By admin 
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) —Fresh off winning the franchise’s first Stanley Cup championship in two decades, the Carolina Hurricanes are launching their own regional sports network.
Read more This Piedmont Triad dam is still standing and holds history
The team announced Tuesday that the new network will become the exclusive local television home for Hurricanes hockey starting with the 2026-27 season.
Hurricanes Holdings, LLC — the franchise’s parent company — is set to oversee all aspects of the network, including production, distribution, sales and marketing.
“We’re thrilled to launch our own sports network and provide consistent access to Hurricanes hockey for our great fans,” Hurricanes Holdings CEO Brian Fork said. “More than ever before, the organization will have the freedom to deliver innovative programming that strengthens the connection between the team, its fans and its community partners.”
Fans will be able to watch Hurricanes games through cable, satellite and streaming services beginning this year. The team plans to announce the network’s name, branding, distribution partners, channel locations, streaming options, and pricing before the start of regular season play.
Longtime play-by-play announcer Mike Maniscalco and analyst Tripp Tracy are both slated to return as part of the new network’s broadcast team.
Carolina opens the regular season at home against the Florida Panthers on Sept. 29.
The announcement comes as the National Hockey League expands its role in producing local broadcasts.
The NHL will provide centralized production services for the Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Minnesota Wild, and St. Louis Blues during the upcoming season, with additional teams potentially joining the program before opening night.
Read more NC family advocates for transparency after son’s surgery denied by insurance
According to the league, the partnership includes studio programming, game production, graphics, replay capabilities, and technical and engineering support for local broadcasts.
“Our Emmy Award-winning production team has a long track record of delivering world-class content and unforgettable fan experiences,” NHL President of Events and Content Steve Mayer said. “Adding live production capabilities is a natural next step, allowing us to introduce groundbreaking technologies, innovative graphics and bold creative concepts that will bring fans even closer to the NHL.”
NHL Chief Media Officer and Senior Executive Vice President David Proper said the new model gives teams more flexibility as the regional sports television landscape continues to evolve.
“This new model strengthens the value of regional media rights by expanding the pool of potential distribution partners, reducing dependence on outside production providers and allowing Clubs to manage production investments more effectively,” Proper said. “At the same time, it provides a foundation for the next generation of NHL production technologies and broadcast innovations.”
MORE FROM CBS 17
WAKE COUNTY NEWS
Carolina Hurricanes to launch own sports network
Durham businessman charged in theft of $400K in taxes: NCDOR
Downed tree, power lines in Wake Forest cause outage, closure
The Hurricanes enter the new broadcasting era after helping deliver some of the NHL’s biggest television audiences during their Stanley Cup run.
The team’s six-game Stanley Cup Final victory over the Vegas Golden Knights became the fifth-most-watched Stanley Cup Final on record and the most-watched championship series since 2019, according to the Hurricanes.
TNT Sports also set network records during Carolina’s Eastern Conference Final against the Montreal Canadiens, while the Hurricanes’ Game 1 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in the second round became the most-watched Game 1 of a second-round series in NHL history, the franchise said.
Read more WNBA enjoys ‘hypergrowth’ under Commissioner Cathy Engelbert amid strained relationship with players