Minnesota Wild fans who want local games this season will need an Amazon login. The team announced on Wednesday, September 2, that Prime Video will be the exclusive streaming home for its locally broadcast games under a new multiyear agreement.
The deal covers every regular-season game that a national partner does not take, plus locally produced first-round Stanley Cup playoff games, for viewers inside the Wild’s home territory. Subscriptions will cost $19.99 a month or $99.99 a year. The Star Tribune reported that buyers do not need an Amazon Prime membership, only an Amazon account. More details are due before the season at watch.wild.com.
A team-run network
The Wild are also launching Wild+, a network the club owns and operates. It will produce each game not chosen for exclusive national distribution by ABC, ESPN, ESPN+/Hulu or TNT. Games will also reach fans through cable, satellite and over-the-air television, though channel locations have yet to be announced.
The broadcast crew is set. Anthony LaPanta handles play-by-play, Ryan Carter is lead analyst and Kevin Gorg works as rink-side reporter. Katie Storm and Wes Walz host the pregame and postgame shows, and Alex Stalock and Lou Nanne will join as analysts on select games. Fans outside the local territory keep NHL Center Ice and NHL Power Play on the ESPN App.
Why the Wild moved
The change follows the collapse of Main Street Sports Group, the parent company of FanDuel Sports North, which previously televised Wild games. The Star Tribune said the team announced in July that it would take over production, distribution, sales and marketing in partnership with the NHL.
Chief Revenue Officer Mitch Helgerson said Amazon’s technology and ease of use drove the choice. “They are, I think, one of the most robust streaming platforms out there,” he told the paper. Anyone with an Amazon account and a card on file, he said, should need about two clicks of the remote to subscribe. Producing games in-house, Helgerson added, means “cutting out the middle person” and speaking directly to fans.
He was frank about the cost to viewers. “Fans used to be able to get all of their favorite teams’ games in one spot. That is no longer the case, and that’s the downside of this,” he said.
NHL chief media officer David Proper said the agreement gives clubs flexibility to meet fan demand as the market changes. Charlie Neiman, who leads sports partnerships at Prime Video, said the company wants to broaden the reach of local teams. The Wild are one of six clubs joining Amazon for local distribution. The Anaheim Ducks, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars and St. Louis Blues are the others.
Sources
- Minnesota Wild fans can now stream local games on Prime — here's how and what it costs – KSTP.com 5 Eyewitness News
- Minnesota Wild games on Prime Video: How to watch, stream in 2026-27
