Rogers Communications today announced multi-year sub-licensing agreements with CBC and TVA Sports for NHL games, beginning with the 2014-15 season. This deal follows today’s earlier announcement in which Rogers Communications and the NHL secured a long-term broadcast and multimedia agreement, providing Rogers with all national rights on all platforms in all languages.
“We are proud to select CBC as our partner to carry on the Hockey Night in Canada tradition for Canadians,” said Nadir Mohamed, President and CEO, Rogers Communications. “We are also excited about our long-standing sports alliance with TVA Sports and Quebecor, which will use its many channels and platforms to deliver French-language NHL coverage.”
As part of the multi-year agreement, CBC will continue to air nationally-televised regular season games on Saturday night and playoff games. In addition, the iconic Hockey Night in Canada brand will continue on CBC and be used across all Rogers channels and platforms on Saturday nights.
Today’s announcement with CBC is part of an intent to create a larger extended partnership between Rogers Media and CBC, in which Rogers and CBC will work together on future sports alliances for Canadian sports fans.
“Given the NHL agreement with Rogers,” said Hubert T. Lacroix, President and CEO of CBC/Radio Canada, “we were happy to come to an agreement with Rogers to ensure all Canadians from coast to coast to coast would continue to have hockey available on Saturday night and through the playoffs. Partnerships like this one are a strategic way for CBC to promote the public interest in today’s broadcasting landscape.”
The multi-year deal with TVA Sports includes exclusive French-language multiplatform rights for national NHL games.
“At Quebecor, we are passionate about hockey and we are excited to become the official French-language broadcaster of the NHL in Canada. Through our convergence strategy, I can guarantee that all French-language hockey fans will be able to benefit from the best possible multiplatform viewing experience,” said Robert Dépatie, President and CEO of Quebecor and Quebecor Media.
“Rogers has enjoyed terrific partnerships with CBC and TVA over the years, and we look forward to continue working together to bring Canadians more NHL games, more content and more choice like never before,” said Keith Pelley, President, Rogers Media.
