It is the end of an era in the world of television broadcasting. As Rogers and Sportsnet’s new rights agreement is set to take place in the 2026-27 season, Sportsnet and CBC announced that CBC will not be carrying hockey broadcasts after the current season. It marks the end of a 74-year Saturday tradition on television, and a 90-year run on CBC, where the name Hockey Night in Canada was coined. With roots in pioneering hockey coverage on private radio stations as early as 1923, its full history spans over a century. It is truly been an infamous and memorable run.
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A joint statement from Sportsnet and CBC: pic.twitter.com/vgVBI2u1nn
— Sportsnet PR (@SportsnetPR) June 16, 2026
Hockey Night in Canada on CBC Concludes Its Run After 90 Years
As part of the previous 12-year deal that Rogers and Sportsnet made, which began in the 2014-15 season, Rogers Media and CBC had also signed a seven-year sub-licensing agreement for English-language broadcasts of Hockey Night in Canada and the Stanley Cup Playoffs, beginning with the 2019-20 season. That deal has now expired, following the end of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. The two sides will not be renewing the contract, as CBC will move forward with a new sports programming strategy. NHL games in Canada will continue to be broadcast on Sportsnet, which is owned by Rogers, through the 2037-38 season.
As a result, Hockey Night in Canada will not air on CBC starting in the 2026-27 season. With it being a fixture on television for 74 years, this marks the end of a great run of Canadian Broadcasting. It saw the careers of the likes of Foster Hewitt, Don Cherry, Don Wittman, Jim Hughson, Bob Cole, among others, take off.
“In its place, CBC will launch a new Saturday night prime time show on CBC and streaming on CBC Gem, featuring Canadian athletes competing at home and at the biggest events around the world,” said the CBC, following this announcement.
This will be an undeniable loss for every Canadian hockey fan. While Hockey Night in Canada will continue on Sportsnet, a piece of hockey history still comes to a sad conclusion.
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