Short answers, pulled from the story.
Sportsnet officially launched on the 9th of October 1998 under the name CTV Sportsnet. The network began operations with a live broadcast featuring an NHL opening night game between the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Rangers.
Rogers Media acquired full ownership of Sportsnet by purchasing the remaining twenty percent stake held by Fox in 2004. This transaction followed Rogers purchase of CTV's stake in the summer of 2001 after regulatory orders forced divestiture.
The twelve-year agreement announced on the 26th of November 2013 became the exclusive national rightsholder for the league starting with the 2014-15 season. This contract was valued at five point two billion dollars covering both television and digital media rights.
Sportsnet operates four distinct regional feeds serving specific geographic areas across Canada including Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, and Vancouver Canucks. These channels carry national programming but primarily broadcast sporting events tailored to their local regions.
Rogers revealed plans to rebrand The Score as a Sportsnet channel on the 4th of June 2013 before officially changing its name to Sportsnet 360 on the 1st of July 2013. The acquisition was valued at one hundred sixty-seven million dollars and closed on the 19th of October 2012.