The Victoria Royals are back in action Tuesday night as they take on Tri City for game number three in their first-round WHL playoff series.
With the Royals up 2–0 in their best-of-seven series against the Tri-City Americans, the action now shifts south of the border to Kennewick, Washington, where the teams will battle it out for games 3 and 4—and if needed, game 5.
Just in time for playoff hockey, the Western Hockey League (WHL) scored a game-changing new streaming partnership—and it’s good news for Victoria Royals fans everywhere.
All WHL playoff games will stream free on the new Victory+ platform, making it easier than ever to follow the Royals on the road or if you can’t make it to the watch parties in View Royal.
Until now, watching WHL games meant attending in person, tuning in on the radio, or subscribing to a paid streaming package. But this new multi-year deal between the WHL and Victory+, a Calgary-based streaming service, is about to change that in a big way.
Victory+ is owned by A Parent Media Co., the same company behind the kid-friendly streaming service Kidoodle.
Their mission? Remove the barriers to watching live sports by offering a free, ad-supported model—just like traditional TV used to do.
This partnership is historic for the league, marking the first time WHL games will be available to stream globally without a paywall.
Over 700 regular season and playoff games will be broadcast to more than 160 countries, including not just live games, but classic matchups and exclusive on-demand content as well.
See also: Victoria Royals clinch BC division title with big win over Prince George
Victory+ previously caught the attention of hockey fans by streaming select NHL games featuring the Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks. That success helped land the deal with WHL commissioner Dan Near, who’s been focused on expanding the league’s reach since taking over in early 2024.
“This is a major step in our mission to make sports content more accessible to fans everywhere,” said Neil Gruninger, President and CEO of A Parent Media Co. “I spent my youth cheering for the WHL team in my community, so helping bring junior hockey to a global audience is a real personal milestone.”
For Royals fans, the timing couldn’t be better as the team looks to close out the series south of the border in Kennewick, Washington.
WHL commissioner Dan Near says the new streaming deal helps showcase not just the talent on the ice, but the communities that support each team.
“WHL players and clubs are deeply connected to our communities,” said Near. “This alliance with Victory+ will vastly extend the reach of the WHL and give fans around the world visibility to our great players competing at the highest level of junior hockey.”
Fans can tune into Victory+ on nearly any device—smart TVs like Samsung and Vizio, streaming devices like Roku and Fire TV, or through mobile apps and web browsers. It’s completely free, with ads supporting the service just like traditional broadcast networks.
Whether you’re in Victoria, across Canada, or halfway around the world, you’ll now have front-row access to all the playoff action—and an exciting look at hockey’s next generation of stars.
You can find more info or download the Victory+ app at victoryplus.com.
