Latest news with #CarterVerhaeghe
Toronto Star
5 days ago
- Sport
- Toronto Star
Professor questions value as Sportsnet Premium streaming price jumps 30 per cent
Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) makes a save on Florida Panthers' Carter Verhaeghe (23) during the third period in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final in Sunrise, Fla., on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette NSD/JFJ flag wire: true flag sponsored: false article_type: : sWebsitePrimaryPublication : publications/toronto_star bHasMigratedAvatar : false :
CTV News
5 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Professor questions value as Sportsnet Premium streaming price jumps 30%
Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) makes a save on Florida Panthers' Carter Verhaeghe (23) during the third period in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final in Sunrise, Fla., on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette Sportsnet failed to clearly communicate with fans ahead of a significant price hike to its premium streaming service, a professor says. The broadcaster, owned by Rogers, is raising the price of its Sportsnet+ Premium streaming service starting Sept. 9, with the annual plan jumping from $249.99 to $324.99. The premium tier is the only streaming option in Canada that offers out-of-market NHL games — more than 1,000 matchups — along with in-market regional and national broadcasts. The monthly price is rising from $34.99 to $42.99, meaning fans who subscribe just for the nine-month NHL season will pay more ($386.91) than they would on the annual plan. Brock University sport management professor Michael Naraine says the price hike is frustrating for fans, especially given the lack of communication from Sportsnet. He says the company offered no explanation or incentives — such as advance notice or loyalty discounts — which are common strategies in other industries. 'They just raised prices,' he said. 'They didn't explain to customers or give them a sense of lead time.' By comparison, U.S. viewers can stream out-of-market NHL games via ESPN+ for US$11.99 a month or US$119.99 a year. International fans can access games through for US$14.99 a month. A Sportsnet spokesperson defended the price increase in a statement Monday. 'This update reflects that great value for sports fans looking for the best sports content in the country, while remaining competitively priced with other options in the market,' the statement read. The prices of other Sportsnet packages are also increasing, but not as drastically. A standard Sportsnet subscription, which includes all Toronto Blue Jays content along with national and in-market NHL games, is increasing from $199.99 to $249.00 annually and $24.99 to $29.99 monthly. The increase, Naraine says, was to be expected given Rogers' new 12-year, $11-billion broadcast rights deal with the NHL that begins in 2026–27. Still, Naraine says it's a no-win situation for Sportsnet, because fans are likely to push back no matter what. 'A rational fan would say, 'OK, look, Rogers just paid even more of a premium to get the hockey rights. I expect probably a price increase,'' he said. 'The challenge is, the price is increasing substantially, and the level of service that consumers and fans have been getting over the last couple of years has been suspect — and I think that's really the crux of the issue.' He pointed to stream quality issues and a lack of polish compared to how Apple, Netflix, and Amazon deliver live sports. The hike could push some consumers toward other options, Naraine says — including piracy, password sharing, or turning to the grey market. That might mean using a VPN to access cheaper international streams not intended for Canadian viewers — a legal grey area that bypasses regional broadcast rights. 'When the consumer feels so squeezed, eventually they'll say, 'Look, all right, you know what, I can't afford it no more — screw it,'' he said. 'And we've already started to see that pressure with people (not) going to games. 'But over time, people get accustomed to, 'That's just the cost of doing business,' and people will accept it if they feel that they can take it on. Some people may not feel it, some people will feel it. And right now, Rogers is banking on the fact that maybe over the next few years, people are just going to accept that this is the cost of doing business.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 14, 2025. Abdulhamid Ibrahim, The Canadian Press
Toronto Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- Toronto Sun
Sportsnet falls short in communication with fans over streaming price hike, prof says
Published Jul 14, 2025 • 1 minute read Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) makes a save on Florida Panthers' Carter Verhaeghe (23) during the third period in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final in Sunrise, Fla., on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. Photo by Nathan Denette / THE CANADIAN PRESS Sportsnet fell short in its communication with fans over its significant price hike of its premium service, a sports management professor says. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The broadcaster, owned by Rogers, is raising the price of its Sportsnet+ Premium streaming service starting Sept. 9, with the annual plan jumping from $249.99 to $324.99 and the monthly price rising from $34.99 to $42.99. Hockey fans who only subscribe for the nine-month NHL season will pay more on the monthly plan ($386.91) than they would have paid for the full year. By comparison, U.S. viewers can stream out-of-market NHL games via ESPN+ for US$11.99 a month or US$119.99 a year. International fans can access games through for US$14.99 a month. Brock University professor of sport management Michael Naraine calls the increase 'incredibly frustrating' from a fan's perspective He added that Sportsnet could have instead shown some appreciation to its consumers by providing opportunities for discounted pricing and better explained why the prices are being increased. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. A Sportsnet spokesperson defended the price increase in a statement Monday. 'This update reflects that great value for sports fans looking for the best sports content in the country, while remaining competitively priced with other options in the market,' the statement read. Read More The prices of other Sportsnet packages are also increasing, but not as drastically. A standard subscription, which includes all Toronto Blue Jays content and national and in-market NHL games, is increasing from $199.99 to $249.00 annually and $24.99 to $29.99 monthly. RECOMMENDED VIDEO Editorial Cartoons NFL Golf Uncategorized World
Toronto Star
6 days ago
- Sport
- Toronto Star
Sportsnet falls short in communication with fans over streaming price hike, prof says
Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner (74) makes a save on Florida Panthers' Carter Verhaeghe (23) during the third period in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup final in Sunrise, Fla., on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette NSD/JFJ flag wire: true flag sponsored: false article_type: : sWebsitePrimaryPublication : publications/toronto_star bHasMigratedAvatar : false :
Hamilton Spectator
01-07-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Hamilton-area Today: Here's where to see Canada Day fireworks + Critics say this recycling plan is garbage
G ood morning! It's July 1, and here are the top stories today in the Hamilton area. A chance of showers won't dampen this Canada Day. Environment Canada is forecasting a high of 27 C at the airport weather station that could feel like 32 with humidity. There are no alerts. Find the latest provincial road closures and traffic incidents via Ontario 511 . Taking transit today? Find the latest GO Transit service updates here . The latest information on local bus services are available here: Hamilton , Burlington and Oakville . Canada Day is here and that means festivals, fireworks and fun. Take a look at photos from Canada Days past from The Spec archives. Critics are concerned proposed amendments to recycling regulations would worsen the city's already poor air quality. The proposal would allow companies to count recyclable materials that were incinerated or used as fuel toward their recycling targets. There's plenty of Canada Day fun planned today, including fireworks displays in Hamilton, Brantford and Burlington. Plus, here's what's open and closed on the stat holiday . Hamilton police have concluded the search for the remains of Shalini Singh at the Glanbrook Landfill. Partial human remains were located at the landfill May 21, and DNA testing later confirmed they were from the missing woman. It was a big week and a bit. Carter Verhaeghe won the Stanley Cup, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the NBA championship and Matthew Schaefer was drafted first overall by the NHL. Oskee Holy Moly, writes Scott Radley. Subscribe to our newsletters for the latest local content . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
