Sporticast 381: A New Mega Sports Ownership Empire

On the latest Sporticast episode, hosts Scott Soshnick and Eben Novy-Williams discuss some of the biggest sports business stories of the week, including a major transaction in the NBA, NHL and MLS. Rogers Communications reached an agreement to acquire BCE’s 37.5% sake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment—parent of the Maple Leafs, Raptors and Toronto FC—for about $3.48 billion (CA$4.7 billion).

Rogers already owns 37.5% of MLSE, so the transaction will bring its stake to 75%. The entity was valued at $9.3 billion in the deal. Rogers already owns the Toronto Blue Jays, so the move creates one of the biggest sports ownership portfolios in North America.

The hosts talk about the valuation, the unique structure of MLSE (with competitors historically owning equal shares) and what this transaction means for all the teams involved. They also debate which mega sports empire they would most like to control—Liberty, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, Rogers, Fenway Sports, or the Dallas Cowboys.

Next they discuss another acquisition. Billionaire Marcelo Claure, former CEO of Sprint, recently agreed to purchase a 10% stake in MLS club NYCFC and its yet-to-be-built stadium in Queens. The deal values the combined entity at roughly $1.5 billion, Sportico reported. It’s a return of sorts to MLS for Claure. He was one of the founding owners of Inter Miami, but sold his equity to the Mas brothers a few years ago.

The hosts also talk about a sports media shocker. ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski, one of the more famous reporters in the industry, announced Wednesday that he was leaving ESPN—and journalism entirely. Woj is taking a new GM job at his alma mater, St. Bonaventure, where he will help recruit players and manage NIL opportunities. He has more than 6.5 million followers on Twitter.

They close by discussing waning interest in Deion Sanders’ college football games, and Michael Jordan’s house finally selling.

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