The Toronto Blue Jays' thrilling journey to Game 7 of the World Series in October was more than a sports story; it was a major financial victory for the team's owner, Rogers Communications. In a recent interview with the Financial Post, executive chairman Edward Rogers detailed the significant benefits reaped by his corporate empire, with one analyst estimating the playoff run was worth over $100 million in high-margin revenue.
A Winning Strategy for a Media Giant
The synergy between the Rogers-owned Blue Jays, Rogers Centre, and Sportsnet created a powerful profit engine. Packed stadiums with over 44,000 fans nightly and record-breaking television ratings on Sportsnet demonstrated the franchise's soaring value. This success provided a crucial boost for the sports network, which is in constant competition with Bell Media's TSN, especially as traditional cable television faces industry-wide challenges.
Rogers emphasized the importance of capturing sports fans who have moved away from traditional cable packages. "We've done very well at getting a lot of sports fans who may not have a traditional cable package, so keeping that audience growing is important," he told the Financial Post. He described Sportsnet as morphing "into more of a direct-to-consumer streaming company," with the Sportsnet+ product being heavily marketed to fans wanting to stream Jays games without a cable subscription.
Expanding the Sports Empire Beyond Baseball
The business ambitions extend far beyond the diamond. Rogers recently solidified its control of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), increasing its stake to 75% by purchasing Bell's share in a deal finalized in July 2025. This move adds the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Raptors, and Scotiabank Arena to Rogers' portfolio of premier sports assets.
Looking ahead, Rogers and CEO Tony Staffieri indicated that once the company completes a deal to acquire the remaining 25% of MLSE from Larry Tanenbaum's Kilmer Sports, they plan to seek outside investors for a unified sports entity. "We'll probably bring in investors once we've completed something with Kilmer Sports and put it all in one (entity),". Rogers said, noting strong interest from potential partners.
Investing to Win—and Profit
The leadership at Rogers Communications now clearly sees the direct link between on-field investment and financial return. The Blue Jays have positioned themselves near the top of Major League Baseball in payroll and have been aggressive in free agency, including a notable $60 million U.S. signing of Japanese infielder Kazuma Okamoto this winter.
"I don't want to overstate it, but you want to invest in a winning team," Staffieri told the Financial Post. "That's what we all want and so there is an advantage to that." The unsaid conclusion, powerfully supported by National Bank of Canada analyst Adam Shine's estimate, is that the advantage is profoundly profitable. Shine's December analysis, cited by the Financial Post, pinpointed the playoff run's value at over $100 million for Rogers.
The 2025 season proved that for Edward Rogers, the Blue Jays' success is a cornerstone business strategy, driving value across a rapidly expanding sports and media landscape.
