The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has determined the tangible benefits contributions and service conditions for NBA TV Canada under its new owner Rogers Communications.

Rogers assumed ownership of the service from BCE with the acquisition of BCE’s 37.5% stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment. As part of the Tangible Benefits Policy, Rogers is required to contribute 10% of the NBA TV’s transaction proposed value to Canadian programming.

The $3.7 million tangible benefits package, made in equal payments over seven consecutive broadcast years, is allocated as follows: 80% of the package is split between two production funds. The Canada Media Fund (CMF) receives 60% ($255,125 per year), and 40% ($170,084 per year) is reserved for Rogers Documentary and Cable Network Fund.

The remaining 20% is allocated to discretionary initiatives: a scholarship in sports production from the College of Sports Media ($10,000 per year) and the Diversity in Sports Initiative ($96,302 per year).

Rogers is required to report annually on its process of making the above payments and “include a breakdown of where and how the benefits money has been expended, as well as demonstrate that the sums have not been used in a self-serving manner.”

In an intervention, the Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) asked for the CRTC to implement a policy for tangible benefits administered by the CMF or Certified Independent Production Funds ensuring the contributions remain within the language served by the acquired service. The Commission ruled that any changes to the Tangible Benefits Policy should be made in a broader review of the policy.

The Deaf Wireless Canada Committee and the Forum for Research and Policy in Communications filed interventions expressing concern over NBA TV’s past non-compliance with closed captioning policies. In addition, the former requested that Rogers add sign language into NBA TV and NHL programming and direct funds to accessibility initiatives. The latter asked Rogers to allocate more funds to ensure a reduction in closed captioning errors.

Rogers opposed any additional accessibility obligations, but noted that it would offer assistance to NBA TV to ensure that its closed captioning and accessibility initiatives are improved.

The CRTC ruled that NBA TV had not met the threshold for closed captioning accuracy during live programming as per its 2023 and 2024 annual reports. As a result, the Commission has ordered NBA TV to file monthly reports on its efforts to improve closed captioning “until NBA TV (Canada) has met or exceeded the threshold for closed captioning accuracy for at least six consecutive months.”

NBA TV’s license term expires on Aug. 31, 2026.

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