Prime Video Acquires Wednesday Night Hockey And Three NHL Playoff Series In Canada For 12 Years
From 2026-27 through 2037-38, Prime Video is expected to broadcast national NHL regular-season games on Wednesday nights and carry select early-round playoff series in Canada.
Video Transcript
Hi, I'm Graeme Rousen with the Hockey News, and today we're here with Edward Rogers, executive chairman of Rogers Communication.
Welcome.
Graeme, thank you.
It's a real pleasure.
We did this last year.
We got together last year and we talked a little bit about hockey here in Toronto.
At the time when I was here, Rogers Communications, owned 37 and a half percent of MLSE, but in this past year a lot's gone on.
You've gone and doubled your stake, haven't you?
Yes.
We own 75% now.
Now, now that, there's, there's In the, in the, in the world of owning companies, going from 37 and a half percent, where you're maybe a minority investor or just an investor, to going to 75, now you're the majority investor.
What's the difference from a operational, from an ownership point of view?
Now you've gone from an investor to the majority owner.
Well, I'd say all the owners had always been hands-on.
Mm-hmm.
So, in a sense, not much has changed.
I think we're, Larry Tanenbaum and us, we try to work effectively and, continue to run the teams as best we can and provide the best of result.
Yeah.
Well, it's, it's, it's no secret that the ownership structure that, was in place at MLSE where 37 and a half percent was owned by Rogers Communications, 37 and a half percent was owned by Bell, and the other 25% by Larry Tanenbaum and his It's, it worked.
It, it seemed to work for a long time, and more than a decade.
What was it that, you know, made you really want to take this next step?
Well, we've been bullish on sports for a long time.
Sports has been a core business for, for Rogers.
And, Bell took the decision to exit.
Mm-hmm.
And it was an opportunity that, we didn't wanna pass up.
Thought it made a lot of sense for our company, and, we'll continue to provide great results.
Yeah.
The Operationally, there's really not much change, is there?
Because you've It's been running like a top for a long time.
What, what, what little difference or what difference will be people see, or will they see any difference in, in the product because of the ownership structure changing a little bit?
I don't think they'll see a lot, as I say, because the owners have been aligned- and working to the same ends.
I think, what people wanna see are competitive teams that are out there, that are, able to get into the playoffs and able to stretch and win.
Mm-hmm.
That's what our fans want, that's what we want, and that's what we strive for.
Yeah, and it's no secret that you're gonna be buying the remaining 25%.
Rogers Communications will be buying the remaining 25% sometime in 2026.
It Is that the case?
We've communicated that, that's our plan, yes.
