before 1968, the tournament was known as the canadian national championships. since the start of the open era, the tournament has had many sponsors. in the 1970s, it was held under the rothmans international tobacco brand, player's limited was the main sponsor in the 1980s, and the sponsor changed again in 1997 to the cigarette company du maurier. since federal measures came into place to restrict tobacco advertising, rogers, a media company, has become the head sponsor.