Petition to the NHL, ESPN, and ESPN+

Allow Fans in Blackout Regions to Watch the Away Team’s

Broadcast

Don’t shut out the fans—let us watch the away team’s broadcast during NHL blackouts!

We, the undersigned fans of the National Hockey League, respectfully request that you revise your

current blackout policies on ESPN+ and related NHL streaming services.

Under the present rules, when a game is blacked out in a viewer’s home region, fans are prevented

from accessing either team’s broadcast. This policy significantly limits access to live games for

dedicated fans who want to support the sport, especially those who:

- Do not have access to the regional sports network (RSN) that holds local rights.

- Have cut the cord and rely exclusively on streaming services.

- Want the flexibility of choosing between home and away commentary.

Our request is simple:

When a home team broadcast is blacked out in a region, fans should at least be granted access to the

away team’s feed. This compromise would still protect the RSN’s local rights while ensuring that fans

are not entirely shut out from watching their team or the game itself.

Why this matters:

- It keeps fans engaged with the NHL, increasing overall viewership and loyalty.

- It ensures that paying subscribers to ESPN+ receive fair value for their money.

- It modernizes an outdated blackout policy that no longer fits today’s streaming-first sports landscape.

We love the NHL and want to continue supporting the league and its broadcast partners. Please work

with us to update blackout restrictions in a way that balances the rights of broadcasters with the

passion and access of loyal fans.

Respectfully,

The Undersigned Fans