TVA Sports obtains much of its programming via sub-licensing and resource-sharing agreements with the English-language network Sportsnet and its owner Rogers Communications.

TVA made numerous efforts to acquire content for the network in the years prior to the launch; including Quebecor's failed attempt to purchase a stake in the Montreal Canadiens, and the company's backing of a proposed National Hockey League expansion franchise in Quebec City—which included acquiring naming and management rights to a new arena in Quebec City built to potentially house a new or relocated NHL team.

RDS retains regional rights to Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators games not broadcast by TVA Sports.

[15] NHL games occupy a significant portion of TVA Sports' programming during the season, with a particular emphasis on the Canadiens and other teams popular in Quebec, such as the Boston Bruins, Colorado Avalanche, Ottawa Senators, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Toronto Maple Leafs.

[2] From its launch until 2015, TVA Sports carried French-language coverage of the UEFA Champions League and Ultimate Fighting Championship events.

Both relationships ended in 2023, when rights to all matches moved to Apple's MLS Season Pass, and RDS acquired the national linear package.

[28][27] Quebecor subsequently accused Bell TV of displaying "undue preference" to its co-owned networks in the packaging of its services.

[27] Quebecor had also noted that Bell did not show similar preference to RDS's English-language parent network TSN over the rival Sportsnet in its Anglophone packages.

Bell issued a press release condemning Quebecor's "reckless campaign and illegal actions", and filed a request for another round of CRTC arbitration.

[37][38][27][39] A public hearing was held by the CRTC on April 17, 2019; Bell senior vice-president of regulatory affairs Robert Malcolmson stated that Quebecor's actions were illegal and "an affront to viewers, to the commission and the rest of the participants in the broadcasting system who play by the rules."

Quebecor CEO Pierre Karl Peladeau argued that they needed to be "equitably compensated" to ensure the survival of their networks, that current policies unfairly benefited the dominant Bell, and that the channel may be forced to cease operations entirely if it is unable to receive "reasonable" carriage fees that can cover its operating losses.

[40] On April 26, 2019, Bell filed a lawsuit against Quebecor for $150 million, accusing the company of engaging in "monopoly behaviour" and using "diversionary tactics" rather than accept its offers to negotiate.

[42] On December 19, 2019, the CRTC ruled that Bell had given RDS undue preference in the packaging of its vertically-integrated television services, and ordered the company to submit a compliance plan to the commission by February 5, 2020.