Cogeco, Eastlink and SaskTel have filed a complaint with the CRTC over Rogers-owned Sportsnet making Monday Night Hockey a Sportsnet+ exclusive this season. The three TV providers call the move “anti-competitive”: Rogers’ own TV customers get the games included, while theirs have to sign up with Rogers directly and pay a $12.99 monthly surcharge.

What the complaint says

The providers argue the exclusive is a “direct departure” from a condition the CRTC attached to the Rogers-Shaw merger, which requires Rogers to refrain from exclusive or preferential distribution deals for online programming services, according to MobileSyrup. They also point to Rogers’ full ownership of MLSE and the Blue Jays, warning that if regular-season games can move off TV channels, playoff rounds and other marquee sports could follow.

Sportsnet’s response: Rogers Cable paid “fair market value” for the content, and every TV provider has the same opportunity to include it but “so far have chosen not to.” It says it will defend its right to distribute exclusively on Sportsnet+ in the CRTC proceeding.

Telus raised the same issue earlier this month, emailing Optik TV customers to blame Rogers for the missing games. So far, no TV provider other than Rogers has reached a deal with Sportsnet.

How to watch Monday games right now

  • Rogers Xfinity TV: Since Sept. 29, Rogers has included the Sportsnet+ exclusive content, including Monday Night Hockey and more than 150 NHL games, on its Plus and Ultimate TV plans at no extra cost.
  • Everyone else (Telus, Bell, Cogeco, Eastlink, SaskTel and others): Your Sportsnet channels don’t carry Monday games. You need a Sportsnet+ subscription, which Rogers values at $12.99 a month.
  • Wednesday games are a separate deal: they’ve moved to Amazon Prime Video, Telus told customers.

Why it matters: For hockey fans outside Rogers, this is an extra $12.99 a month on top of a TV package that already includes Sportsnet. The CRTC’s decision will show whether the Rogers-Shaw merger conditions have teeth, and whether a company that owns the broadcaster, the teams and a TV distributor can keep its biggest sports content for its own customers.