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NHL seeks up to 100% increase in TV rights fees from ESPN, TNT and potential new partners

The NHL is seeking a 50% to 100% increase in television rights fees as it prepares to negotiate new deals with ESPN and TNT.

✦ Extractive summary — built from the sources' own reporting•From 1 source•1 min read•Updated November 13, 2026, 7:30 PM UTC
Key points
  • The NHL has also seen viewership growth across ESPN and TNT, strengthening its case for a raise.
  • Others would argue there is untapped potential if the league and its media partners do a better job of turning individual stars into household names.
  • NFL PUSHES DEEPER INTO STREAMING AS NETFLIX LANDS AUSTRALIA GAME AMID FCC, DOJ SCRUTINY If the NHL pursues a streaming partner for a weekly package, Amazon Prime Video would be the most likely suitor.

Altogether, we expect the NHL to secure a significant increase in rights fees, even if it falls short of the 50% to 100% raise it seeks.

NHL STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS VIEWERSHIP SURGES AS HOCKEY RIDES WAVE FROM US OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL One potential roadblock is TNT’s new ownership under Skydance, whose executives recently vowed to remain "disciplined" when bidding on sports rights.

Additional details
  • Still, the NHL offers something media companies value: roughly nine months of live programming, from its late-September start through the Stanley Cup Final in June.
  • With the NFL positioned to demand a substantial increase from CBS, another Skydance property, hockey could face a budget squeeze.
  • The league will likely point to the NFL and NBA, both of which secured substantial increases in their latest media rights deals.
  • The NHL’s place in the American sports hierarchy is complicated.
  • The NHL could also add a third partner to maximize revenue.

How this summary was made: extractive summary — built from the sources' own reporting. It is drawn only from the reporting of the sources listed below — read the originals for full detail. How we summarize →

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Every article behind this summary — 1 article from 1 outlet

Fox NewsNovember 13, 2026, 7:30 PM UTC →

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