recognize that this isn’t just a rights-holder issue — it’s a fan access issue. And in the attention economy, being hard to find is the same as being forgotten.

Skating To Where The Puck Is Going?

What the NHL needs now is a strategy. A real one. Not just a handful of case studies scattered across markets. The league should be working toward a flexible, discoverable local streaming portal — something that aggregates in-market offerings into one app, making it easy to find and watch your team’s game. It should actively support clubs in building fan-friendly DTC platforms, even if that means sacrificing some short-term revenue in favor of long-term reach and loyalty. It should invest in mobile-first user experiences, short-form highlights, and social video — not just full-game streams. And it should embrace OTA partners not as temporary RSN replacements, but as essential pillars in reconnecting with younger and less affluent fans.

There are promising signs. Monumental Sports & Entertainment, owner of the Washington Capitals, Wizards and Mystics, recently partnered with ViewLift to launch a scalable streaming and OTA infrastructure platform, expected to go live by fall 2025. If successful, this model could be replicated across other teams or eventually form the foundation of a league-wide solution.

There’s also evidence the NHL is thinking bigger — at least outside of North America. Earlier this week, the league signed a multi-year deal with DAZN to stream NHL games in over 80 countries, including the UK, Germany, and Switzerland. The agreement includes a dedicated NHL-branded section on DAZN and exclusive live and on-demand rights in many international markets. It’s a smart move that underscores the league’s desire to grow its global footprint and tap into new audiences and revenue streams.

Bringing It All Home

But the contrast is telling: internationally, the NHL is embracing a centralized streaming platform and clear brand presence through DAZN. Domestically, its strategy remains patchwork and inconsistent. The league’s ability to invest in international expansion while leaving its US local distribution scattered sends a mixed message — especially to core fans who are struggling just to find their team’s games at home.

There’s a window right now where the NHL can still get this right. RSNs are crumbling, but the sports themselves still have passionate local audiences — especially in hockey markets where fandom is tribal and generational. The opportunity to reinvent how those fans experience the game is sitting right in front of the league. But it won’t last forever.

The NBA is actively building its next local broadcast era. The NHL, so far, is clinging to the old one — hoping the cracks don’t get too wide.

Tim Hanlon

Tim Hanlon is the Founder & CEO of the Chicago-based Vertere Group, LLC – a boutique strategic consulting and advisory firm focused on helping today’s most forward-leaning media companies, brands, entrepreneurs, and investors benefit from rapidly changing technological advances in marketing, media and consumer communications.

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