Rogers NHL Deal to Draw Government Scrutiny, Moody’s Says

Rogers Communications’ deal to lock up exclusive rights to broadcast hockey, Canada’s favorite sport, probably will make the government reconsider how it regulates TV programming, Moody’s Investors Service said.

The C$5.2 billion ($4.9 billion), 12-year agreement makes Rogers the sole distributor of National Hockey League games in Canada beginning in 2014. Rogers may distribute some content only to its subscribers, giving the government pause about the effect on hockey-hungry consumers, Moody’s said. “Despite the Canadian government’s support of free markets, should Rogers’ plan adversely affect consumers, regulators will respond,” Moody’s analyst Bill Wolfe said.