TSN: Stamkos meeting with leafs, Toronto mayor, and CEO of Canadian tire

[Stand Witness]

If this type of thing happens and it's accepted, what's stopping for example the Ilitches from saying "sign in Detroit and Little Ceasars will give you an X million dollar sponsorship"?

Well to start Stamkos already has a deal in place with Sportchek (owned by Canadian Tire) so the Leafs aren't negotiating or introducing him any new sponsors.

Mike Illitch would clearly be circumventing the cap.

It is beneficial for companies like Sportchek to have Stamkos in Toronto. They would have Steven Stamkos related products everywhere.

 

[Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk]

If this type of thing happens and it's accepted, what's stopping for example the Ilitches from saying "sign in Detroit and Little Ceasars will give you an X million dollar sponsorship"?

Nothing really. How much crazy bread can they donate? That's about the only thing I've liked from LC's in the past.

 

[Patrice Krejci*]

Who says anything about a reduced cap hit? Maybe they are covering up for the fact that they would have to pay him an extra $1.4m per year to keep parity with Tampa's offer.

Honestly, a fair point.

 

[blankall]

Yeah...sponsors paying a player more to sign with a certain team which in turns helps out a city while may have good intentions at heart, it's still circumvention.

No more than different cities having different taxes, costs of living, or exchange rates.

Players have always taken multiple factors besides salary into consideration. This isn't any different. It's not circumvention anymore than certain states not charging income tax.

 

[Mike Jones]

Would have been more entertaining if Rob Ford was still in office.

He and his brother would have been so into this situation it would have been painful to watch.

 

[CapSpace]

**** the Leafs. Hope he signs in Montreal just to piss on these cheating *******.

 

[Canada4Gold]

Canadian Tire, proud sponsors of the Ottawa Senators, actually offers Steven Stamkos some on-the-side money so he could... be on their rival's roster.

What the actual ....?!?!

Gotta fill up those seats at Ottawa home games against the Leafs somehow.

 

[LastWordArmy]

Just saying

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/map...canadian-tire-sign-partnership-deal-1.1703129


Canadian Tire is affiliated with the team, they have a major sponsorship deal with the leafs.

 

[TehDoak]

No it's not...

You don't think Nike offers basketball players more if they go to NY or LA?

Canadian Tire has nothing to do with MLSE.

If an offer of a sponsorship was part of their pitch to come to Toronto, it absolutely does.

"Hey, here's our contract offer. Now go talk to this fella from Canadian Tire"

"Oh hey Steve, if you sign in Toronto, we will also give you this bag of money"

Yeah, that's cap circumvention.

 

[Tim Raines]

I don't know what everyone is so upset about? Canadian Tire just offered me $32 million over 8 years to work the cash register on my off days.

 

[pierre gagnon*]

Bubbles would say that is Greasy, really greheheeasy

 

[Extra Texture]

"Steve Simmonds sez...." For the sake of Leaf fans, I hope this guy is not as massive a joke as he has proven himself to be in the past.

I LOVE HOW ****IN SMART LOU AND SHANAHAN ARE!

bring down the cap hit and give him extra money from other sources.

How smart are these guys? so resourceful. so creative.

lets get it done boys!!!!!

Good for you if you sign him, I wont begrudge Leafs nation that at all. But is it really that innovative? "You'll make more money with potential sponsorship deals in a mega media market". Its about as clever as Florida teams saying "you'll pay less in income tax here".

Now if they can actually get him to sign for less, strongarm a sponsor into handing him a massive endorsement check, AND avoid the league's ire, I will be pretty impressed.

 

[David Suzuki]

Dreger: MLSE employee
McKenize: MLSE employee
Simmons: Not technically MLSE employee
Mirtle: Not really an insider

Seems like if you're trying to avoid tampering allegations, you should get your employees to not perpetuate the storyline of Stamkos heading to Toronto

Interesting. makes you think how they will be able to play the narrative to their benefit.

 

[Patrice Krejci*]

No more than different cities having different taxes, costs of living, or exchange rates.

Players have always taken multiple factors besides salary into consideration. This isn't any different. It's not circumvention anymore than certain states not charging income tax.

Except one has to do with community standards and taxes and the other has to do with private and public corporations. I've lived all over the US and Canada and there is a reason Montreal is more expensive than Houston and it's not the poutine. Montreal is a much better place to live, that comes at a cost.

 

[DFC]

I love how all the fans are claiming cap circumvention when every city that he could sign with would be able to offer him endorsement deals. Just not as much/many as in TO. If making a player aware of what endorsement deals could potentially be had without discussing actual numbers then every team to meet with Stamkos(I don't think anyone has yet) would get hit with a cap circumvention charge.

The problem isn't the endorsements. The problem is bringing the guy into the room. It's almost the definition of circumventing the cap.

 

[93LEAFS]

Does Crosby not have major endorsements in Canada? Most of what you say is true to a point, though overstated. The last sentence is pretty laughable though.

There is Crosby and Ovi, then the rest of the league. Toews has decent deals also. We've yet to see a Canadian superstar in Toronto in the last 10 to 15 years,so its very hard to compare. Lets also factor in what a good career with the Leafs will do to his earning potential, look at what guys like Clark and Sittler, hell even Darcy Tucker pull in just making appearances.

If you don't think bringing home a local boy will buy goodwill towards the companies viewed as responsible (especially if it lowers his perceived cap hit), then you don't get why they want to be seen as doing it. Its better marketing than any television spot he could do.

 

[Ari91]

This made it to 11 pages when Steve Simmons is the only 'reporter' that has leaked this news? Truth or not, if it comes from Simmons (and there's no separate voice willing to corroborate these 'rumblings') I'd rather call BS on Simmons and be wrong later than to give the man the benefit up front.

 

[Patrice Krejci*]

Just saying

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/map...canadian-tire-sign-partnership-deal-1.1703129


Canadian Tire is affiliated with the team, they have a major sponsorship deal with the leafs.

Sketchhh

 

[Runner77]

**** the Leafs. Hope he signs in Montreal just to piss on these cheating *******.

Therrien will incite him to sign. His game plan involves grinding and circumvention of common sense.

 

[Osprey]

Is Stamkos supposed to be flattered? If I were him, I'd be a little insulted and put off that others are trying so hard to buy me, and in a somewhat shady manner.

Also, I don't really understand the fit, now that Toronto has Matthews. Eventually (probably sooner rather than later), Matthews will be their #1C and they'll be paying Stamkos $10M/year to be their #2C. Even if they don't mind that, I imagine that Stamkos minds being a #2C when he could go elsewhere (like Detroit) and be the #1C for possibly the duration of the contract. That's probably why Toronto is throwing everything at him. It still seems odd, though.

 

[2 Minute Minor]

"Sign with the Leafs and we'll supplement your contract with a lifetime supply of free tires."

 

[sharkhawk]

Which other market has massive access to corporate sponsors that have an interest in making a hockey player the face of their brand. Ya, NYC guys will get good deals, same with LA and Chicago, possibly also the Habs, but no where else can really create these deals. Stamkos ain't getting a 2 million dollar deal to sponsor Anchor Bar.

Lets put it this way, if Stamkos signs with Toronto at a decent cap hit, and Canadian Tire is viewed as a primary actor in it, then they just bought a lot of good will and customer support.

You don't think the Hawks would have liked to pull something like this with Toews and Kane? Maybe not $3 million, but I bet they could have knocked 1 to 1.5 off their deals.

 

[Lemieuxs]

After Toronto, Stamkos is scheduled to fly into Pittsburgh to meet Mario Lemieux and the CEO of Baierl Chevrolet, 84 Lumber, & Primanti Brothers.

 

[Antropovsky]

seems like some shady dealings going on. Why bring the CEO of a major company to a meeting? Smells like cap circumvention.

Quite frankly the way that TSN fawns over Stamkos to the leafs doesn't seem right to me either, they are part owners of the Leafs.

Maybe Canadian Tire wanted to be there? Having a partnership with a Star player in Toronto would probably be ideal for their own marketing.

They currently have Jonathan Toews (CHICAGO), and McDavid (Edmonton)... Given the Leafs fan base, and popularity and population of Toronto, it would make sense that having a star in that City would be big for a company like Canadian Tire.

 

[Pelle31]

Sounds like cap circumvention

In all seriousness - this could turn out bad for TO if he does end up signing a lower contract in TO and there are actual links to discussion with the Leafs and other businesses to sponsor him. Anyone know the penalty if there is actual circumvention?

Yes it would be funny as hell if the league penalized the Leafs for cap circumvention since Lou has had his hands slapped in the past for doing it. They end up losing 1st round pick in the next two or three drafts. It would be more funny if Stamkos signs with the Leafs and the Bolts win the cup next year and he ends up never getting close to Lord Stanley's mug while playing with the Leafs.