NHL player agent Allan Walsh points out massive media rights gap following UFC's $7.7B Paramount deal

Player agent Allan Walsh has compared the new UFC deal to the NHL’s media rights agreements. UFC has signed a seven-year, $7.7 billion U.S. media rights deal with Paramount. Starting in 2026, all UFC events will stream on Paramount+, with some also airing on CBS.

On the other hand, the NHL’s U.S. deals with ESPN and TNT are worth $4.5 billion over seven years. These run through the 2027–28 season.

"The NHL’s current combined ESPN and TNT rights deal is 7 years, $4.5 billion." Walsh posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Allan Walsh🏒

@walsha

The NHL’s current combined ESPN and TNT rights deal is 7 years, $4.5 billion.

Under the current deal, ESPN's approx $400 million a year includes coverage for four Stanley Cup Finals and simulcast options on ESPN+ and other ESPN platforms. Turner Sports will pay about $225 million annually. The combined U.S. deal is more than double the value of the league’s previous contract, which ended after the 2020-21 season.

Other sports have signed much bigger contracts. In July 2024, the NBA signed an 11-year, $76 billion media rights deal. This starts in the 2025-26 season and is expected to raise player salaries.

Earlier in April 2025, Rogers Communications extended its Canadian NHL rights deal. The CAD 11 billion agreement starts in 2026-27 and runs until 2037–38.

Walsh’s comments show the difference between the NHL and other sports in U.S. media rights value. Hockey has a strong position in Canada, but is limited to smaller U.S. deals. The gap may influence future player contracts.

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Paul Bissonnette's suggestion on new NHL US media deal negotiations

In April, Paul Bissonnette spoke about the NHL’s next U.S. media rights deal after the new Rogers agreement. He suggested spreading rights across platforms rather than signing a bumper deal with a single broadcaster.

“I think that you're not trying to price yourself out," Bissonnette suggested about new US media rights. "You're trying to kind of trickle it out where you want to continue to draw fans in, right? You don't want to all of a sudden have one outbid it, and then not a lot of people can access it."

Bissonnette warned that limiting broadcasts to one network could reduce viewership.

The League’s current U.S. deal with ESPN and TNT allows games to appear on ABC, TNT, and TBS, with streaming on ESPN+, Hulu, and Disney+. Bissonnette supports this kind of broad coverage and believes it will help the sport grow in the United States.