French-Language TV Rights for Montreal Canadiens Games Up in the Air: A Look at the Uncertain Future of Broadcast Coverage
The upcoming NHL season is approaching, and the French-language TV rights for 39 Montreal Canadiens games are still up for grabs, creating an unusual situation. Despite the team's recent success on the ice, there is uncertainty surrounding the broadcast rights for the games. Bell Media's RDS network announced a reduction in the number of regular-season Canadiens games it will broadcast, leaving a significant portion of games without a designated broadcaster. This decision has disappointed many fans, both anglophone and francophone, who prefer RDS for its coverage of the team.
The reduction in the number of games broadcast by RDS is primarily attributed to the high cost associated with acquiring the rights to air the games. With only 45 games secured by RDS, there are still 39 games, along with playoff games, that remain unclaimed. Rogers recently signed a lucrative 12-year deal with the NHL, acquiring all Canadian rights for a staggering $11 billion. This deal includes the French-language national rights, which Rogers is looking to sell separately. The previous deal with TVA Sports resulted in financial losses for the network, prompting caution in the negotiations for the new agreement.
Negotiations between Rogers, the NHL, and Quebecor have been ongoing for over a year, with no resolution in sight. Quebecor's reluctance to meet the asking price set by Rogers has created a stalemate in the discussions. The potential outcome could involve a split of the games between TVA Sports and a streaming platform like Amazon or Crave. This scenario would require fans to subscribe to multiple services to access all Canadiens games in French, adding to the complexity of the situation.
The uncertainty surrounding the French-language broadcast of Canadiens games comes at a time when the team is experiencing a resurgence in performance, with promising young players leading the way. The prospect of missing out on games or having to pay additional fees to watch them in French is a concern for fans. As the negotiations continue, the fate of the broadcast rights remains uncertain, leaving fans eager to see how the situation unfolds in the lead-up to the new season.