'End of an era': CBC no longer airing Hockey Night in Canada as Sportsnet assumes full rights

Since 1952, hockey fans across the great white north — plus the United States and Newfoundland — have tuned in to the CBC every Saturday to watch Hockey Night in Canada.

That tradition is now coming to an end, with Sportsnet assuming full rights for Saturday night games beginning in the 2026-27 season.

"After a successful 12-year partnership, Sportsnet and CBC today announced the public broadcaster will no longer carry NHL broadcasts after the current season as it moves forward with a new sports programming strategy," the two entities wrote in a joint press release.

They noted that "both parties look forward to continued opportunities to collaborate in the future."

"Watching hockey on Saturday night is a time-honoured tradition for Canadians, and Sportsnet is privileged to continue delivering that tradition," the broadcaster added.

Rogers Sportsnet acquired the NHL's Canadian rights for $5.2 billion in 2013, and has now renewed those rights for another 12 years for $11.2 billion. Since 2013, the CBC has shown Hockey Night in Canada thanks to a sublicensing deal, however the two parties were not able to come to an agreement on the future of that partnership.

According to the CBC, in place of Hockey Night in Canada, the broadcaster will air "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."

The move was met with scorn from fans.

"Cool," one user said. "Rogers continuously killing what makes us Canadian to save a buck. Not surprised."

Another labelled the decision "a giant middle finger from Rogers to one of our country's longest-standing traditions."

Others called it "the end of an era."