[News] Rogers acquires 37.5% of MLSE for $3.5 billion USD

[sureLoss]

https://www.sportico.com/business/te...ce-1234797692/

Rogers Communications has acquired BCE’s 37.5% stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment for CA$4.7 billion ($3.48 billion based on current exchange rates). MLSE is the parent company of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs, the NBA’s Toronto Raptors and MLS’ Toronto FC.

Rogers already owned 37.5% of MLSE, and it puts a total valuation on the entity of $9.3 billion. Rogers also owns the Toronto Blue Jays, who are worth $2.27 billion, according to Sportico. Larry Tanenbaum owns the remaining 25% stake in MLSE, which also includes the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts.

Rogers declined to comment, and BCE did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In 2012, competing telecom giants Rogers and BCE teamed up to purchase a majority of MLSE from the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan for CA$1.32 billion ($1.78 billion).

[bluejays]

The dollar value seems about right considering it’s the Leafs, Raptors and FC. Not sure if there are any other pieces included? I can also see why Bell is cashing out at the top. Rogers now owns all the Toronto teams. Truly a sports powerhouse now.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by bluejays

The dollar value seems about right considering it’s the Leafs, Raptors and FC. Not sure if there are any other pieces included? I can also see why Bell is cashing out at the top. Rogers now owns all the Toronto teams. Truly a sports powerhouse now.

According to wiki owns Leafs (NHL), Raptors (NBA), Argonauts (CFL), Toronto FC (MLS), Marlies (AHL), and Raptors 905 (G league).

[getbak]

They also either own or operate all of the venues their teams play out of, plus their practice facilities.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

As a part of this, all the media rights for Leafs and Raptors are going to Bell/TSN (as opposed to the split they've had). 20-year deal. I bet that's big dollars going back into Rogers' pockets.

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/bell-sells-st...mlse-1.2175971

As part of the sale, Bell Media has secured access to content rights for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors on TSN for the next 20 years through a long-term agreement with Rogers, also subject to league approvals. The transaction is expected to close in mid-2025.

[BigT112]

Rogers sole ownership of the Blue Jays has been such a success, I am sure Leafs fan are cheering in the streets!

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

As a part of this, all the media rights for Leafs and Raptors are going to Bell/TSN (as opposed to the split they've had). 20-year deal. I bet that's big dollars going back into Rogers' pockets.

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/bell-sells-st...mlse-1.2175971

This will fill up TSN's schedule and give Rogers the money to extend their exclusive NHL national rights deal.

[BlackRedGold25]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

As a part of this, all the media rights for Leafs and Raptors are going to Bell/TSN (as opposed to the split they've had). 20-year deal. I bet that's big dollars going back into Rogers' pockets.

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/bell-sells-st...mlse-1.2175971

It doesn't say _all_. I'd suspect it would be a continuation of their current setup.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by BigT112

Rogers sole ownership of the Blue Jays has been such a success, I am sure Leafs fan are cheering in the streets!

Yup, as of early April of this season, the Jays ranked 7th in the entire league in roster spend, behind only the Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Phillies, Astros, and Rangers. Leafs ownership has never been afraid to spend on players, coaches and management and I don't think that's about to change now with Rogers buying them as long as the Leafs continue to be a money printing machine.

[TheIronMaiden]

#### Rogers

[BigT112]

Originally Posted by activeStick

Yup, as of early April of this season, the Jays ranked 7th in the entire league in roster spend, behind only the Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, Phillies, Astros, and Rangers. Leafs ownership has never been afraid to spend on players, coaches and management and I don't think that's about to change now with Rogers buying them as long as the Leafs continue to be a money printing machine.

And the results of all that spending have been?

You can spend money until the cows come home, but it means nothing to fans when the results aren't there. If the Jays ranked 7th in spending and this is the season that has resulted, that's frankly disgusting.

[Ped]

The Jays are different, but Leaf fans obviously dont care enough about results to affect attendance

[bluejays]

There are two distinct pieces. There is the ownership piece where to me Rogers has invested heavily in the Jays. People who call them crappy owners are out to lunch IMO. There’s also the political side of reporting to a board, which puts certain board savvy executives in the chair to have those discussions. Do those executives always speak the language of hockey or baseball when it comes to those seats? Sometimes no, as is the case right now with Keith Pelley. So in that regard they may not always have a core sports person first and foremost in that seat, but rather a business person trying to learn the sports side of things. But all in all Rogers shells out the money. I do suspect the Argos among others will get shafted when they money is split between the big three.

[activeStick]

Originally Posted by BigT112

And the results of all that spending have been?

You can spend money until the cows come home, but it means nothing to fans when the results aren't there. If the Jays ranked 7th in spending and this is the season that has resulted, that's frankly disgusting.

Spend definitely doesn't guarantee results, but it'd be difficult to argue that having an ownership group that are willing to spend on players, management, coaches, etc. certainly helps the chances when compared to groups who aren't as willing to.

[BigT112]

Originally Posted by bluejays

There are two distinct pieces. There is the ownership piece where to me Rogers has invested heavily in the Jays. People who call them crappy owners are out to lunch IMO. There’s also the political side of reporting to a board, which puts certain board savvy executives in the chair to have those discussions. Do those executives always speak the language of hockey or baseball when it comes to those seats? Sometimes no, as is the case right now with Keith Pelley. So in that regard they may not always have a core sports person first and foremost in that seat, but rather a business person trying to learn the sports side of things. But all in all Rogers shells out the money. I do suspect the Argos among others will get shafted when they money is split between the big three.

I'm not necessarily calling them crappy owners. They invest in the team and in Rogers Centre and I believe they genuinely want the team to be good (I mean it helps the bottom line right). And yes they throw a lot of money at baseball operations. The problem is, I don't think they've been good at hiring effective leadership for the team. I mean how are Shapiro and Atkins still at the helm? That's an indictment on ownership. It's an indication that they are fine with mediocrity because they know regardless of what happens, they will profit.

Just means the rest of us have to suffer through all the hand wringing think pieces when the Leafs are out in the 1st round again next spring.

[Press Level]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

As a part of this, all the media rights for Leafs and Raptors are going to Bell/TSN (as opposed to the split they've had). 20-year deal. I bet that's big dollars going back into Rogers' pockets.

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/bell-sells-st...mlse-1.2175971

If they weren't the Toronto Sports Network before, they certainly will be now.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by BigT112

Rogers sole ownership of the Blue Jays has been such a success, I am sure Leafs fan are cheering in the streets!

Leaf fans should be happy if they run the Leafs operations as well as the baseball operations vs. how well they run their telecom operations.... ####ing Rogers coverage.

[Jacks]

Good deal for Rogers, those franchises are like ATM's.

[Erick Estrada]

Thoughts and prayers for all the regular people working for MLSE.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by BigT112

I'm not necessarily calling them crappy owners. They invest in the team and in Rogers Centre and I believe they genuinely want the team to be good (I mean it helps the bottom line right). And yes they throw a lot of money at baseball operations. The problem is, I don't think they've been good at hiring effective leadership for the team. I mean how are Shapiro and Atkins still at the helm? That's an indictment on ownership. It's an indication that they are fine with mediocrity because they know regardless of what happens, they will profit.

Just means the rest of us have to suffer through all the hand wringing think pieces when the Leafs are out in the 1st round again next spring.

That's what I meant meant in my explanation. They pour money in on one hand but because they're corporately run, have to have a person who can speak the corporate language, in the President chair. It's not ideal in many ways because not many people are business savvy and sport savvy, so it closes out having a sports person if they can't have the ability of selling something to the Board. I don't fully agree that they don't actively want to win - I would bet most of the discussions happen around that. The problem with the corporate run world is when it's the same management team, the truth is never told explicitly. It's always washed or if a new team comes in they'll point out their new vision of what went wrong. I imagine the Jays will get rid of Atkins this year. Shapiro is the mix between corporate and baseball having both, but a head will have to roll eventually and that will be Atkins. I think that can eventually be attributed to a corporate run team. If it was a rich owner, the president can convince ownership to hold on, but in Corporate results speak volumes. So I'd wager he's gone pretty early as soon as the season wraps.