Sportsnet

Sportsnet launched on October 9, 1998, as CTV Sportsnet through a partnership between Baton Broadcasting, Liberty Media, and Rogers Media. The network operated under this joint venture structure until Bell Globemedia acquired CTV Inc. in 2000. Regulatory rules forced the sale of the channel because Bell already owned its main competitor, TSN. Rogers Media bought out the remaining stake from Fox in 2004 to become the sole owner.

The brand operates four regional television feeds tailored for Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, and the West. Although the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission initially mandated strict regional programming rules, deregulation in 2011 allowed for flexible content distribution across all channels. Viewers can now access any feed digitally nationwide, though local analog cable still carries only the specific feed for their area.

As the national rightsholder for the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball, Sportsnet holds exclusive rights to the Toronto Blue Jays. The network splits coverage of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors with rival TSN. Beyond these regional channels, the company expanded into a broader media platform including Sportsnet One, Sportsnet World, and Sportsnet 360. The digital streaming service known as Sportsnet+ allows subscribers to stream over 150 Blue Jays games along with NHL, NBA, and UFC events. [edit]