Minnesota Wild to launch multimedia television network this season

By Jessica Bennett — 21 July 2026 — 4 min read

Wild to manage broadcasts in-house

The Minnesota Wild announced the launch of an exclusive multimedia television network, set to debut this season. This new platform will be owned and operated by the team, with the Wild organization taking charge of all aspects of production, distribution, sales, and marketing. This initiative is being undertaken in collaboration with NHL Productions, which will provide centralized production services.

Mitch Helgerson, Chief Revenue Officer and Executive Vice President for the Minnesota Wild, stated that the move aims to ensure fans continue to have reliable and direct access to games. Further details regarding availability, channel locations, and pricing for a direct-to-consumer streaming option, which will include annual and monthly subscriptions, are expected to be released before the regular season begins.

Fans will have multiple ways to watch games, including cable, satellite, streaming services, and over-the-air broadcasts. The Wild’s multimedia network will serve as the official television home for the team, producing every regular season game not nationally televised by exclusive NHL broadcast partners such as ABC, ESPN, ESPN+/Hulu, and TNT. For those outside the Wild’s local television market, games will be accessible via ESPN+ through the NHL Power Play.

The expansion of the team’s multimedia platform builds upon existing assets like the Minnesota Wild Audio Network, which is described as the largest network in the NHL, the Wild on 7th Podcast, and various social media channels with a combined following of over 2.7 million.

Production and distribution strategy

The NHL’s centralized production arm will provide comprehensive services to select clubs, including the Minnesota Wild, starting with the 2026-27 season. These services encompass live game production, studio and shoulder programming, advanced graphics, replay capabilities, and technical and engineering support. This league-wide effort is led by President of Events and Content Steve Mayer and Chief Media Officer David Proper. The NHL has also appointed Rob McGlarry as GM of Local Media to oversee the new local-production operation.

The centralized production initiative was prompted by changes in the traditional local broadcast model. League executives believe this approach will enhance telecasts and enable teams to better monetize them by granting clubs more control over advertising inventory. The NHL is providing production support while allowing clubs to pursue market-specific distribution models.

Under this model, teams will cover the baseline cost of producing their local telecasts, while retaining all revenue from distribution and advertising inventory they manage. The NHL will fund the development of shared production infrastructure, including personnel, technology, and innovation that can be deployed across various markets.

The Wild, along with the Blue Jackets, Blues, and Hurricanes, are among the teams utilizing the NHL’s centralized production arm. These teams are prioritizing agreements with pay-TV providers for primary distribution and also plan to offer streaming options. Executives from the Blues and Wild have indicated an intention to make some games available over the air.

In addition to distribution support, the league is assisting clubs in determining their ad-sales strategies. The Wild has hired dedicated representatives to manage advertising sales across its local television and radio broadcasts. This allows the team to incorporate media assets from local telecasts, such as commercial spots or branded integrations, directly into sponsorship packages.

Broadcast talent and reach

Minnesota Wild telecasts will feature a dedicated broadcast team. Anthony LaPanta will serve as the play-by-play announcer, with Ryan Carter as the lead analyst. Kevin Gorg will be the rink-side reporter, while Katie Storm and Wes Walz will host the Wild pre- and postgame shows. Additionally, Alex Stalock and Lou Nanne are slated to appear as analysts for select games.

During the 2025-26 regular season, the Minnesota Wild ranked in the top ten among 25 U.S.-based NHL teams for household rating and viewership. The team’s television ratings saw an increase following the acquisition of Quinn Hughes. The Wild also emerged as one of the two most-watched national television draws during the opening weekend of the Stanley Cup Playoffs and established a cable record for a Second Round Game 1 audience.

KFAN FM 100.3 and iHeart Radio are entering their 16th season as the audio home of the Minnesota Wild. All Wild games can be accessed through the station’s website and the iHeartRadio App. The Wild radio broadcast is also available on the Wild Mobile App, inside Grand Casino Arena at 95.7 FM, and across the Minnesota Wild Audio Network.

Source: nhl.com