Larry T's Co bidding for WNBA team?

[HiJiNX]

I'd much rather watch the WNBA than G league basketball.

Definitely. WAY better quality of basketball.

[WuTang_OG]

They are trading for Kia Nurse asap

[Boardbreaker]

I think the WNBA is an entertaining product. If we had a team I’d follow it much more closely. The quality of play has gone WAY UP from ten or even five years ago.

This is the biggest thing. Skill level has gone up at the lower levels and now the pros.

[WuTang_OG]

TORONTO, March 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Kilmer Sports Ventures announced the appointment of Ivan Gazidis as President, effective immediately. Kilmer Sports Ventures is a new division of the Kilmer Group and will focus on investment opportunities in the world of sport and entertainment.


Kilmer Sports Ventures is owned by Larry Tanenbaum, Chairman and CEO of Kilmer Group and Chair of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), the parent company of Canadian sports teams including the National Hockey League’s Toronto Maple Leafs, the National Basketball Association’s Toronto Raptors, Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC, and the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts.




Gazidis joins Kilmer Sports Ventures after thirty years as a business executive and leader in the world of football and sports. Most recently, he was Chief Executive Officer of AC Milan where he led a remarkable turnaround of the football club both on and off the field, guiding it from the brink of bankruptcy to its first league title in 11 years while also restoring the club to profitability and financial security in just four years.

Prior to his role at AC Milan, Gazidis served as the Chief Executive Officer of Arsenal Football Club. During his tenure, Arsenal won three FA Cups and three Community Shields, while consistently securing UEFA Champions League qualification. Under his leadership, the club modernized all aspects of its operations and facilities, including its two training grounds, without adding debt and while maintaining profitability in every year of his tenure.

Gazidis was one of the founders of Major League Soccer and served as its Deputy Commissioner. He has served on and chaired many boards and committees including the European Clubs Association Executive Board, the UEFA Executive Committee and FIFA’s Football Stakeholders Committee.

“I am delighted to join Kilmer Sports Ventures and look forward to building this new organization with Larry Tanenbaum,” said Ivan Gazidis. “Larry Tanenbaum is one of the most important and influential leaders in the world of sports and I am honored and excited to be working with him.”

“We are delighted to welcome Ivan Gazidis to Kilmer Sports Ventures,” said Larry Tanenbaum. “He has had such an influential role in the development of football internationally, and I know his unparalleled experience and proven leadership will be invaluable.”

https://financialpost.com/globe-newswire/kilmer-sports-ventures-appoints-ivan-gazidis-as-president#:~:text=Gazidis%20was%20one%20of%20the,and%20FIFA's%20Football%20Stakeholders%20Committee.

[God Squad]

I think the WNBA is an entertaining product. If we had a team I’d follow it much more closely. The quality of play has gone WAY UP from ten or even five years ago.

There was a general board thread on the WNBA playoffs on Realgm. I legit watched some of the WNBA playoff games one year. IIRC it was Vegas Aces ( legit good and fun team to watch) vs Connecticut I think. Very entertaining series, something I wasn't expecting. Kudos to that thread made me a fan of their game.

[Brinbe]

Maybe they're going for a NWSL team too?

[Oakvillehoops]

This probably speaks to my ignorance, but I'm shocked there are currently only 13 teams in the WNBA.

Which is about 7 too many. The women’s hockey league is doing it right by being so small, so that the talent pool is good.

[Fairview4Life]

This probably speaks to my ignorance, but I'm shocked there are currently only 13 teams in the WNBA.

Which is about 7 too many. The women’s hockey league is doing it right by being so small, so that the talent pool is good.

There is a much larger talent pool in women's basketball.

[Supermann98]

Seems like the only one here with NO interest in a WNBA team. Can't see it being any more popular than the Argos tbh

[WetLikeWater]

Thats amazing news!

[Dennis 37]

Good for Larry. Toronto should be a market that could sustain a profitable WNBA franchise.

Thing is the league does not make a profit.

This is like saying I lose money on my house because it’s not generating income.

The valuation of the league and its teams has increased exponentially in the past 5-10 years.

The NBA isn't paying the insurance, heating, water, and putting a new roof on your house.

If you are covering your own expenses, then not making a net profit is fine. When someone else is subsidizing your expenses should they not have a cut of those increased valuations?

[xAIRNESSx]

Wonder what the arena situation would be? The previous sticking point seemed to be the league wanting a potential team to be at Scotiabank Arena while MLSE was proposing the Hersey/Paramount Fine Foods Centre.

I haven't seen a ton of Raptors 905 footage but the lighting and camera angles seem to be sub-par compared to SBA.

[douggood]

Wonder what the arena situation would be? The previous sticking point seemed to be the league wanting a potential team to be at Scotiabank Arena while MLSE was proposing the Hersey/Paramount Fine Foods Centre.

I haven't seen a ton of Raptors 905 footage but the lighting and camera angles seem to be sub-par compared to SBA.

they are proposing coca cola coliseum

A source said Tanenbaum is looking at Coca-Cola Coliseum on Toronto's Exhibition grounds as a possible venue. It is home to the Marlies of the American Hockey League with a capacity of about 8,000.

The source said he is considering building a practice facility there that could also serve as a training centre for the men's and women's national teams.

[SpezNc]

Wonder what the arena situation would be? The previous sticking point seemed to be the league wanting a potential team to be at Scotiabank Arena while MLSE was proposing the Hersey/Paramount Fine Foods Centre.

I haven't seen a ton of Raptors 905 footage but the lighting and camera angles seem to be sub-par compared to SBA.

they are proposing coca cola coliseum

A source said Tanenbaum is looking at Coca-Cola Coliseum on Toronto's Exhibition grounds as a possible venue. It is home to the Marlies of the American Hockey League with a capacity of about 8,000.

The source said he is considering building a practice facility there that could also serve as a training centre for the men's and women's national teams.

On Raptors Show, Shireen said that the venue is not set in stone.

Still some challenges with coca cola. Also competition by other leagues.

She said Toronto is having a problem with mid level infrastructures

She also said that this could be “Canada’s team” and maybe the team could travelled through different canadian cities. That Larry has the money for that.

[Fairview4Life]

Wonder what the arena situation would be? The previous sticking point seemed to be the league wanting a potential team to be at Scotiabank Arena while MLSE was proposing the Hersey/Paramount Fine Foods Centre.

I haven't seen a ton of Raptors 905 footage but the lighting and camera angles seem to be sub-par compared to SBA.

they are proposing coca cola coliseum

A source said Tanenbaum is looking at Coca-Cola Coliseum on Toronto's Exhibition grounds as a possible venue. It is home to the Marlies of the American Hockey League with a capacity of about 8,000.

The source said he is considering building a practice facility there that could also serve as a training centre for the men's and women's national teams.

On Raptors Show, Shireen said that the venue is not set in stone.

Still some challenges with coca cola. Also competition by other leagues.

She said Toronto is having a problem with mid level infrastructures

She also said that this could be “Canada’s team” and maybe the team could travelled through different canadian cities. That Larry has the money for that.

That would be a non starter for the players, one would assume.

[WaltFrazier]

It will be something if they are profitable, since no WNBA team has ever done that.

I do t think this is true. I posted an Athletic article a page back that said a few teams are profitable.

lol it was a buzz line that came out a few yrs ago that everyone seems to have run with.

I guess it's the league that has had a loss every year, as a whole. We'll see if the lady Raps can draw enough to make money. It would be good to get Natalie Achonwa and Kia Nurse on the team, and other Canadians.

[Westside Gunn]

Listening to Will Lou's show today on the FAN, the usage of words by his cohost like "underpinnings of misogyny" and how it doesn't have to be profit motivated blah blah blah makes me think they are already starting on some campaign to guilt trip everyone to start supporting the product, specially men. Men will **** on crappy products, just see the CFL.

Take what you will, Shireen Ahmed, has a "feminist sports podcast". Their own words.

[SpezNc]

they are proposing coca cola coliseum

On Raptors Show, Shireen said that the venue is not set in stone.

Still some challenges with coca cola. Also competition by other leagues.

She said Toronto is having a problem with mid level infrastructures

She also said that this could be “Canada’s team” and maybe the team could travelled through different canadian cities. That Larry has the money for that.

That would be a non starter for the players, one would assume.

Without knowing what would be the specific in that hypothetical scenario it’s hard assume what would be the players reaction .

WNBA is half a men season if I am not mistaken.

Let’s say a handful of games are played elsewhere in the country (purely hypothetical) would it really be a non starter?

I guess we shall see.

[SpezNc]

Listening to Will Lou's show today on the FAN, the usage of words by his cohost like "underpinnings of misogyny" and how it doesn't have to be profit motivated blah blah blah makes me think they are already starting on some campaign to guilt trip everyone to start supporting the product, specially men. Men will **** on crappy products, just see the CFL.

Take what you will, Shireen Ahmed, has a "feminist sports podcast". Their own words.

Misogyny is real though

[nestea]

Interesting enough, they posted an article about this on Sportsnet. Comments were turned off.