Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan may consider buying Blue Jays from Rogers

If and when Rogers Communications decides to sell the Toronto Blue Jays, the telecom giant may find a suitor in a company it has done business with in the past.

In an interview with BNN, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan CEO and president Ron Mock was asked whether his company is willing to get involved with the team.

“We clearly have the capability of analyzing sport franchises,” says Mock tersely.

Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan "may end up looking at" Toronto Blue Jays if Rogers shops the team around: CEO pic.twitter.com/J5xFNm89Ap

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“We’re always prepared to look at anything, and from that perspective, we have to keep our ear to the ground to make sure we’re not missing potential opportunities out in the marketplace,” he adds. “We may end up looking at it. Of course, if it’s a live thing right now, I can’t comment on it, but we have the capacity and we’ve been there in the past.”

Obviously Mock isn’t say anything definitive here, but he also isn’t ruling out the possibility of the Teachers’ Plan getting involved in a potential bid.

Should the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan take part in any potential sale of the Blue Jays, it will be familiar ground for the company. Referring to the pension fund’s former stake in MLSE, Mock says during the interview, “that was an excellent investment, while we had it.”

Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan sold its stake in MLSE — the company that owns and operates Toronto FC, the Maple Leafs and Raptors, as well as each team’s associated minor league affiliate — in 2012 to two holding companies jointly owned by Bell and Rogers.

Rogers chief financial officer Tony Staffieri told attendees of the UBS Global Media and Communication conference last week that the company was considering whether to sell its stake in the Jays. Rogers purchased a majority stake in the team back in 2000. The company currently maintains full ownership of the team.

[source]BNN[/source]