Edward Rogers II, the Toronto-bred media and communications magnate who died on Tuesday at age 75, was worth around five billion dollars and considered a risk-taking wild card. Though he gutsily marched his corporation from a singular radio operation inherited from his father to an unprecedented success — despite constant threats of bankruptcy and failure — Rogers revealed in his recent autobiography Relentless that he prefers constant work and the quiet company of his family to the glittery pursuits and occupations enjoyed by other men in similar positions.
His persona may be antithetical to that of New York's Donald Trump, but in the breadth of his reach and influence in a single city, Ted Rogers is the Trumpiest of Toronto. His name is emblazoned in red-hot lettering all over town, and the Rogers jingle (a hollow burst of electronic drums that Pavlovs me into cold fears about unpaid Internet bills) is ubiquitous. If you live and breathe in this city, it's unlikely that your off-hours and bank account aren't somehow implicated in Ted Rogers' business bubble.
Yellowpages.ca lists 18 Rogers Video stores in the city, which are linked to the other “Rogers Plus” services like home phone and Internet service. Advertisements for any of these might be found on Rogers radio stations, like 680 News, Jack FM, 98.1 CHFI, and The Fan 590 in Toronto, or on a Rogers television channel (cable 10 and 63 in Toronto), or those operated by Rogers' sports concern, Sportsnet, which includes four cable sports channels, a high-def sports channel, and Sportsnet.ca.
During baseball season, Sportsnet covers the Toronto Blue Jays, owned by Rogers, who play in the Rogers Centre (formerly the SkyDome, which Ted Rogers bought and renamed). While Rogers doesn't own any football teams, he had been working to bring the NFL to Toronto alongside sports tycoon Larry Tannenbaum.
Rogerses-in-training may be interested in studying at Ryerson's business school, in the Ted Rogers School of Management. A 15-million-dollar gift made by Rogers and his wife Loretta in 2007 provided funds for the school and for 52 scholarships for Ryerson students. Or, one might opt to study journalism at the Rogers Communications Centre, also at Ryerson, with hopes of later working at one of the biggest Canadian magazines, like Maclean's, Chatelaine, or Canadian Business, all of which are owned by Rogers.
Many of these operations are housed in “Rog Mahal,” the enormous, burnt-sienna office building at 1 Mount Pleasant Rd., looming alone just south of Bloor Street's businessy clusterfuck, on a curious land-island. While it isn't confirmed yet who will take over Ted Roger's CEO spot, the man's fingerprints cover the city so thoroughly that his legacy will remain in our collective consciousness forever.