{"id":217670,"date":"2025-10-16T12:02:25","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T12:02:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/217670\/"},"modified":"2025-10-16T12:02:25","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T12:02:25","slug":"nine-secures-fta-deal-for-nhl-games-in-australia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/217670\/","title":{"rendered":"Nine secures FTA deal for NHL games in Australia"},"content":{"rendered":"

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St. Louis Blues forward Nathan Walker, the first Australian to play in the NHL, is currently playing in his eighth NHL season. (Steph Chambers\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n

Games from North American ice hockey\u2019s NHL will be shown free-to-air (FTA) in Australia for the first time under a new exclusive rights deal between the league and commercial broadcaster Nine Network covering the remainder of the\u00a02025-26 season.<\/p>\n

During the rest of\u00a02025-26, the network\u2019s 9GO linear channel and 9Now streaming platform will provide coverage for 21 regular-season NHL games played on Friday evenings in North America, which air live on Saturday mornings Australian time.<\/p>\n

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The NHL\u2019s 2025-26 regular season started last week (October 7).<\/p>\n

Coverage starts this Saturday (October 18) with a game between the Detroit Red Wings and Tampa Bay Lightning, which is taking place at Detroit\u2019s Little Caesars Arena tomorrow night (Friday, local time).<\/p>\n

The rights deal includes a bespoke broadcast feed for the Australian market, developed by Nine Network and the NHL and produced by NHL Production, to provide viewers with a tailored experience.<\/p>\n

The feed will feature dedicated commentators providing play-by-play analysis and customized intermission coverage with commentary, player profiles, and explainers on the rules of the game.<\/p>\n

It will be the first time that the NHL has received FTA coverage in Australia, with pay-TV broadcaster Foxtel showing most games via its carriage deal with international sports broadcaster ESPN, the NHL\u2019s rightsholder, which was most recently renewed in August.<\/p>\n

The NHL\u2019s 2025-26 season will feature a break from February 6 to 24 to accommodate the 2026 Olympic Winter Games, which will feature NHL players for the first time since 2014.<\/p>\n

The new rights come as Nine prepares to provide coverage for the Winter Olympics in Australia, with the network using the NHL games to build anticipation for the flagship event.<\/p>\n

Brent Williams, Nine\u2019s director of sport, has said: \u201cWe are incredibly excited to partner with the NHL to bring the fastest game on ice to Australian homes, free-to-air. This isn\u2019t just a broadcast \u2013\u00a0it\u2019s a tailored viewing experience. By creating a dedicated feed with local commentary and specialised content, we are committed to growing the sport in Australia and giving fans the best possible coverage.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe link to the Winter Olympics provides a fantastic narrative that will build excitement for what is a huge event on the Nine calendar.\u201d<\/p>\n

The new rights also come as the NHL looks to build its presence in Australia, having staged a game between the Los Angeles Kings and Arizona Coyotes in 2023 as part of its NHL Global Series Melbourne, the first-ever NHL games in the Southern Hemisphere.<\/p>\n

St. Louis Blues forward Nathan Walker, the first Australian to play in the NHL, is currently playing in his eighth NHL season.<\/p>\n

Daniel Kim, NHL executive vice president of media and international strategy, said: \u201cWe are thrilled Nine shares our commitment to delivering live games to more fans across Australia.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe overwhelming success of the NHL Global Series Melbourne, coupled with the growing enthusiasm for our grassroots, learn-to-play hockey initiatives and increasing social media engagement across our dedicated channels, underscores the impact of our investment in Australia.\u201d<\/p>\n

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