Canadian hockey fans are increasingly frustrated with the rising cost of watching NHL games, with nearly eight in 10 opposing the growing shift from traditional television to paid streaming services, according to a new Angus Reid Institute poll.The survey, released Thursday, found 78% of Canadians who follow the NHL believe requiring additional subscriptions to watch more games is a bad trend.Just 10% believe the move is positive because more games are becoming available, while 12% are unsure.The findings come as Canadian sports broadcasting becomes increasingly fragmented, forcing fans to subscribe to multiple services to follow their favourite teams.Seven in 10 Canadians (70%) believe professional sports are now spread across too many television channels and streaming platforms. Just 6% disagree.The cost of those subscriptions is also drawing criticism.Among subscribers to DAZN, 71% say their monthly subscription is too expensive, compared with 63% of Sportsnet+ subscribers and 52% of TSN+ customers.Amazon Prime subscribers reported less dissatisfaction, although 33% still consider the monthly cost too high.The frustration is particularly pronounced among dedicated hockey fans.Among Canadians who follow the NHL very closely, 79% say watching their favourite teams has become too expensive.The survey also found half of Canadians (50%) believe watching highlights and clips on social media is often enough to keep up with professional sports.The changing broadcasting landscape comes as another Canadian hockey tradition faces a major shakeup..After 74 years, the traditional Hockey Night in Canada NHL broadcast is disappearing from CBC, ending a longstanding Saturday-night television tradition.According to Angus Reid, 74% of hockey fans consider the loss of Hockey Night in Canada on CBC a major blow to Canadian hockey and its traditions.That sentiment is strongest in Atlantic Canada, where 83% view the change as a major loss.Only 7% of hockey fans believe the move is a positive development.CBC's Saturday-night hockey programming is being replaced with eight Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) games, although the survey suggests support for women's sports does not necessarily translate into plans to watch.Nearly two-thirds of Canadians (64%) believe women's professional sports deserve more television coverage.However, just 20% say they are likely to watch a PWHL game this season.Despite the growing frustration over broadcasting costs and access, hockey remains firmly entrenched in Canada's national identity.The poll found 90% of Canadians consider hockey an important or defining part of being Canadian.That is slightly higher than the 88% who expressed the same view in 2015.The findings suggest Canadians remain deeply attached to the sport even as the way they watch it continues to change.The Angus Reid Institute surveyed 1,806 Canadians, including 1,113 respondents who follow the NHL.
