NHL‘s Revenue Surges to US$6.5bn Following Landmark CBA Extension
NEW YORK – The National Hockey League (NHL) is experiencing a period of significant financial growth, with total revenue reaching US$6.5 billion following the ratification of a four-year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) extension. the agreement, running through September 2030, is already driving increased financial benefits for teams and players alike.
A key component of the new CBA is a revised revenue-sharing system designed to bolster lower-revenue franchises. Together, the league will expand the regular season to 84 games beginning in 2026.
Under the terms of the CBA,hockey-related revenue continues to be split equally between team owners and players,a practise established in 2023. This year’s salary cap has been set at US$95.5 million, a substantial increase from the US$88 million cap of the previous season.
“This gives everybody a sense of stability, a sense of certainty, a sense of optimism that everything is going well and will continue to fuel the growth that we’ve seen,” stated NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman in June when the deal was confirmed. He further emphasized the league’s competitive balance, noting, ”We believe…we have remarkable competitive balance and that’s because that underlies how we’re structured enables all of our clubs to be able to compete.”
Commercial revenue is also contributing substantially to the NHL’s financial success. New inventory opportunities, including digitally enhanced dasherboards (DEDs) and jersey patches, have helped drive sponsorship revenue to record levels. NHL teams generated US$1.53 billion in sponsorship revenue during the 2024/25 campaign, a nine percent increase from US$1.4 billion the previous season and a nearly 20 percent jump from US$1.4 billion in 2022/23, according to SponsorUnited.
Relo Metrics data reveals the NHL generated total sponsor media value (SMV) of US$1.6 billion in the 2024/25 season, with 93 percent of that value originating from broadcast exposure – a higher proportion than other major sports leagues.
The return of NHL players to the Winter Olympics in February, marking their first participation since 2014, is expected to further enhance the league’s profile and appeal.
