Tim Leiweke leaving MLSE in 2015 (Update pg 20)

Bankai · Post #761 » by **Bankai** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 4:53 pm

Masai liked his job because he was allowed to do what he wants and Tim had his back and they saw eye to eye. Does anyone think any CEO would take Masai"s **** Brooklyn with a smile and have fun with it?

LLJ · Post #762 » by **LLJ** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 4:55 pm

overdose · Post #763 » by **overdose** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 4:57 pm

A guy who could possibly replace some of what Leiweke brought is Scott O'Neil who was a candidate when Tim was hired.

http://www.tsn.ca/nba/story/?id=459940&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Former Madison Square Garden CEO Scott O'Neil, who helped run the New York Rangers and Knicks, would be another candidate.

And O'Neil was a candidate for the MLSE CEO position when Leiweke was hired.

"Scott had a great interview and got along with (MLSE board chair) Larry Tanenbaum very well," a source told TSN. "He was surprised when he didn't get the job."

O'Neil, a former senior VP of marketing with the NBA, is the chief executive of the New Jersey Devils and the Prudential Center in Newark and the Philadelphia 76ers. Both the 76ers and Devils are owned by Josh Harris, a hedge fund millionaire.

The MLSE job would seem to be a more attractive role. "Scott is a great candidate," Peddie said. "He survived dysfunction with MSG, helped new owners in Philadelphia, and is now in New Jersey with an owner who spends way too much money."

steamed hams · Post #764 » by **steamed hams** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 5:38 pm

[tweet]https://twitter.com/Burnsy888/status/502791722242699264[/tweet]

Let the trolling begin

LLJ · Post #765 » by **LLJ** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 5:41 pm

Who the hell is Rick Grace and why are his or her posts worth looking at?

Scarface844 · Post #766 » by **Scarface844** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 5:43 pm

So this is the beginning of the end for Masai here as well? Fun while it lasted.

Bankai · Post #767 » by **Bankai** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 5:55 pm

Not the first time some puckheads claim that raptor fans aren't "real Canadians..." Can't believe that these types would turn to racism to fuel their obsession.. The ugly side of Canada

overdose · Post #768 » by **overdose** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 6:04 pm

Gord Miller ✔ @GMillerTSN Follow Speculation in NHL circles today that Tim Leiweke will go back to LA to head up a 2024 Olympic bid which would include an NFL stadium. 1:36 PM - 22 Aug 2014

LastNameEver · Post #769 » by **LastNameEver** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 6:20 pm

Im watching Tim & Sid and im disgusted... god forbid that the Leafs don't prosper more than Raps and TFC

Sent from my SGH-I337M using RealGM Forums mobile app

overdose · Post #770 » by **overdose** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 6:24 pm

The Boy wrote:Im watching Tim & Sid and im disgusted... god forbid that the Leafs don't prosper more than Raps and TFC

Sent from my SGH-I337M using RealGM Forums mobile app

Tim leaving has NOTHING to do with him improving the Raptors and TFC quicker than the Leafs.

DDP · Post #771 » by **DDP** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 7:12 pm

LLJ wrote:Who the hell is Rick Grace and why are his or her posts worth looking at?

Is someone saying the CFL matters in this city, that's all you need to know.

Post #772 » by **Double Helix** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 7:30 pm

Looks like Rogers got their wish. According to reports this is the man taking over for Tim Leiweke in June:

Spoiler:

lander · Post #773 » by **lander** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 7:51 pm

I now have reason to hate Bell and Rogers besides over priced phone and cable bills.

**** Rogers and Bell.

overdose · Post #774 » by **overdose** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 8:32 pm

Blair just made a good point on PTS, it could simply be a situation where Bell and Rogers heard rumours about Tim being connected to other potential opportunities (USA worldcup, Olympics, Clippers MSG ect...) and asked him how long he's committed to to staying at his current position and he told them. June 2015.

Makes sense to me and would explain why Tim went from saying he wasn't leaving to announcing the date he would be gone by.

VinBaker6 · Post #775 » by **VinBaker6** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 9:09 pm

WAIT HE'S GONE????? I thought nothing was official???

Young_Buc · Post #776 » by **Young_Buc** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 9:31 pm

Bankai wrote:Not the first time some puckheads claim that raptor fans aren't "real Canadians..." Can't believe that these types would turn to racism to fuel their obsession.. The ugly side of Canada

Where is this?

HoopAndTheHarm · Post #777 » by **HoopAndTheHarm** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 9:48 pm

overdose wrote:Blair just made a good point on PTS, it could simply be a situation where Bell and Rogers heard rumours about Tim being connected to other potential opportunities (USA worldcup, Olympics, Clippers MSG ect...) and asked him how long he's committed to to staying at his current position and he told them. June 2015.

Makes sense to me and would explain why Tim went from saying he wasn't leaving to announcing the date he would be gone by.

From what (admittedly little) I have heard about his contract, he had an opt out in spring 2015 or he was committed to another 3 years (spring 2018). some have been reporting that he was willing to commit to 1 more year (spring 2016) but that wasn't the way his contract had been originally negotiated and drrawn up and the MLSE board didn't like the change so they pulled the trigger to force him to decide between an exit in spring 2015 or spring 2018. He chose the earlier, and from all the stuff that is leaking out now, who can blame him?

HoopAndTheHarm · Post #778 » by **HoopAndTheHarm** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 10:16 pm

rapsrealm wrote:So here is an article from Cathal Kelly which really shows the impact Leiweke had here in Toronto and what it means for the future:

For the past year, MLSE has been run as a function of one man’s outsized personality. It can’t just go back to being an insurance company that happens to own a hockey team.

Troublingly, they also can’t find another guy who exists at Mr. Leiweke’s level, because such a person does not exist. He wasn’t just the best-connected sports executive in the country. He may have been the most hooked-in entertainment operator in the world.

Take the most famous Leiweke recruit – Drake.

In recent years, the hip-hop star had reached out on several occasions to MLSE, wanting to get involved with the Raptors. He didn’t really care how. This wasn’t a business opportunity. This was a fan with leverage.

No one at MLSE ever returned his calls. Think about that. Seriously. If you’re a fan of any one of MLSE’s teams, have a long think about what you’re going back to.

Eventually, Drake gave up.

Shortly after taking the job in Toronto, Mr. Leiweke was back in L.A. having a friendly chat with Scooter Braun, the man who manages Justin Bieber’s musical career. Mr. Braun mentioned Drake’s interest. Mr. Leiweke made the call.

Drake had no suggestions as to his role. Mr. Leiweke dreamed up the global brand ambassador title. It was all done in days. The effect on the club’s continental reputation has been seismic.

Draw a straight line from Drake to the “We The North” campaign to Kyle Lowry deciding he preferred the Raptors to the Lakers or the Knicks. Draw a line between all those moves and relevance.

Two years ago, that was impossible. Two years from now, without Mr. Leiweke, it’s impossible again.

Without Mr. Leiweke, Masai Ujiri is not the general manager of the Raptors.

Without Mr. Leiweke, Jermain Defoe and Michael Bradley don’t both make risky leaps to Major League Soccer. It was Mr. Bradley’s agent, Ron Waxman, who reached out in the first place to Toronto FC. He’s the one who sold the idea to his player. Why?

“I really liked what Tim was doing there,” Mr. Waxman said. Not the team. Not the GM. “Tim.”

Mr. Ujiri, for one, has been frustrated at the corporation’s initial reluctance to build his team a new $30-million training facility (a key recruiting tool). It’s only happening now because Mr. Leiweke went to war for him at the board level.

What’s keeping Mr. Ujiri here now, aside from a paycheque? Who is his rabbi in management?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/kelly-the-future-looks-bleak-for-mlse-and-all-its-teams/article20166786/?click=sf_globe#dashboard/follows/

Not always a fan of Kelly but this is a tremendous call out of MLSE and nails what they are now facing.

Anyone who has worked in senior management/executive ranks knows it is about who you know not what you know. Everyone who gets to that level has the business smarts to be effective. What separates the elite is the relationships they have and build and how they utilize those relationships creatively. When combined with innovative thinking, you become a rare breed indeed.

Think about this: Did anyone ever say they came to MLSE because of Richard Peddie? I'm not just talking sports figures and executives. Were there any sponsors or other business partners that specifically got involved due to him being here? Did any re-consider their involvement when he "retired"? The answer is likely no across the board and the results, or lack thereof, speak for themselves. Peddie's strength was in advertising and sponsorship relationships. Those relationships can make you money but they do not create an organizational culture.

We already know from various previous reports and from information being reported over the past few days that many of the significant hires and acquisitions made by Leiweke came simply due to his vision and involvement. He was creating a culture on the organizational and team levels. My fear is what happens to those individuals, teams and organization after he leaves.

kidr1211 · Post #779 » by **kidr1211** » Fri Aug 22, 2014 10:56 pm

Smh, i remember at the raptors season ticket holders gathering TL sat there and talked about championships and hanging banners :cry:

Why can't we ever have nice things?

Bankai · Post #780 » by **Bankai** » Sat Aug 23, 2014 2:38 am

Young_Buc wrote:
Bankai wrote:Not the first time some puckheads claim that raptor fans aren't "real Canadians..." Can't believe that these types would turn to racism to fuel their obsession.. The ugly side of Canada

Where is this?

[tweet]https://twitter.com/WolstatSun/status/502801868645756928[/tweet]

The Raptors fanbase had to deal with types of tweets all season, about how Raptor Fans arent Canadians, they dont count and are an embarrassment to Canada. Or the only people who care about the Raptors are from Jane and Finch or Black. Or how Raptor Fans dodge bullets when not watching Thugs play a "Sport"

Im Asian, and I cant help it if the Raptors and Basketball is very popular among immigrants. But that doesent make me any less Canadian if I hold it in higher regard than the Leafs/Hockey.

Who do you blame for Tim Leiweke's departure?