Want To Own a Piece of the Rap...err...Leafs?

[ruckus]

Want to own the Leafs for $1,000? There’s a catch

“It’s always been a dream of mine to own a professional sports team, and being a good Canadian, that professional sports team should be a hockey team,” Thompson said. “I believe there’s enough people out there to truly and honestly do this.”

The plan is simple: Thompson would take a $1,000 investment from one million Canadians — and supporters have already pegged more than $1 million to the project.

Of course, the MLSE stake also includes the Toronto Raptors NBA team, the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League and Toronto FC of North America’s Major League Soccer. But Thompson said the “emotional twinge” lies with hockey.

With his idea just 10 days old, Thompson is moving ahead to develop a model that could work.

He’s already spoken to representatives from the NFL’s Green Bay Packers, which is owned by a foundation that invests in the community. The other option would be to create an investment fund whose profits are redistributed to owners, like the Ontario Teachers’ Fund.

I didn't see this posted yet and thought it'd interest the RGM crowd. I'd invest $1000 to own MLSE.

Thoughts?

[Cake Walk]

Hes nuts.

[Yeezus_]

I dont know how likely it is, but I would certainly be apart of this.

[LodzBaluty]

Vanity plates would be better. This way we can see who owns the most shares. You need to take advantage of the ego of the wealthy to show their loyalty to the leafs.

You may be zooming down the 401 with you plate saying 1 share, but techno boy may have 20 shares listed on his plate as he passes you. You know what its time for? More shares.


Our teams would be stacked if we added vanity to the equation.

[Relentless88]

I would def put in 1000 to own a piece.

[mintsa]

I would.........

[bespoke]

i would definitely put in 2mil or so. i'd love to own a piece

[LodzBaluty]

Vanity is what sells courtside seats... it is what sells 1st and 2nd rows. I think there is enough vanity to milk ourselves a good team.


The question I have, is how does this work. I mean the 1million... who is getting interest on that money? Are those shares worth more? Will we get to see profits, or is this just a symbolic way of getting you to part with more money for your team?

As far as I know, most households have a certain budget for entertainment... unless this is a real investment, I don't see how this would not cut into ticket sales and other usual fan revenue streams. (What is Thompsons's admin charge? He is getting paid right? He is a not a communist is he?)

[HSOB SIRHC]

Quick! Somebody start the same thing, but focus on the Raptors!

[JN]

We already own a piece of MLSE as Ontario Taxpayers, We fund the ridiculous amount of pension benefits granted to teachers. Make the world a better place, punch the next Ontario teacher who complains about their salary (without recognizing the extaordinary pension benefits they get) in the face.

[ruckus]

Quick! Somebody start the same thing, but focus on the Raptors!

The Leafs headline is what sells papers but, it really is about buying MLSE.

How this would work in practice, I don't know. I'm not even sure what MLSE's shares are valued at on a per share basis nor the number of outstanding shares.

I'm assuming some kind of trust would have to be set up.

[phailing101]

I'm an 'owner' of the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the model has worked very well for us.

That being said, taking control of MLSE is an entirely different ball game!

[LodzBaluty]

We already own a piece of MLSE as Ontario Taxpayers, We fund the ridiculous amount of pension benefits granted to teachers. Make the world a better place, punch the next Ontario teacher who complains about their salary (without recognizing the extaordinary pension benefits they get) in the face.

I do not know where to begin with this. Please do not punch your teacher in the face, its not an easy job. Public workers, like Judges and court transcribers, doctors, teachers and firefighters earn their pensions. Every penny of it. They are not your slaves. Their pensions are not your pensions.

What are you American? Don't bring this crap here. They pretty much looted their nation to the ground down south with thinking like this. There is nothing cool about being stupid, I feel sorry for our American brothers continuously voting such idiots into office.

[Gold Chain]

Really?

This guy is a step off student council.

[LodzBaluty]

There is reasons to be suspicious about this.


Greenbay, has very little revenue options hence they picked this model. A market like Toronto is lucrative, there are very few places in the world that would be as valuable.

So if the payback is on par of Green Bay for your shares, than you got the wool pulled over your eyes. I would get out the magnifying glass for this one.

[Canucklehead]

I'd do it but not as a not for profit organization. Winning yes, making money yes please, giving away all my profits to community projects no thanks (obviously charity on the normal kind of corporate level is fine). I'd also want to know that we could vote out management if need be.

[scopy]

Hello everyone,
First off, this is not a scam. It is in fact a movement to try and own a stake in MLSE since the teachers are selling. There is currently over $40 million already "committed". The movement is only 8 days old, but has some pretty good momentum already. Its been on various radio stations and Lloyd Robertson had a story on Darren Thompson's dream last night on CTV.
Is there a way to just make this thread on the raptors forum instead of the hockey forum?

Darren is a friend of mine and I will keep you posted on the progress and will try to answer all of your questions in due time.
Thanks.

[ruckus]

I'm not completely sure why this was moved to the Leafs forum as it involves the whole of MLSE. Obviously, the Leafs are the centrepiece of the deal but, if Raptor fans want to get in on the action, they should know about it as well.

[scopy]

I'm not completely sure why this was moved to the Leafs forum as it involves the whole of MLSE. Obviously, the Leafs are the centrepiece of the deal but, if Raptor fans want to get in on the action, they should know about it as well.

We are working on getting an official email address and webpage setup. When that is done, Ill open a new thread in the Raptors forum. Thanks.

[Canucklehead]

Are they going to open up the financials to the general public? I want to know what I'm getting if I'm buying.