Ujiri has ‘great relationship’ with Edward Rogers

Toronto Raptors team president Masai Ujiri tried to lay to rest rumours that he has friction with Edward Rogers, the executive chair of Rogers Communications, Inc.

Ujiri says he and Edward Rogers have the “same exact relationship for 10 years” and that it’s “great.”

He was speaking at the Raptors’ media day ahead of training camp.

Ujiri’s comments come nearly two weeks after Rogers Communications announced it was going to acquire rival telecom BCE Inc.’s 37.5 per cent stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment for $4.7 billion.

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The Toronto Star reported in 2021 that Rogers had unsuccessfully fought plans to re-sign Ujiri as vice chairman and president of basketball operations, saying he was not worth the amount offered.

MLSE owns almost all of Toronto’s professional sports teams, including the Raptors, NHL’s Maple Leafs, Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC, and the CFL’s Argonauts.

MLSE chairman Larry Tanenbaum, via his holding company Kilmer Sports Inc., owns the other 25 per cent stake.

OMERS, a Canadian pension fund, purchased a five per cent indirect stake in MLSE in the summer of 2023 through a 20 per cent direct stake in Kilmer Sports for US$400 million.

Kilmer announced this past summer that it was bringing a WNBA franchise to Toronto.

Rogers Communications wholly owns the Toronto Blue Jays.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 30, 2024.