MLSE up for sale: report

**Yeoman** · 03-12-2011, 08:03 PM

http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/stor...le-report.html

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which owns among other properties the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs, the NBA's Toronto Raptors, and Toronto FC of MLS, is up for sale, according to a report in Montreal's La Presse on Saturday.
According to the report from the paper, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, which owns 66 per cent of MLSE, has hired investment bank Morgan Stanley to find investors interested in buying their shares.
La Presse, citing an unnamed source, says the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan is asking $1.3 billion for its shares.
If completed, the sale would be the largest in Canadian sports history.
When contacted Saturday by CBC Hockey Night in Canada's Scott Morrison, MLSE president and CEO Richard Peddie offered no comment.
Just last December, reports surfaced that telecommunications giant Rogers Communications was making overtures to buy the Ontario Teachers' shares for $1.3 billion.
Along with the Leafs, Raptors, and Toronto FC, MLSE also owns the AHL's Toronto Marlies, television networks Leafs TV and Raptors TV, the Air Canada Centre, Ricoh Coliseum and BMO Field.
As well as being a telephone, internet, and cable giant, Rogers already owns Canadian sports channel Sportsnet, the Toronto Blue Jays, and the Rogers Centre.
Real estate magnate Larry Tanenbaum, who owns 20.5 per cent of MLSE, and TD Capital, who owns 13.5 per cent, will each have first refusal on any proposed sale of the Teachers' shares.
If the report is true, it means that the NHL has given the go-ahead for the Ontario Teachers to sell their shares. Since 2007, the league has to approve before any future buyers take a look at a franchise's books.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/stor...#ixzz1GRAK4eC9

**billyfly** · 03-12-2011, 08:10 PM

Rogers

**MG42** · 03-12-2011, 08:17 PM

Actually I'm with Billy and going with Rogers

**ManUtd4ever** · 03-12-2011, 08:21 PM

Larry Tanenbaum will do everything in his power to become the majority shareholder of MLSE. The only question is whether or not he can afford the asking price...

**Flipityflu** · 03-12-2011, 08:22 PM

Rogers are going to be all over this.

**razor787** · 03-12-2011, 08:24 PM

I wonder if Balsille will put in a bid. I am sure he would absolutely love to get his hands on the leafs, and it sounds like he would be the best possible option.

**Suds** · 03-12-2011, 08:30 PM

You heard it here first.

**UltraSuperMegaMo** · 03-12-2011, 09:07 PM

^ I'm hoping for a Russian billionaire or a oil rich Sheik. Someone who's got roof money. I'm sick of losing in the rain.

**Yeoman** · 03-12-2011, 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by ManUtd4ever

Larry Tanenbaum will do everything in his power to become the majority shareholder of MLSE. The only question is whether or not he can afford the asking price...

larry tried to before late last year didn't he?
he's got first call afterall

**billyfly** · 03-12-2011, 09:11 PM

Tannebaum's first right of refusal has been disputed by Bill Watters

**brad** · 03-12-2011, 09:22 PM

Rogers would be disaster.

**Macksam** · 03-12-2011, 09:37 PM

Originally Posted by UltraSuperMegaMo

^ I'm hoping for a Russian billionaire or a oil rich Sheik. Someone who's got roof money. I'm sick of losing in the rain.

Well, that would only be beneficial to the Raptors really. The Leafs and TFC play in hard cap leagues. With the Raps, I could see a foreign investor going crazy and outspending the rest of the NBA but that's still a stretch. I guess, for TFC's sake, an owner like that might be more open to increasing non-salary related expenses like the stadium or youth development, but I doubt that to.

**boban** · 03-12-2011, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by ManUtd4ever

Larry Tanenbaum will do everything in his power to become the majority shareholder of MLSE. The only question is whether or not he can afford the asking price...

Reality hit him square in the head a couple of months ago.
He bought 7.5% over a year ago and that has tapped him out.
If he does somehow pull it off, he would leverage himself to the wazooo.
I don't see it happening.

**boban** · 03-12-2011, 09:46 PM

Originally Posted by UltraSuperMegaMo

Someone who's got roof money. I'm sick of losing in the rain.

**boban** · 03-12-2011, 09:49 PM

Originally Posted by Macksam

Well, that would only be beneficial to the Raptors really. The Leafs and TFC play in hard cap leagues. With the Raps, I could see a foreign investor going crazy and outspending the rest of the NBA but that's still a stretch. I guess, for TFC's sake, an owner like that might be more open to increasing non-salary related expenses like the stadium or youth development, but I doubt that to.

You forgot about the 3 DP's he could pay and bring in.
MLSE spends on DP's but at the 1-1.5M range while LA and NY spend at the 5m range.

**Macksam** · 03-12-2011, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by boban

You forgot about the 3 DP's he could pay and bring in.
MLSE spends on DP's but at the 1-1.5M range while LA and NY spend at the 5m range.

Yeah, that would be good.

**Suds** · 03-12-2011, 10:10 PM

Originally Posted by UltraSuperMegaMo

^ I'm hoping for a Russian billionaire or a oil rich Sheik. Someone who's got roof money. I'm sick of losing in the rain.

And when we win the MLS Cup he'll take all supporters out on a booze-cruise of Lake Ontario on his yacht .

**Gazza_55** · 03-12-2011, 10:21 PM

Originally Posted by Macksam

Well, that would only be beneficial to the Raptors really. The Leafs and TFC play in hard cap leagues. With the Raps, I could see a foreign investor going crazy and outspending the rest of the NBA but that's still a stretch. I guess, for TFC's sake, an owner like that might be more open to increasing non-salary related expenses like the stadium or youth development, but I doubt that to.

Not after next years lockout that could last a year or two. The NBA owners will have a hard cap as well.

**boban** · 03-12-2011, 10:27 PM

Originally Posted by Yeoman

larry tried to before late last year didn't he?
he's got first call afterall

He's got first refusal, not first call.

**Macksam** · 03-12-2011, 10:34 PM

Originally Posted by Gazza_55

Not after next years lockout that could last a year or two. The NBA owners will have a hard cap as well.

Yeah, I forgot about that and how bad the financial situations are for most NBA franchises right now. A hard cap would do wonders for the NBA. The NHL's post lockout on ice product has been some of the best I have ever seen. The 2008-2009 playoffs were the best playoffs since 1994. Last season's were great as well.

I wonder what will happen though to the NBA, and NFL for that matter if both player unions hold out. The NFL would be fine if it had a work stoppage, but the NBA could get severely f*cked.

**Redcoe15** · 03-12-2011, 10:46 PM

Here's a thought. Suppose someone, or something, buys up the shares and decides to put TFC up for sale. Who would buy them?

This guy perhaps?..

**noochie** · 03-12-2011, 10:51 PM

Whoever it is... I hope the double the size of the front office and ramp up scouting. There ain't much they can do about the cap... but they can fix the rest of the organization by investing in FO staff appropriately.

**shwade** · 03-13-2011, 12:22 AM

yeah a Russian or sheikh billionaire sounds good.

**prizby** · 03-13-2011, 02:11 AM

there were rumours of this happening in December...I had a chat with Brian Williams about this then, Tannembaum might actually buy them...he also suggest SHAW media who own Global might put in an offer just because they have not much in terms of sports coverage

**tfcmanu** · 03-13-2011, 03:47 AM

http://www.thestar.com/business/arti...s-family-fifth

The late Kenneth Thomson, left, who stepped down as the head of his company to let his son David, Right, take over, once ranked in Forbes’ Top 15

**kaos197O** · 03-13-2011, 07:17 AM

I actually hope that they considering selling the teams separately afterwards. I would just hate for this club to fall into the hands of someone who purchases the entirety of MLSE but is not committed to Football and/or the direction that the club is headed in. We need stability.

Hmmmmm, would be nice if we supporters could put in a bid. What was TFC valued at last year again? Methinks it was an over-inflated # especially based on what has transpired since last years fallout.

**prizby** · 03-13-2011, 08:02 AM

LOL...supporters making a bid...lets get all our spare change together; that should be enough

**Shway** · 03-13-2011, 08:12 AM

^who would we have to blame?

**Cas87** · 03-13-2011, 08:15 AM

Originally Posted by tfcmanu

http://www.thestar.com/business/arti...s-family-fifth

The late Kenneth Thomson, left, who stepped down as the head of his company to let his son David, Right, take over, once ranked in Forbes’ Top 15

Only if these guys don't get Phoenix or Atlanta fitst (then move them to Winnipeg

)

**Blowing Bubbles** · 03-13-2011, 08:29 AM

things would get pretty crazy if Rogers buys the team.

I mean when the next RAps/Leafs contracts are up would they then put all of the games on Sportsnet/Sportsnet1 and Leafs TV? I suppose so. You couple that with their Blue Jays coverage and suddenly TSN is on the outside looking in for a lot of local content.

Then perhaps Rogers changes the cable tiers again and those sports channels cost a bunch.

Interesting times - on the one hand I would prefer a different owner for TFC but I mean come on ---- this is a 3 mill salary cap league and this team prints money (even now with sales soft). I would be most worried if i was a Raptors fan actually.

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