DIRECTV has added another set of local NHL viewing lanes, reaching a multi-year carriage agreement that brings Hurricanes Hockey Network, Blue Jackets Hockey Network, Wild+ and Blue Note+ to eligible customers in the four clubs’ home markets.
Key takeaways
- Carolina, Columbus, Minnesota and St. Louis local game coverage is now carried by DIRECTV under a new long-term deal.
- DIRECTV streaming and satellite subscribers need a Choice package or above, while eligible U-verse customers need U200 or a higher tier.
- The agreement also places the team feeds in DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS locations, including bars, restaurants and fitness centers within each club’s territory.
- DIRECTV says it now holds local or regional distribution rights for 76 of the 81 U.S.-based NHL, NBA and MLB teams.
Where fans can find the four team feeds
The channels will carry live local game programming as well as pregame and postgame coverage for fans residing in each team’s NHL-defined home territory. The availability applies to DIRECTV’s streaming and satellite customers on Choice and higher plans, plus U-verse households in the same markets with U200 or above.
| Team | Streaming channel | Satellite channel | U-verse channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carolina Hurricanes | 650 | 650 | 1726 / 726 |
| Columbus Blue Jackets | 660 | 660-1 | 1735 / 735 |
| Minnesota Wild | 668 | 668-1 | 1745 / 745 |
| St. Louis Blues | 673 | 673 | 1747 / 747 |
The commercial portion of the agreement extends those feeds to DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS venues located inside the respective team regions. That includes thousands of sports bars, restaurants, fitness clubs and other businesses that show local games.
Another move in the changing local-TV picture
Local sports carriage has become more complicated as clubs shift between regional networks, direct-to-consumer services and team-operated channels. DIRECTV said the latest agreement is part of an effort to keep local fans connected as those distribution models change.
Rob Thun, DIRECTV’s chief content officer, said the company wants to give fans more flexibility in how they follow their clubs and in the options available to them. He said DIRECTV is combining team channels, regional sports networks and other viewing choices as the local-rights market continues to evolve.
The company has signed multi-year local agreements covering 23 U.S.-based NHL teams and says its broader portfolio now includes regional or local rights for 76 of 81 American franchises across the NHL, NBA and MLB.
NHL Chief Media Officer and Senior Executive Vice President David Proper said the new carriage arrangement gives Hurricanes, Blue Jackets, Wild and Blues supporters another way to see their clubs in four deeply invested hockey markets. The league’s goal, he said, is to remove obstacles for fans trying to watch their home team.
