Geoff Molson did not build his wealth the way most billionaires do. He inherited a name that had been synonymous with Canadian business for generations, spent years working through the family brewing empire, and then made a single defining move in 2009 that changed the scale of what the Molson name meant in sport. Buying the Montreal Canadiens was not just a business decision. For a family that had owned the team before, it was something closer to a homecoming. The numbers since have been extraordinary.
The Investment That Changed Everything
When Molson completed the purchase of the Canadiens from George Gillett Jr. in 2009, the price was $575 million. That was already a significant sum for a hockey franchise at the time. What has happened to the value since then is the kind of return that makes the original figure look modest in hindsight.
According to Sportico’s most recent NHL franchise valuations, the Canadiens are now worth $3.3 billion, placing them third in the league behind only the Toronto Maple Leafs at $4.25 billion and the New York Rangers at $3.65 billion. The franchise value has nearly sextupled since Molson took over.
Even through a full rebuild, revenues have kept climbing. The Canadiens brought in $257 million during the 2021-22 season, then $300 million the following year and $318 million the season after that, placing them among the top five revenue-generating franchises in the entire league.
Part of what underpins that valuation is what Molson owns beyond the team itself. Groupe CH, the holding company he leads as president and CEO, owns the Canadiens, the Bell Centre, the entertainment division Evenko, and L’Equipe Spectra, which he added to the portfolio in 2013. The Canadiens are the centrepiece, but the broader business is considerably larger.
One transaction gave a rare public window into what pieces of that business are actually worth. When minority owner Michael Andlauer sold his 10 percent stake in the Canadiens after purchasing the Ottawa Senators, that transaction was completed at a record $2.5 billion enterprise valuation for the team as a standalone franchise. The Molson family exercised their right of first refusal to buy back that stake.
Beyond The Canadiens
Molson grew up in Montreal and spent the earlier part of his career moving between the family business and corporate roles elsewhere, including a stint at Coca-Cola and a consulting position at CSC, before returning to Molson Brewery as vice president of marketing ahead of the Canadiens purchase.
His personal honours reflect a standing that goes beyond sport. He was made a knight of the National Order of Quebec in 2019 and appointed to the Order of Canada in 2021, two of the country’s most significant civilian honours.
His most recent business move has taken him into a new sport entirely. Molson joined the Toronto Tempo’s ownership group in September 2025, drawn partly by a long-standing interest in women’s basketball and a belief that the WNBA’s expansion into Canada was worth backing. The Tempo’s inaugural 2026 season includes two regular-season games at the Bell Centre in Montreal, a direct result of his involvement.
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