Nov 12, 2026
It’s Monday night and your favourite hockey team is playing. But the game isn’t on your TV; rather, it’s on a streaming service that wants another $12.99 a month to catch the barnburner in action.
That’s the reality of this NHL season for many Canadian fans who don’t get their TV from Rogers. As a result, three rival providers — Cogeco, Eastlink and SaskTel — have asked the CRTC to step in.
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The complaint could eventually change what you pay for access to watch Canada’s favourite pastime from the comfort of your home. But the regulator hasn’t ruled, and the meter runs every month you want to watch. The right move depends on how often your team plays on Mondays and what you already pay for TV.
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What are Cogeco, Eastlink and SaskTel asking the CRTC to do?
In a Nov. 10 letter to the CRTC, the three providers accuse Rogers Communications of inflating Canadian sports fans’ bills by making Monday night games exclusive to its Sportsnet+ streaming service. Rogers owns Sportsnet and holds national NHL rights under a 12-year, $11-billion deal.
Rogers, Rogers West and Shaw Direct customers with Sportsnet in their package get Monday games at no extra charge. Other fans who already pay for Sportsnet must purchase a $12.99 monthly add-on.
The providers want the CRTC to issue an urgent order requiring Rogers to offer the add-on to independent distributors at a wholesale rate of $0, the same deal the company gives its own TV customers. “Left unchecked, this strategy erodes consumer choice, forces Canadian households into mandatory fee-stacking, and distorts fair market dynamics,” the letter states.
They also argue the move goes against a commitment tied to the Rogers-Shaw takeover. When the CRTC approved the broadcasting side of that deal in March 2022, it said Rogers was expected to refrain from exclusive or preferential distribution of online broadcasting services or content through its platforms.
The issue isn’t limited to the three complainants: Telus told its Optik TV subscribers that Monday games aren’t part of their Sportsnet channels and attributed the change to Rogers.
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Sportsnet says it will respond to every issue in the complaint, including its right to keep content exclusive to Sportsnet+. In a statement to The Canadian Press, spokesperson Jason Jackson said Rogers Cable paid Sportsnet “fair market value” for the content and chose not to charge its own TV customers extra.
“All TV providers, including Cogeco, Eastlink and SaskTel, have the same opportunity to make the content available as part of their TV offering, but so far have chosen not to,” Jackson said.
The CRTC hasn’t ruled on any of the claims.
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How much more could Monday hockey cost you this season?
What Monday games add to your bill depends on who supplies your TV and how you watch.
If you have access to Sportsnet through a provider other than Rogers, the add-on is $12.99 a month plus tax. The regular season runs until April 10, so subscribing now means about five monthly charges, or roughly $65 before tax. A full season from the Sept. 29 opener would have cost about $91.
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Wednesday games have moved too. Under a 12-year deal with Rogers, Amazon’s Prime Video now streams them exclusively, after carrying Monday games for the past two seasons. Prime Video comes with an Amazon Prime membership at $9.99 a month or $99 a year. A cable customer without Prime who wants both nights and pays monthly would spend about $115 more between now and the end of the regular season, on top of their Sportsnet channels.
Fans who stream instead of using cable don’t need the add-on, since Monday games are included in Sportsnet+ Standard. But the service itself costs more this year: $34.99 a month or $269.99 a year. Premium costs $344.99 a year, which is a $20 increase that follows a $75 hike last season.
Should you pay, wait for the CRTC or switch providers?
Here’s what each option costs.
Waiting
Waiting costs nothing upfront, but you’ll miss watching the games live. There’s no set timeline for a decision and no guarantee the CRTC will side with the complainants.
Paying month to month
For fans who follow only one team, the monthly add-on may be the cheapest route. Check how many games fall on Mondays, then subscribe only in the months that matter.
Switching to Rogers
If Rogers Xfinity TV is available where you live and your package includes Sportsnet, switching brings Monday games at no extra charge. Since 2015, CRTC rules have barred TV providers from requiring 30 days’ notice to cancel, though fixed-term contracts can still carry cancellation fees.
Before you switch, read your contract. Lost promotional pricing, equipment fees and bundled internet or wireless discounts could easily wipe out a $65 saving.
Until the CRTC rules, treat Monday hockey as a monthly decision. Pay for the add-on when your team plays several Monday games, and cancel when it doesn’t.
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Writer and editor based in Toronto with experience in personal finance, insurance, arts and culture and branded content.
