After 74 Years, Canada's Free Saturday Night Hockey Broadcasts Move to Pay TV

A cherished Canadian tradition is coming to an end. Hockey Night in Canada, the Saturday night NHL broadcast that has aired on the public broadcaster CBC since 1952, will move entirely behind a paywall starting next season, according to Defector. The shift marks the conclusion of a partnership between Sportsnet and CBC that kept NHL games freely accessible on Canadian television for 74 years, as reported by theglobeandmail.com. "Hockey Night in Canada, a beloved Saturday night tradition on CBC since 1952, is moving entirely behind a paywall starting next season." Defector described the move as the end of a national institution that has been a staple of Canadian culture for over seven decades. The program, which is the country's longest-running weekly show, will no longer be available in its current form on public television. Theglobeandmail.com reported that Saturday night games will now air exclusively on Sportsnet's subscription service. The outlet characterized the development as the end of the era of free hockey on Canadian TV, noting that the CBC and Sportsnet have ended their long-standing partnership. "Sportsnet and CBC have ended their partnership that kept NHL games on the public broadcaster, ending the era of free hockey on Canadian TV after 74 years." Theglobeandmail.com has called for reader opinions on the change, reflecting the likely public reaction to losing a free broadcast that has been a Saturday night ritual for generations of Canadians. The shift underscores the ongoing trend of live sports moving from over-the-air television to subscription streaming services.

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