CRTC upholds undue preference finding against Rogers in sports programming carriage dispute

The CRTC does have jurisdiction in a dispute between Rogers Communications Inc. and an independent programming company over TV carriage in Canada, the regulator has found. Rogers and Timeless Inc. have been fighting for years over carriage of Timeless’ OneSoccer programming after a complaint from the programmer to the CRTC alleging Rogers acted disadvantageously by not broadcasting its soccer programming after it tried for two years to gain an agreement with the incumbent. The CRTC ordered Rogers to carry OneSoccer in March 2023. After Timeless accused Rogers of giving its own sports programming and that of others undue preference and the CRTC agreed, Rogers called into question whether OneSoccer was actually owned and controlled by Canadians at the time of Timeless’ complaint, casting doubt upon whether the commission’s decision to order its carriage by Rogers could stand. Rogers alleged that OneSoccer was actually controlled by a group called Mediapro, a subsidiary of a non-Canadian company. But, according to a Monday, July 28 decision from the CRTC, OneSoccer “continues to be owned, operated, and controlled by the Canadian company Timeless Inc.” The regulator is therefore upholding its March 2023 decision finding that Rogers did give itself undue preference and subjected OneSoccer to a disadvantage. The CRTC found that Timeless’ board of directors includes four Canadians and one non-Canadian, with two of the Canadians holding 50 per cent of the issued and outstanding shares of Timeless’ holding company, JRB Holdings Corp. It also reviewed now-expired agreements between Mediapro and Timeless, with assets transferred from the former to the latter. As part of the expired agreement, Mediapro was still required to provide certain day-to-day operations for OneSoccer for a period at Timeless’ request. "Under the expired term sheet agreement between Timeless and Mediapro, Mediapro ran the day-to-day operations and other functions for OneSoccer, but did so on behalf of, and under the direction of, Timeless. At all times, Timeless retained the authority to make strategic or organizational changes," the CRTC found. The regulator also reviewed a newer agreement between Timeless and a group called Midpro to provide “production, studio, and transmission services for OneSoccer. “As a result of the new agreement, MidPro contributes to the day-to-day operations, while Timeless determines the strategic decision-making activities of OneSoccer. Mediapro is no longer involved in producing content for the service,” the CRTC wrote. It noted that Midpro is a Canadian company. Rogers and Timeless have until Aug. 11 to file to the CRTC new proposed remedies for resolving the undue preference finding. They then have until Aug. 18 to submit their final replies. The Wire Report has reached out to Rogers requesting comment on the matter. Timeless could not be reached. news@thewirereport.ca

CRTC upholds undue preference finding against Rogers in sports programming carriage dispute

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By Wire Report Staff
| July 28, 2025

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CRTC upholds undue preference finding against Rogers in sports programming carriage dispute

Broadcast | By Wire Report Staff | July 28, 2025

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Broadcast |
By Wire Report Staff
| July 28, 2025