Sport

How to watch the Toronto Raptors without cable in 2026-27

The new NBA season tipped off on October 20, and for the first time Raptors fans need three services to see everything. Here is how the split works and the cheapest way to follow the team.

· 3 min read · Wave IPTV

How to watch the Toronto Raptors without cable in 2026-27 (Wave IPTV Canada guide)

The short answer

  • The 2026-27 season runs from October 20, 2026 to April 11, 2027.
  • TSN and Sportsnet split the Raptors' broadcasts, roughly half each.
  • Prime Video Canada is new to the NBA, with 66 national games, the NBA Cup, the Play-In and exclusive playoff games.
  • No regional blackouts on Raptors games anywhere in Canada.
  • No single service covers all of it.

Which channel is the Raptors game on tonight?

Rights holderWhat it carriesHow you get it
TSNAbout half of the Raptors' regular-season broadcastsCable, satellite or IPTV with TSN 1 to 5; or TSN+
SportsnetThe other half, plus national NBA gamesCable, satellite or IPTV with Sportsnet; or Sportsnet+
Prime Video Canada66 national games, NBA Cup, Play-In, exclusive playoff gamesPrime membership only
NBA TV CanadaLeague channel: live games, classics, studio showsCable, satellite or IPTV
RDSFrench-language NBA coverageCable, satellite or IPTV

The practical consequence: a Raptors fan needs both TSN and Sportsnet. Picking one means missing about half the season. TSN and Sportsnet publish their own Raptors schedules; those are the authority for any given night.

Why Raptors games are not blacked out anywhere in Canada

Blackouts exist when a team sells exclusive rights inside a territory. With seven Canadian NHL clubs, hockey has overlapping territories. The NBA has one Canadian club, so the whole country is the Raptors' market. A Raptors game on TSN or Sportsnet is on the same feed in Victoria and in Scarborough, and moving provinces never costs you your team.

NBA League Pass works differently: in Canada, games shown on local or national TV are blacked out on League Pass and become available later, which catches many people out.

What Prime Video took, and why no channel can replace it

Prime Video's NBA package is a streaming exclusive. Those games are not on TSN, Sportsnet or any other channel, so no cable, satellite or IPTV lineup can show them. If a Raptors game is in Prime's package, Prime is the only way to watch it.

What it costs to follow the season

RouteApprox. yearly costMisses
TSN+ only~$250Sportsnet's half, Prime games
Sportsnet+ only~$270TSN's half, Prime games
Both~$520Prime games
Cable with sports$1,000+Prime games
Wave IPTV, 1 screen$80Prime games

When does the game start where you live?

Home games at Scotiabank Arena usually tip off at 7:30 p.m. Eastern: 4:30 p.m. in Vancouver, 5:30 p.m. in Calgary, 6:30 p.m. in Winnipeg, 8:30 p.m. in Halifax. West Coast road games can start at 10 or 10:30 p.m. Eastern, so catch-up is handy on work nights.

How to watch the Raptors without cable

  1. Get TSN 1 to 5 and the Sportsnet feeds. The Wave IPTV channel list includes both, plus NBA TV Canada and RDS.
  2. Add Prime Video if you want its games.
  3. Favourite the channels and set your device to your time zone.
  4. Test on a game night during the free trial.

Watching in French, and following from outside Ontario

RDS carries French-language NBA coverage. And because there are no blackouts, following the Raptors from Halifax or Kelowna works exactly the same as from Toronto.

TSN, Sportsnet, Prime Video and their apps are clearly legal routes. For IPTV services, see our legal explainer.

Frequently asked questions

Which channel shows the Raptors in 2026-27?

TSN and Sportsnet split the Raptors' regular-season broadcasts, roughly half each. Prime Video has a separate national NBA package.

Can I watch every Raptors game without cable?

Not with one service. You need TSN and Sportsnet for the Raptors broadcasts, and Prime Video for any Raptors games in its national package.

Are Raptors games blacked out anywhere in Canada?

No. The Raptors are Canada's only NBA team, so the whole country is their home market.

Is NBA TV Canada worth having as well?

For league junkies, yes: extra live games, classics and studio shows. It is part of the Wave IPTV lineup.

What internet speed do I need to stream basketball reliably?

About 25 Mbps per HD stream, measured on the TV.

When does the 2026-27 Raptors season start?

The NBA season opened on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, and the Raptors opened at home against the Chicago Bulls on October 21.

Try it on your own TV first

The free 24-hour trial is the full service, with 50,000+ channels. Test it on a busy evening, then choose a plan from $20 CAD, or $6.67 a month on the yearly plan.

See pricing plans

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