Turner Sports acquires NHL rights
April 28, 2021
The NHL and Turner Sports announced a seven-year media rights agreement in the US that will have regular-season, Stanley Cup Playoff and Stanley Cup Final games televised on TNT and TBS starting next season and running through 2027-28.
“They put a fun and innovative factor into all of what they do and we’re excited to have that same treatment for our sport and for our fans,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “We love the reach of their linear networks, both TNT and TBS, and as we look to the future, we’re excited about the digital properties, in particular HBO Max and Bleacher Report. For us, this is a perfect fit.”
Turner Sports, a division of WarnerMedia, joins The Walt Disney Company and ESPN as the NHL’s national media rights partners in the US for the next seven seasons.
Financial terms of each agreement were not disclosed.
“It’s good,” Commissioner Bettman added. “We think the arrangements we have now are much more reflective of the value that we bring as compelling content.”
The NHL joins the NBA, MLB and the NCAA men’s basketball tournament as partners with Turner Sports.
As part of the agreement, Turner Sports networks will televise the NHL Winter Classic, the annual New Year’s Day outdoor game, in all seven seasons of the deal. It will televise all games in the Stanley Cup Final in 2023, 2025 and 2027, one conference final series each season, and half of the first two rounds of the playoffs, plus 72 regular-season games per season.