Cable Providers File CRTC Complaint Against Rogers Over NHL Monday Night Hockey Paywall
Monday night hockey broadcasts shifted behind a paywall this season, prompting three Canadian cable providers to file an official complaint with the federal broadcasting regulator on Tuesday.
Cogeco Inc., Eastlink, and SaskTel challenged Rogers Communications Inc. at the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. The rival operators alleged that Sportsnet forcing a $12.99 monthly add-on fee for non-Rogers subscribers creates an artificial price inflation for Canadian sports fans.
The dispute stems from a shift for the current NHL season. Rogers moved Monday night games exclusively to its Sportsnet Plus platform. Customers subscribing to Sportsnet through Rogers TV or Sportsnet Plus receive the content without extra charges. Subscribers using competing cable providers face the additional $12.99 monthly surcharge.
The filing claims the pricing structure violates competition rules and conditions tied to the 2023 merger between Rogers and Shaw. The complaining companies argued that these actions establish a dangerous precedent.
“Left unchecked, this strategy erodes consumer choice, forces Canadian households into mandatory fee-stacking, and distorts fair market dynamics.”
The rival operators also pointed to the company’s recent acquisitions, including Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment alongside full ownership of the Toronto Blue Jays. They warned that allowing core NHL broadcasts to move away from linear television risks accelerating platform fragmentation across the industry.
Sportsnet defended the distribution strategy through an emailed statement. The broadcaster asserted that rival companies possess the same opportunity to offer the content.
“Rogers Cable has paid Sportsnet fair market value to provide Sportsnet+ exclusive content to their TV customers and decided to make it available to them at no extra cost,” Sportsnet said in an email published by, MobileSyrup reported.
The company added that discussions remain open with other television providers to incorporate the games into their standard lineups. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission did not respond to requests for comment, as The Globe and Mail reported.