TORONTO -- The ownership of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment has long been the stepping off point for bitter arguments and vitriol in Leafs-nation. On Friday, it was announced that Bell and Rogers, two telecom giants, had formed a partnership to buy the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan shares of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment and many fans began expecting sweeping changes throughout the enterprise - though that may be a fading illusion.
Nadir Mohamed, President and CEO of Rogers Communications said at the press conference on Friday morning that "We're [Bell and Rogers] passionate about sports and we look forward to building championship teams." Though, it is difficult to say if anything will change in the day-to-day operations of the team. The new ownership conglomerate doesn't plan on changing team management, be it Brian Burke as the General Manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs or Bryan Colangelo with the Toronto Raptors.
Despite the celebratory manner of many fans on Friday morning, the ownership change at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is nothing more than a passing of the baton. Bob Stellick, Principal, Stellick Marketing Communications Inc and former Director of Business Operations and Communications with the Toronto Maple Leafs, says that the deal was purely an investment. "MLSE will spin off cash for the next 100 years. It's a proven commodity… The teachers don't really have any media interest in the team - which is the only area where there is additional opportunity and that's where BCE and Rogers come in." said Stellick.
The former owner, the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, was criticized at length for the Leafs being a losing team. The rumour mill always suggested that the teachers' were only in the business to make a profit and didn't care if the team was winning. On Twitter today, one person commented "the Ontario teachers union #YoureTheReason the raptors and leafs have not made the playoffs in years." Though according to Bob Stellick, the animosity towards the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan was misguided, saying that the Teachers, in fact, did spend the money expected of them by Leaf's faithful. "Now they [MLSE] have among the highest paid executive suites in the NBA and the NHL and certainly the teachers approved all that. The Leafs have the highest paid coach in the NHL and the highest paid GM - I believe. The teachers certainly can't be accused of shorting the purse strings." Stellick said.
Within minutes of announcing the deal to sell Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment to BCE and Rogers, members of Leafnation were looking forward to the future, lamenting of the future Stanley Cup victories. Though, according to Bob Stellick, the new owners of MLSE may face the same fate. "That's right, the leafs haven't won a Stanley cup in 47 years right now, and now Rogers and BCE have owned them for an hour. So the clock is ticking. They get a free day. Then everyone will hate them again."