Since before the second Trump administration began, the NHL has occasionally been influenced by U.S. foreign policy decisions, being the American sports league with the largest presence in Canada. Despite the tensions caused by restrictive U.S. trade policy from President Donald Trump, the league successfully executed its enormously successful 4 Nations Face-Off and secured a new TV deal in Canada.
During a recent appearance on The Varsity podcast, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman expressed optimism, stating that these tensions are merely “a moment in time” and noted that new U.S. tariffs on Canadian imports did not adversely affect the $7.7 billion deal recently struck with Rogers Communications. He emphasized the long-term perspective of the league, remarking, “This is a 12-year deal, and we’re looking at this from the long [term].”
However, Bettman acknowledged the current economic and political realities, mentioning that the Toronto Stock Exchange was down 2,500 points and the Canadian dollar had decreased by approximately 1.3 percent. He expressed a desire to keep the league out of political discourse, recognizing that any detrimental impact on the Canadian economy resulting from a trade war could affect NHL franchises based there. “From our standpoint, we believe our fans want, and we should, stay out of the geopolitical debates and arena,” he said.
Bettman elaborated, “But the impact on all of this is, from my standpoint, twofold. For one, Canada and the U.S. are longtime, great allies—two great countries. I hope this is just a moment in time that we get through quickly. Two, being realistic, if this has an impact on the Canadian economy and it affects the relationship with the Canadian dollar and the U.S. dollar, that may pose some difficulties for our Canadian franchises. Our players, whether they play in the United States or Canada, get paid in U.S. dollars. So that’s something we’re going to have to focus on if it becomes a problem. But my sense is it [won’t].”
In the long-term, Bettman has guaranteed more than $1 billion in media rights revenue through 2028. Following an historic seven-game Stanley Cup Final featuring league MVP Connor McDavid in 2024 and the 4 Nations Face-Off this winter, the NHL is positioned well. Nevertheless, Bettman understands he is navigating difficult short-term headwinds.
