Sportsnet Strikes Deal with ESL to Bring Canadians Exclusive esports Content on Sportsnet NOW and Sportsnet 360

- Rogers becomes first Canadian telecommunications company to land esports content agreement -

- Robust technology and peering agreements with top gaming companies delivers an optimized online gaming experience on Rogers Internet, recognized as Canada's fastest* -

TORONTO, May 24, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - Sportsnet continues to blaze a trail in providing unique sports content and programming to Canadians through a new deal with ESL, the world's largest esports league, by acquiring the exclusive rights to ESL's esportsTV, the first global 24/7 esports television channel.

"Sportsnet prides itself on being on the cutting edge of industry trends so we can continue to deliver premier sports experiences for our viewers," said Jason Badal, Sr. Director, Business Affairs, Sportsnet. "Esports is on the cusp of becoming a global phenomenon and we are excited to bring this coveted content to Canadians."

Launching this fall, esportsTV, will be available exclusively in Canada on Sportsnet NOW. In addition, a weekly esports news, highlights and analysis program will air on Sportsnet 360 beginning in July. Additional details will be announced at a later date.

This new agreement makes Rogers the first telecommunications company in Canada to secure exclusive rights to esports content.

And it's not just about tuning in and watching from the sidelines – gamers can also jump into the action with Rogers Internet, recognized as Canada's fastest by Speedtest*. Through robust technology and peering agreements with leading gaming platforms such as Steam, Rogers Internet customers can enjoy fast, smooth gameplay so they can compete with the best in the world. Average download rates published by Steam show that Rogers consistently tops the list of providers across Canada.

"There are 19 million people in Canada who identify as gamers and Rogers Ignite Internet is optimized to bring them our best possible online gaming experience," said Mark Shinozaki, Director, Internet Product Management, Rogers Communications. "In the real-time world of gaming, any lag or stutter can be the difference between winning and losing and our Ignite Gigabit service delivers our fastest speeds for multiple devices in the home, giving gamers a competitive edge."

Rogers Internet customers also get the gaming advantage through:

• Rogers rollout of DOCSIS 3.1 – the latest and fastest cable network technology to support increased gameplay, streaming and use of multiple devices simultaneously without compromise.
• Rogers Gigabit Wi-Fi modem – powered by the all-new Intel® PUMA™ 7 chipset, featuring the fastest Wi-Fi technology – 802.11ac Wave 2 with multi-user MIMO.

For additional information on Rogers Internet and Gaming, please visit www.rogers.com/gaming.

*Source: Based on Ookla's Speedtest Intelligence data for Q3-Q4 2016

About Sportsnet
Sportsnet is Canada's #1 sports media brand, connecting Canadian sports fans to their favourite teams and athletes.  Delivering storytelling on a local, regional, national and global level, the multiplatform brand consists of Sportsnet, sportsnet.ca, Sportsnet 590 The FAN, Sportsnet 960 The FAN, Sportsnet NOW, and the Sportsnet app.  Sportsnet consists of four regional channels (Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific), and the nationally-distributed Sportsnet ONE, Sportsnet 360, and Sportsnet World.  Sportsnet is the official Canadian NHL national multimedia rights holder, and is also the official regional television broadcast rights holder for the Calgary Flames (including radio rights on Sportsnet 960 The FAN), Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs (including radio rights on Sportsnet 590 The FAN), Vancouver Canucks and Montreal Canadiens. Sportsnet also has exclusive TV & radio coverage of all 162 Blue Jays games, as well as other MLB games, Toronto Raptors, NBA, Grand Slam of Curling, Rogers Cup, CHL, IndyCar, and extensive soccer programming including Premier League, Bundesliga, FA Cup and 2018 FIFA World Cup European Qualifiers.

About Rogers
Rogers is a leading diversified Canadian communications and media company that's working to deliver a great experience to our customers every day. We are Canada's largest provider of wireless communications services and one of Canada's leading providers of cable television, high-speed Internet, information technology, and telephony services to consumers and businesses. Through Rogers Media, we are engaged in radio and television broadcasting, sports, televised and online shopping, magazines, and digital media. Our shares are publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B) and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RCI).

SOURCE Sportsnet