NHL takes direct control of local broadcasts for four teams

The NHL announced it will produce and distribute local broadcasts for the Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Minnesota Wild, and St. Louis Blues beginning in the 2026-27 season, marking the first time the league has assumed direct control of local game production.

The move follows the collapse of Main Street Sports, which operated 15 regional channels under the FanDuel Sports Network brand and ceased operations at the end of last season. Seven franchises, including the four teams now moving to NHL Productions, held agreements with Main Street. Local broadcasts will be produced by NHL Productions when the season begins in late September, according to ESPN's reporting.

Steve Mayer, the NHL's president of events and content, said in a statement: "I think we've been looking at this day for a long time. If something happened in the middle of last season, we would've been quickly able to mobilize and not miss a beat."

The league has hired Rob McGlarry as general manager of local media to oversee the expanded operation. Mayer said NHL Productions plans to upgrade the quality of local broadcasts with more cameras, enhanced replay capabilities, and graphics designed to give the games the feel of a national network broadcast. Local announcers fans are accustomed to hearing will remain in place.

The move mirrors strategies already underway in other sports. Major League Baseball started producing local broadcasts in 2023 and is handling 15 teams this season, per ESPN's reporting. The NBA expects to have a centralized streaming hub ready for the 2027-28 season. David Proper, NHL chief media officer and senior executive vice president, framed the decision within the broader media landscape: "It's a crazy time in the media space. I mean, there's just no getting around it. Whether you're talking about the distributions, partnerships, production, everything is evolving."

Other teams have landed different solutions. The Detroit Red Wings will have their games on Detroit SportsNet, run by team owners Ilitch Sports and Entertainment. The Los Angeles Kings will be on Angels Broadcast TV, which was formerly FanDuel Sports Network West. The Nashville Predators reached an agreement with Scripps Sports at the end of last season. The Anaheim Ducks and Dallas Stars are possibilities for NHL production after the Victory+ streaming service missed rights payments, though the league said additional clubs might be added before the start of the season.