MLSE Heads on Prime Time Sports

[Longshot]

Says they took fans for granted. Says it's embarrassing what they did to fans.

I don't want to ruin the interviews for myself. Hopefully I can watch later, but did he elaborate on this at all?

I'm really curious and what he thinks the organization did to the fans that was embarrassing.

If I had to guess I would think it was two things:

1. For years MLSE seemed (it was never outwardly stated, but there is more than enough evidence that demonstrates that JF Jr., was told to make the playoffs or he was fired) to operate with an overall organizational goal of "making the playoffs" as if finishing 8th in itself was somehow an accomplishment.

2. The other would have to be hiring inexperienced General Managers on the cheap in one of the biggest markets in North America.

 

[Daisy Jane]

I don't want to ruin the interviews for myself. Hopefully I can watch later, but did he elaborate on this at all?

I'm really curious and what he thinks the organization did to the fans that was embarrassing.

If I had to guess I would think it was two things:

1. For years MLSE seemed (it was never outwardly stated, but there is more than enough evidence that demonstrates that JF Jr., was told to make the playoffs or he was fired) to operate with an overall organizational goal of "making the playoffs" as if finishing 8th in itself was somehow an accomplishment.

2. The other would have to be hiring inexperienced General Managers on the cheap in one of the biggest markets in North America.

i'm going to listen now - but I would go for the simple fact that Peddie and the board seriously thought about money first, and results later - because the mind set is [was, and quite frankly, always will be], we will pay because we want to see results. the end (and then we'll be vocal about it )

I have to say - the more I hear Leiweke speak - is the more I like him. he's clearly, clearly, passionate about his job and what he wants to bring for Toronto, (and the fact that Bettman kind of doesn't like him makes me like him even more!).

 

[htpwn]

Leiweke has a remarkable ability to wrap people around his finger. I'm impressed on that alone. He seems to know all the words, the way to pull you into whatever he's selling. It is a lot clearer to me today, listening to him speak, why he's able to convince players and owners to follow his lead. In other words, he didn't get Beckham to Los Angeles by luck.

That should be bode well for us going forward. Unlike MLS, the NHL has a hard cap with no exceptions, so the sell-job is almost as important as the money when it comes to luring players. Tampa better not allow Stamkos to reach Free Agency in 2016, because I can't see him signing anywhere but Toronto with Leiweke in charge.

 

[Daisy Jane]

For those interested, Tim Leiweke, Dave Nonis Masai Ujiri, and Tim Bezbatchenko are on Fan 590 Prime Time Sports

wait?
whose Tim.... Bezbatchenko?
i don't know of him.

 

[Ari91]

wait?
whose Tim.... Bezbatchenko?
i don't know of him.

Nonis is the GM of the Leafs, Ujiri is the GM of the Raptors so I'm guessing that this Tim guys may be the GM or something related to Toronto FC.

And why doesn't Bettman like TL? haha

 

[AustonMitchWilly]

Leiweke is looking to do something huge. He wants to have the #1 (or near it) superstar in every league in one city.

He is going to go after LeBron.
He is going to go after Stamkos.
He got the soccer guy.
He is going to go after a basball guy.

He knows how a winning team can be an even bigger cash machine than it was before.

 

[rojac]

Leiweke is looking to do something huge. He wants to have the #1 (or near it) superstar in every league in one city.

He is going to go after LeBron.
He is going to go after Stamkos.
He got the soccer guy.
He is going to go after a basball guy.

He knows how a winning team can be an even bigger cash machine than it was before.

MLSE has nothing to do with baseball.

 

[TML 13]

leiweke is looking to do something huge. He wants to have the #1 (or near it) superstar in every league in one city.

he is going to go after durant.
he is going to go after stamkos.
he got the soccer guys.


he knows how a winning team can be an even bigger cash machine than it was before.

ftfy

 

[HeroNtF]

MLSE has nothing to do with baseball.

.....yet.

 

[HockeyGuy82]

I'm a Montreal Alouettes fan. Screw Toronto... @ football only. Haha!

 

[Daisy Jane]

Nonis is the GM of the Leafs, Ujiri is the GM of the Raptors so I'm guessing that this Tim guys may be the GM or something related to Toronto FC.

And why doesn't Bettman like TL? haha

Ahh...
[ thank you for telling me who Nonis was... I wasn't sure ]

Oh, it's just that especially during the Winter Classic Tim's all "I want to bring the classic here, blah blah." and so NBC was interviewing him and Bettman just had this look of "oh my effing crap, seriously, Tim?" on his face. it was awesome.

.....yet.

it will nto surprise me if in a few years MLSE buys it.


re: Stamkos..
the ground work is starting now, y'all. I know usually it's yeah - everyone who ever once used a 905 or a 416 area code, people from Toronto thinks they want to come here. but there is a huge difference now.

We've got management who wants to win.
and we've got one really savvy president.
i honestly feel all this talk of "we want to win." isn't just for the fans of Toronto - it's for any upcoming UFAs. you WANT to sign here because we are not what you percieve us to be.

all these articles of how Lieweke wants to sign Stamkos (or other big agents ala Taveres) that happened to pop up... after we got Bradley and Defoe and Tim's passionate "Why can't we be great?" speech. after stating that the money spent on the soccer team should be a sign that we WILL be spending money in Basketball and in Hockey [even w/the hard cap].

Tim is laying down the infrastructure now to woo Stamkos. and again -people want to poopoo this and Tampa won't let him go [well this would mean Stamkos would want to stay 1, and again - his UFA year lands on our 100th Anniversary I do believe + there was all those quotes saying he was hoping the Leafs fell far enough to draft him. it will be a tug.. it will be very. very. interesting is all I'm saying].

 

[Durrr]

Big fan of TL, but all this talk of Stamkos is him blowing hot air. I don't think anyone really expects Stamkos to leave Tampa, but I'm sure the leafs, like many other teams would make an offer.

 

[Cor]

I don't want to ruin the interviews for myself. Hopefully I can watch later, but did he elaborate on this at all?

I'm really curious and what he thinks the organization did to the fans that was embarrassing.

If I had to guess I would think it was two things:

1. For years MLSE seemed (it was never outwardly stated, but there is more than enough evidence that demonstrates that JF Jr., was told to make the playoffs or he was fired) to operate with an overall organizational goal of "making the playoffs" as if finishing 8th in itself was somehow an accomplishment.

2. The other would have to be hiring inexperienced General Managers on the cheap in one of the biggest markets in North America.

He was more referring to TFC and Raptor fans I think (he used thee fact that he sat in the stands with the fans at a TFC game last season, and the atmosphere was shot), but he didn't really expand. I think it's because MLSE was more worried about money. They wanted the playoffs, but only for the extra money. 2 games were it is pretty much all profit (don't pay salaries for players/coaches) made them happy, even if they lost both games.

wait?
whose Tim.... Bezbatchenko?
i don't know of him.

He is the GM of the TFC

 

[DD03]

Stamkos or Tavares?

 

[Mitchy]

Stamkos or Tavares?

it will nto surprise me if in a few years MLSE buys it.

Rogers already owns the team though. No way they're ever going to sell it.

 

[Grant]

Rogers already owns the team though. No way they're ever going to sell it.

It may be a possibility in order to cut costs. I'm not exactly sure of the organizational structure but I assume a lot of stuff like president, board of directors and other stuff like that the jays all have separately. By joining MSLE they would be able to merge and cut some of the positions reducing cost. That's the only thing I can come up with though and already I'm reaching a little

 

[Daisy Jane]

It may be a possibility in order to cut costs. I'm not exactly sure of the organizational structure but I assume a lot of stuff like president, board of directors and other stuff like that the jays all have separately. By joining MSLE they would be able to merge and cut some of the positions reducing cost. That's the only thing I can come up with though.

yeah. what Grant said

 

[-DeMo-]

I don't want to ruin the interviews for myself. Hopefully I can watch later, but did he elaborate on this at all?

I'm really curious and what he thinks the organization did to the fans that was embarrassing.

If I had to guess I would think it was two things:

1. For years MLSE seemed (it was never outwardly stated, but there is more than enough evidence that demonstrates that JF Jr., was told to make the playoffs or he was fired) to operate with an overall organizational goal of "making the playoffs" as if finishing 8th in itself was somehow an accomplishment.

2. The other would have to be hiring inexperienced General Managers on the cheap in one of the biggest markets in North America.

as far as I heard the quote of taking the fans for granted and being embarrassed was strictly talking about the Soccer fans and not the Leafs or Raptor fans.

 

[Ratboy]

Leiweke has a remarkable ability to wrap people around his finger. I'm impressed on that alone. He seems to know all the words, the way to pull you into whatever he's selling. It is a lot clearer to me today, listening to him speak, why he's able to convince players and owners to follow his lead. In other words, he didn't get Beckham to Los Angeles by luck.

That should be bode well for us going forward. Unlike MLS, the NHL has a hard cap with no exceptions, so the sell-job is almost as important as the money when it comes to luring players. Tampa better not allow Stamkos to reach Free Agency in 2016, because I can't see him signing anywhere but Toronto with Leiweke in charge.

So he's basically a master manipulator?

 

[tacoburrito]

Argos going to BMO is the best news I've heard all winter.

HELLO GRASS IN THE SKYDOME! **** YES

i wish... not going to happen though, it would cost far too much to renovate

 

[TheThrill81*]

All this dreaming of Stamkos coming to Toronto when he becomes a UFA, you have to think that if Yzerman fails to keep him in TB there is a possibility he will no longer be GM. He has much to lose by not extending Stamkos before he becomes a free agent.

 

[TheKule]

That should be bode well for us going forward. Unlike MLS, the NHL has a hard cap with no exceptions, so the sell-job is almost as important as the money when it comes to luring players. Tampa better not allow Stamkos to reach Free Agency in 2016, because I can't see him signing anywhere but Toronto with Leiweke in charge.

The odds of Tampa not signing Stamkos are so astronomically small it was literally not worth the calories it took to type out this response. These guys dropped 25 million for Valtteri Filppula. Stammer is gonna get his max $$$/8 years no problem.

 

[Saul Goodman]

i wish... not going to happen though, it would cost far too much to renovate

Wrong. It is happening, straight from Beeston's mouth.

And to all those saying MLSE will own the Jays, why the hell would Rogers sell any of their stake in the Jays to Bell? If anything it will be the other way around, with Bell being bought out of MLSE. These two hate eachother even more now that Rogers won the national broadcasting rights for the NHL.

 

[ACC1224]

The odds of Tampa not signing Stamkos are so astronomically small it was literally not worth the calories it took to type out this response. These guys dropped 25 million for Valtteri Filppula. Stammer is gonna get his max $$$/8 years no problem.

Doesn't matter. If the Player doesn't want to sign they can't make him, no matter the offer.

Like most stars, he'll re-sign.

 

[Vexed]

It may be a possibility in order to cut costs. I'm not exactly sure of the organizational structure but I assume a lot of stuff like president, board of directors and other stuff like that the jays all have separately. By joining MSLE they would be able to merge and cut some of the positions reducing cost. That's the only thing I can come up with though and already I'm reaching a little

Well selling to MLSE is more like selling a chunk to Bell which I don't see happening and cutting costs in this sense is also cutting into profits so its not really a win-win.

What I can see is Rogers buying out the entirety of MLSE from Bell and then merging the Blue Jays into it.