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Edmonton Oilers fans sound off after first Sportsnet paywalled game

Preston Hodgkinson
Preston Hodgkinson
|
Oct 27 2026, 5:37 pm
Edmonton Oilers fans sound off after first Sportsnet paywalled game
Steve Roberts/Imagn Images

Many Edmonton Oilers fans opted to skip watching Monday night’s game against the Detroit Red Wings.

It was the Oilers’Ā  “Monday Night Hockey” debut, which was exclusively streamed on Sportsnet+, meaning that the game was not on TV. Further to that, it required Sportsnet TV subscribers to fork out an additional $12.99/month to access the game.

The only way around that extra fee was if fans were subscribing to Sportsnet through Rogers Xfinity TV.

Fans who aren’t TV subscribers needed to buy a Sportsnet+ membership, which currently retails for a pricey $34.99 per month or $269.99 per year.

For many, the process of buying yet another subscription to watch an Oilers game felt like too much of a hassle to bother with. This led to a lot of angry fans airing out their grievances on social media, as many opted to not watch the game at all.

“Finally free to watch one of my first full Oilers games this season and… I can’t, because of this Sportsnet+ bulls**t. You guys are such a**holes, Sportsnet,” said one upset Oilers fan.Ā 

“Paying for Sportsnet and then needing to subscribe to Sportsnet+ to watch the Oilers is like buying a gym membership and then being charged again to use the treadmill,” wrote another annoyed fan.Ā 

“Trying to make it unreachable and not relatable to Canadians on a budget. Hockey is supposed to be an escape from the pressures of daily life,” wrote a frustrated Oilers fan.

“I also already pay for Sportsnet via Telus, and I have Prime Video, but no option to link these two and watch the game on Prime?? F**ing ridiculous,” said another.

“Absolutely f**king insane that I have Sportsnet included with my TV package for the sole purpose of watching Oilers games, and I can’t even watch tonight’s game because I apparently don’t already spend enough,” wrote one Oilers fan.

“I hope the viewership is low as f**k and they abandon this ridiculous paywall venture. It’s gotten so expensive to watch AT HOME, and that’s pitiful,” posted another fan.

“I was super excited to watch the game tonight, then found out I had to pay extra if I want to see it. Nope… no thank you,” wrote another upset fan.

“Absolutely ridiculous. Already paying for Sportsnet channels and now they want me to pay more for Sportsnet+? I don’t think so,” wrote another.

Even some fans trying to head to a local Boston Pizza in Edmonton didn’t have any luck catching the game. One restaurant refused to pay the extra fee and put a notice on the door breaking the bad news.

This won’t be the only paywalled game this season, as there are eight more Oilers contests planned to be streamed exclusively on Sportsnet+ this season, which include.

  • Nov. 9 vs. New York Rangers
  • Dec. 14 vs. Montreal Canadiens
  • Dec. 28 vs. Washington Capitals
  • Jan. 11 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning
  • Feb. 22 vs. Ottawa Senators
  • Mar. 1 vs. Chicago Blackhawks
  • Mar. 15 vs. Colorado Avalanche
  • Apr. 11 vs. Calgary Flames

There is something to be said for this anger. It’s harder than ever to consume Oilers hockey games. Rather than all the games being on Sportsnet, like it used to be, the process has gotten increasingly more confusing and expensive.

Fans who were Sportsnet TV subscribers used to get all 82 Oilers games, but will now only get 70 games, and will need to pay for two additional streaming services in order to watch every game. Those who don’t have a TV subscription will need to buy both a Sportsnet+ and Prime Video membership.

The Oilers matchup against the Calgary Flames this week will be the first of five to be streamed exclusively on Prime Video’s “Wednesday Night Hockey” programming. The full schedule looks as follows:

  • Oct. 28 vs. Calgary Flames
  • Dec. 30 vs. Boston Bruins
  • Mar. 3 vs. Calgary Flames
  • Mar. 31 vs. San Jose Sharks
  • Apr. 7 vs. Winnipeg Jets

Sportsnet has told Offside that the network is actively working with other Canadian distribution partners to give their TV subscribers additional options to access Sportsnet+ content.

With many fans struggling to make ends meet, adding another subscription service to catch Oilers games was a bridge too far. Edmonton has already seen its in-person attendance drop at Rogers Place this season, largely due to increased ticket prices and astronomical concession costs.

The Oilers attempted to give fans a break at the concession with a series of new “Decade Deals” around the rink. That doesn’t seem like it will offer enough of a break to affect attendance in a meaningful way.

The NHL has been wanting to expand the game in recent years and introduce the sport to more people. However, as costs rise inside the arena and the game becomes as expensive as ever to watch at home, it seems to be trending in the opposite direction.

Lifelong fans are starting to tune out games, which doesn’t bode well for the future.

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