Rogers is now one of the most expansive sports owners in the world. Here’s how it compares to others

First, Rogers Communications built its radio and television business. Next, it built its cellular prominence. Now, it is cornering the market on professional sports.
On Wednesday, Rogers bought Bell’s $4.7-billion stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, the juggernaut that owns the Maple Leafs, Raptors, Argonauts and Toronto FC, among other teams. Rogers now holds 75 per cent of MLSE, pending the approval of the deal.
Already owner of the Blue Jays, the Rogers Centre and broadcaster Sportsnet, Rogers has positioned itself at the top of Toronto sports. Among major Toronto franchises, only the Professional Women’s Hockey League’s Toronto Sceptres and the unnamed WNBA team have different owners.
And the company’s influence expands outside this city. It holds the regional broadcast rights for the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames, as well as the national NHL rights until 2026.
“You really do put yourself in a very unique class of people, not just in Canada but across North America,” sports media analyst Adam Seaborn said. “There’s very, very few single families or entities that own NBA, NHL, Major League Baseball teams, big broadcast networks (and) arenas where those teams play.”
Indeed, there are only a handful of ownership groups worldwide whose influence is more expansive — and even fewer that have such a hold on one major city.
“It’s a real big empire of sports and entertainment,” Seaborn said.
Here are some of the others in the conversation.
Liberty Media lays claim to what Forbes estimates is the most valuable sports empire in the world. Valued at US$20.8 billion, the company owns Formula One as well as MLB’s Atlanta Braves. Not included in that evaluation: the Liberty-owned entertainment giants Live Nation and Ticketmaster.
Run by U.S. real estate mogul Stan Kroenke, this company comes the closest to matching Rogers’ single-city dominance. Kroenke owns much of the pro sports scene in Denver, Colo.: the NHL’s Avalanche, the NBA’s Nuggets, Major League Soccer’s Rapids and the National Lacrosse League’s Mammoth.
Kroenke also owns the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Premier League club Arsenal FC — as well as the home venues for these franchises.
In 2023, Forbes valued the Kroenke group at US$12.75 billion.
Named after the iconic Fenway Park, where the Boston Red Sox play, this group owns that MLB team, plus the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins, the Premier League’s Liverpool FC and NASCAR’s RFK Racing. They also own 80 per cent of NESN, the broadcaster that carries Red Sox and Bruins games.
Forbes valued the company at US$10.4 billion last year.
MSG Sports — named after the iconic New York venue it owns — also owns the two teams that play there: the NBA’s New York Knicks and NHL’s New York Rangers. Two developmental teams, the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League and the Westchester Knicks of the G-League, are also in its portfolio.
Much of these teams’ games are broadcast through MSG Networks.
Forbes valued MSG Sports at US$9.17 billion.
In 2023, Forbes valued MLSE at US$6.42 billion, making it the 10th most valuable sports empire worldwide. Rogers will have that under its umbrella — plus the Blue Jays, the Rogers Centre, Sportsnet and TV rights to the Canucks, Oilers, Flames and national NHL games.
“Rogers Communications now really controls a majority of the Canadian sports landscape,” Seaborn said.