Minnesota Wild fans who stream their games will have a new home this season, and it comes with a price tag that does not require a Prime membership.
Under a multiyear local agreement announced Wednesday between the NHL and Prime Video, Prime Video will be the exclusive streaming distributor inside the Wild’s local broadcast territory for all non-nationally televised regular-season games and first-round playoff games beginning this season.
The subscription is open to all Amazon customers, not just Prime members. Fans in the Wild’s regional territory can choose a monthly plan for $19.99 or an annual plan for $99.99. Even if you already pay for Prime, you still need to buy the separate subscription to access Wild games and other team-focused programming.
“We are thrilled to announce a new streaming relationship with Prime Video,” said Mitch Helgerson, the Wild’s chief revenue officer and executive vice president. “This agreement ensures our fans will have a seamless way to watch every local Minnesota Wild broadcast this season. We are excited to bring Wild hockey to fans through a service known for its innovation, accessibility, and exceptional viewing experience.”
The team will also air games on Wild+, its own multimedia network. In the team’s release, Wild+ was described this way: “As the official television home of the Minnesota Wild, Wild+ will produce every regular season game not selected for exclusive national distribution by the NHL’s broadcast partners ABC, ESPN, ESPN+/Hulu and TNT.”
There are still some moving parts on the traditional TV side. The NHL has not finished its cable and satellite agreements, which also affect the Wild’s over-the-air options. The team said, “Additional details regarding availability and channel locations will be announced prior to the start of the regular season.”
For fans outside the local market, the options remain NHL Center Ice or ESPN+.
And for viewers who have followed the team’s broadcast crew closely, there’s continuity there too. In July, Helgerson said the “band’s back,” confirming the return of play-by-play voice Anthony LaPanta, color analysts Ryan Carter, Alex Stalock and Lou Nanne, studio host Katie Storm, studio analyst Wes Walz and rink-side reporter Kevin Gorg.
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