It’s hardly classified information that NHL fans are finding it hard to keep up with the mess that TV and streaming have become. In particular, Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens fans, among other Canadian hockey fans, are having a harder time than ever to follow their favorite teams.
A study published by the folks at Casino.org found that Canadian NHL fans are being pushed away by paywalls. That’s not nothing, especially when Canada is the NHL’s largest market. Despite the league’s hellbent efforts to expand into markets that don’t want hockey (ahem, Atlanta), it’s Canada that predominantly consumes the bulk of NHL content.
The data showed that over 69% of the 2,000 Canadian hockey fans surveyed indicated that costs, blackouts, and confusion have caused them to follow the NHL less closely.
That’s no bueno for teams like the Maple Leafs who have massive TV deals with corporations like Rogers.
For Canadiens fans, it gets even more challenging when considering the French-language complications that have emerged in recent years.
That situation has led fans to turn to unofficial online streaming platforms. Some 43% of fans stated that they have turned to these alternatives, given that they must spend about C$315 and C$465 on subscription fees.
The respondents indicated that they need about three separate subscriptions to catch all of their team’s games.
It’s worth noting that Maple Leafs, Canadiens, Senators, and Jets fans spend about C$465, while fans in Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver spend about C$150 less. In some cases, fans may have to spend upwards of C$525 annually to keep the three subscriptions needed to catch every game during the 2026-27 season.
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Maple Leafs, Canadiens Fans Unwilling to Spend Too Much
So, the conundrum for Canadian hockey fans has become price. What was once available on open TV has now become a morass of paywalls and streaming services. That situation has led Maple Leafs, Canadiens, and Senators fans, among others, to declare they would not be willing to spend an exorbitant amount on subscriptions.
- 81% would not be willing to spend the estimated C$315 to C$465 on the streaming subscriptions needed to watch their team next season.
- 81% would watch more if every game involving their team were available through one reasonably priced service
- Almost 7 in 10 of those surveyed say rising subscription costs and games being spread across different services have driven them to watch fewer live NHL games.
- Nearly half of respondents have cancelled or avoided purchasing a required subscription.
The trend is something that the NHL has to keep an eye on, especially with Maple Leafs and Canadiens fans representing a significant chunk of the overall Canadian hockey market.
NHL Caught in Mess of TV Rights
The NHL, like the other major North American sports, has been caught in a mess of TV rights. Regional broadcasters gobble up a significant portion of local deals, making it tough for one streaming service to carry every game.
Even with major networks like ESPN carving out exclusive deals with the league, Maple Leafs and Canadiens fans face eventual blackouts due to restrictions in some regions.
Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a solution to this situation anytime soon. But the league has to do something about it, or else it faces the prospect of losing fans.
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