The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that five sports leagues have approved Rogers's $4.7-billion acquisition of BCE's 37.5-per-cent stake in Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, moving the deal closer to completion. The Globe's Irene Galea writes that on Wednesday, Rogers said it received the required clearances from the National Hockey League, National Basketball Association, Canadian Football League, Major League Soccer and the American Hockey League. The deal will give it a 75-per-cent stake in MLSE, which owns the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs, NBA's Toronto Raptors, CFL's Toronto Argonauts and MLS's Toronto FC. The deal values the sports empire at $12.5-billion. Rogers is still awaiting approval from the CRTC, which must clear its acquisition of an additional indirect interest in Toronto Raptors Network, a basketball television station. Rogers previously said it expects to close the deal by the middle of 2025. The company has the right to buy the remaining quarter of MLSE from its chair, Larry Tanenbaum, in 2026. Rogers is trying to counter the trend of Canadians cancelling their traditional television subscriptions and opting for streaming platforms. Rogers closed Wednesday at $40.50, down 10 cents.