logo
Rogers closes deal with BCE to become majority owner of MLSE

Rogers closes deal with BCE to become majority owner of MLSE

CTV News02-07-2025
A man walks into Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment's office at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese
TORONTO — Rogers Communications Inc. has closed its deal to buy BCE Inc.'s 37.5 per cent stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment to become the majority owner of the company.
Rogers now holds a 75 per cent stake in the owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, Toronto Argonauts and Toronto FC.
The $4.7-billion deal closed effective Tuesday after receiving the necessary regulatory and league approvals.
Rogers chief executive Tony Staffieri called MLSE one of the most prestigious sports and entertainment organizations in the world.
The acquisition grows the company's sports portfolio which already included the Toronto Blue Jays, Rogers Centre and Sportsnet.
Earlier this year, Rogers signed a new 12-year, $11-billion agreement with the National Hockey League for the national media rights for NHL games through 2037-2038. The deal kicks in following the end of its current 12-year deal.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 2, 2025.
Companies in this story: (TSX:RCI.B, TSX:BCE)
The Canadian Press
CTV News, BNN Bloomberg and CP24 are owned by Bell Media, which is a division of BCE.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Nuclear option
Nuclear option

Winnipeg Free Press

time38 minutes ago

  • Winnipeg Free Press

Nuclear option

Opinion The quest for more power to meet rising demand from electric vehicles and data centres running artificial intelligence technology has led to an apparent 'renaissance' of nuclear energy. The White House recently posted an op-ed piece exalting U.S. President Donald Trump's executive orders for reinvigorating America's nuclear power generation using that just that term, while effusively lauding his agenda to increase the nation's output by 300 gigawatts by 2050. That's enough to power about 300 million homes or, more likely, thousands of data centres for AI, as well as millions of EVs. Climate change commitments may not be high on the U.S. president's mind, but it is on China's list, as it seeks to add as much as 400 GW more from atomic energy by 2050 while aiming to decarbonize its economy. It's arguably off a faster start with 119 GW of nuclear power generation in construction or development. India is next in activity with 32 GW potentially under development. The United States is much further behind at eight GW, even trailing nations like France and Poland. Actual activity and planned growth suggests trillions of dollars being invested in nuclear energy over the coming decades — and investors are intrigued. 'The ducks are coming in a row, finally,' says Scott Clayton, Toronto-based senior analyst for the Canadian Wealth Advisor with the TSI Network in Toronto. The last time nuclear energy was on an upswing with investors was in the 2000s as oil prices surged. Then, the Fukushima plant disaster in Japan in 2011 put the brakes on nuclear power. Companies like Cameco Corp. — based in Saskatoon and the world's largest uranium producer — saw growth put on ice. That is until recently. Today, Cameco's share price, fuelled largely by all the talk of plans for new reactors, is at all-time highs. Although Canada may be an oil and gas powerhouse, its potential as a supplier of the fuel for nuclear energy has arguably more upside. It has the third largest discovered reserves in the world. It is also the second-largest producer behind Kazakhstan and potentially much more production is coming, as exploration companies like NexGen Energy and Paladin Energy look to develop mines in the Athabasca Basin (home to the highest-grade deposits of uranium in the world). Yet before jumping into a surging industry, driven by the future promise of much more nuclear power (not to mention the unnerving revival of the nuclear arms race), let's splash a bit of cold water on the overheating rods of speculation. 'It still faces challenges,' Clayton says. Among them are regulatory concerns. Mining projects in Canada take a notoriously long time to be approved and uranium is particularly tricky, given its environmental impact. Power plants are equally complicated. The public might appreciate the cheap, abundant power, just don't generate it close to where they live. 'The other problem is that the costs (of construction) are just astronomical,' Clayton says. The newest nuclear power generating station in the U.S, for example — two reactors at Plant Vogtle in Georgia — cost US$35 billion and were behind schedule and over budget. 'We definitely think it's (nuclear energy) going to be needed,' says Andrew Bischof, senior equity analyst at Morningstar in Chicago. Yet many projects are far from construction, let alone completion, and a history exists of projects being cancelled, especially in the U.S. Bischof says many major utility companies are talking about amping up nuclear power, but those are far-away ambitions, part of five- and 10-year plans to build capacity, which could take several more years before that power is added to the grid. There does seem to be more buzz around small modular reactors, he adds. These are scaled-down power plants that take less time to build, but it's an emerging technology. To that end, Canada is a leader with a project underway in Darlington, Ont. 'Duke Energy has also mildly stated that it's exploring SMRs, but again, that is 2030 to 2035 for a time frame,' Bischof says about the U.S. power provider, which presently has six nuclear power plants in the U.S.. Notably, big tech — Microsoft, Meta and Alphabet (Google) — are considering or currently entering into contracts with power providers, providing cash up front to restart or build new nuclear capacity, often involving small reactors, to meet climate change goals and growing energy-hungry AI capabilities. The need is substantial. AI is forecast to eat up 20 per cent of new energy growth through 2030. EV expansion is expected to increase demand by 15 per cent. Whether all this growth translates into future profits remains to be seen. In the meantime, investors might consider risk-adjusted exposure. 'If you're looking to invest in more speculative areas, it's best to get exposure through stocks that already have a solid business,' Clayton says. He points to U.S.-based Constellation Energy Corp. as one viable choice. Nearly 70 per cent of its output is nuclear and it pays a small dividend (0.47 per cent yield). Another way to invest in this theme is exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Investors have close to a handful of choices. One of the longest running is VanEck Uranium and Nuclear ETF, launched in 2007. It has seen renewed popularity, after peaking in price around 2011. '(Its) recent asset growth mirrors a broader nuclear renaissance fueled by surging electricity demand, the global pursuit of dependable low carbon power and fresh policy support extending plant life and financing next generation reactors,' says Brandon Rakszawski, director of product management, VanEck in New York. Monday Mornings The latest local business news and a lookahead to the coming week. Its portfolio also holds the aforementioned stocks with Constellation and Cameco among the largest positions. While the stars might be aligning for nuclear, conditions quickly change — i.e. battery power for renewables — that could make a long-term investment in nuclear suddenly less ideal. Still, for investors with an appetite for risk and a long time horizon, the nuclear option could power long-term profitability. Joel Schlesinger is a Winnipeg-based freelance journalist joelschles@

Gran Tierra Energy Reports Record Production in Q2 2025
Gran Tierra Energy Reports Record Production in Q2 2025

Globe and Mail

time2 hours ago

  • Globe and Mail

Gran Tierra Energy Reports Record Production in Q2 2025

Gran Tierra Energy Inc ( (GTE)) has released its Q2 earnings. Here is a breakdown of the information Gran Tierra Energy Inc presented to its investors. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Gran Tierra Energy Inc. is an independent international energy company focused on oil and natural gas exploration and production, with operations primarily in Canada, Colombia, and Ecuador. The company is known for its diversified portfolio and disciplined approach to reservoir management. In its second quarter of 2025, Gran Tierra Energy Inc. reported record production levels, achieving an average of 47,196 barrels of oil equivalent per day. The company also announced a funds flow from operations of $54 million and an adjusted EBITDA of $77 million. Additionally, Gran Tierra signed a mandate letter for a $200 million funding facility and entered a binding agreement to exit the UK North Sea. Key financial highlights include a net loss of $13 million, a decrease from the previous quarter, and a 44% increase in production compared to the same quarter last year. The company achieved a record of 32 million hours without a lost time injury and reported the lowest operating costs per barrel since early 2022. Gran Tierra's strategic moves, such as successful drilling in Colombia and Canada, and exploration in Ecuador, contributed to these outcomes. Gran Tierra continues to optimize its portfolio by divesting from non-core assets, such as the UK North Sea, and focusing on its core operations in South America and Canada. The company is also enhancing its financial flexibility through strategic funding arrangements and a disciplined hedging strategy. Looking ahead, Gran Tierra Energy Inc. remains committed to its strategy of disciplined capital allocation and balanced growth, with plans for further exploration and development in its key operational areas. The management anticipates continued strong performance and long-term value generation for stakeholders.

Sports scoreboard for Friday, Aug. 1, 2025
Sports scoreboard for Friday, Aug. 1, 2025

Winnipeg Free Press

time3 hours ago

  • Winnipeg Free Press

Sports scoreboard for Friday, Aug. 1, 2025

Friday's Scoreboard CFL Winnipeg 41 Toronto 30 — MLB American League Kansas City 9 Toronto 3 Seattle 4 Texas 3 Cleveland 3 Minnesota 2 Chicago White Sox 6 L.A. Angels 3 National League Milwaukee 16 Washington 9 San Diego 4 St. Louis 1 Cincinnati 3 Atlanta 2 San Francisco 4 N.Y. Mets 3 (10 innings) Colorado 17 Pittsburgh 16 Interleague Miami 13 N.Y. Yankees 12 Boston 2 Houston 1 (10 innings) Philadelphia 5 Detroit 4 L.A. Dodgers 5 Tampa Bay 0 Chicago Cubs 1 Baltimore 0 Athletics 5 Arizona 1 — LEAGUES CUP Phase One Toluca 2 Montreal 1 New York City 2 Leon 0 Columbus 3 Puebla 1 Mazatlan 2 Houston 0 Tigres 2 San Diego 1 LAFC 1 Pachuca 1 (LAFC wins 4-2 on penalties) — WNBA Los Angeles 108 Seattle 106 (2OT) Indiana 88 Dallas 78 Golden State 73 Chicago 66 Connecticut 78 New York 62 Atlanta 96 Phoenix 72 — Canadian Elite Basketball League Vancouver 121 Edmonton 105 Montreal 103 Brampton 83 Winnipeg 98 Saskatchewan 89 —

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store