Tim Leiweke leaving MLSE soon?

[BlueWhiteBlood]

Before Leiweke, there didn't seem to be much inclination to separate the position of President from that of GM. Burke was both, and, JFJ didn't have anyone in that title overseeing him (Dryden had previously been in that position, but, his position was essentially eliminated when the OTPP bought the team from Stavro). Before bringing in Leiweke, the new ownership hadn't really shown much interest in the position either way. For a decade, the Leafs' GM had been reporting directly to the MLSE's board of directors. So, without Leiweke, the position might not exist at all.

On top of that, with someone else making the decisions for MLSE, they could have very easily decided to go in a different direction with the hire. The story is that Leiweke is the one who identified and pursued Shanahan for the position. That might no have happened without him. No judgement on Shanahan yet - it's way too early on that - but, it's impossible to know for certain what direction MLSe would have taken without Leiweke steering the ship. While they probably still would have had the ability to convince Shanahan to leave the league offices, there's a very real possibility they would not have gone in that direction.

Ah, ok. I just assumed that they were keeping that role after they canned Burke, but decided to split the roles to two different people.

It doesn't matter to me either way, as long as it benefits the Leafs, they could have 5 guys there and if it made the product on the ice better, I'd be all for it. Similarly, if they would have given the position to Nonis along with the GM duties, I don't think I would have cared, again, as long as it benefits the product on the ice.

 

[bustaheims]

It doesn't matter to me either way, as long as it benefits the Leafs, they could have 5 guys there and if it made the product on the ice better, I'd be all for it. Similarly, if they would have given the position to Nonis along with the GM duties, I don't think I would have cared, again, as long as it benefits the product on the ice.

Sure, but the reason people are giving credit to Leiweke for Shanahan's hiring is that it really appears to be something he initiated, pursued and accomplished - and it's something that very likely would not have happened without him. Whether or not they could have done it without him is kind of immaterial if they wouldn't have.

 

[Sudafederov]

I can't find it, but I seem to recall a report that when the Leafs went on their skid, Leiweke told Nonis something to the effect of "Turn this thing around or I'll bring in somebody who will."

So Shanahan being in Toronto could be solely because of the "18 Wheeler Going Over the Cliff Part Deux"

 

[Kin]

future-looks-bleak-for-mlse  for those of you who have not read the article.
In all fairness, what has the guy done wrong?

It's not really about right or wrong because Leiweke has been here for such a short time that most of his significant decisions have yet to play out. Are Shanahan and Ujiri good hires? Maybe but, as said before, people liked the Burke/Colangelo hires. You never know. I can tell you as a fan of both the Raptors and the Leafs I'm no more or less confident about their chances going forward now than I was prior to those decisions.

Regardless, it was still Leiweke's choice to leave.

 

[Kin]

I can't find it, but I seem to recall a report that when the Leafs went on their skid, Leiweke told Nonis something to the effect of "Turn this thing around or I'll bring in somebody who will."

So Shanahan being in Toronto could be solely because of the "18 Wheeler Going Over the Cliff Part Deux"

To me, though, that's sort of in a nutshell the good and the bad of Leiweke's time here regarding the sports franchises. If we take that as true, does that mean we should read it as Shanahan wouldn't have been brought in if the Leafs had "turned it around" to the extent that they'd squeaked into the playoffs? Is that a good thing? Since they didn't...what has Shanahan done to really show that they're radically revamping the organization outside of hire analytics guys? Carlyle is back, Nonis is back, most of the team's key players are back. Are we in for another year of waiting and seeing, with changes only to come if the team finishes 9th in the conference instead of 8th? What's the roadmap?

It's positive that Leiweke didn't give Nonis too much rope on the strength of the one playoff appearance but on the other hand, it doesn't say much that whether or not the Leafs turned out of that skid was the determining factor in the future of the franchise. Last year's team had a ton of problems that were there before they fell apart at the end.

Or, as a Raptor fan, people are giving Leiweke credit, seemingly, for the turning around of the Raptors but the Raptors were about to blow it up this year, Gay got dealt, Lowry was seemingly right behind him and the Raptors looked poised to become big players in what was being called one of the best drafts in years. Then they turn it around to the extent that they get knocked out in the first round of the playoffs in a tragically bad Eastern conference and wind up drafting at #20, taking someone that a lot of draft analysts had literally never heard of. Then they re-sign Lowry and the team that was about to blow it up and build through the draft...what are they? They're not really seen as legitimate contenders with the Cavs and Bulls and Pacers in the East. They didn't make any big off-season moves.

Maybe it's just me but it's really hard to see anything resembling a really focused long term strategy with either club. It seems like the strategy is make the playoffs and everything's rosy, don't make the playoffs and minor changes are a comin'.

 

[cw]

CBC link
When Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment President and CEO Tim Leiweke was in the red chair, George asked him about Brian Burke, the former Toronto Maple Leafs GM who was fired a few months before he assumed control.

"I'm proud to call Brian Burke my friend," Leiweke said. "He has been one of the mainstays for me since I got here, and I'm not afraid to tell people I meet with Burkey once a month, because he teaches me a lot, and he's helped me understand what we have to do here and how we have to win. And I love Brian Burke. I think he's a great ambassador for our game, and for our industry."

Leiweke's first choice before Shanahan was to bring back Brian Burke allegedly:

Star link
In an early meeting between Tim Leiweke and the board of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment in spring of 2013, the board asked their future CEO who he would like to hire as the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Brian Burke, Leiweke told them, knowing full well what that meant. He liked Brian Burke.
As Burke had recently been fired by the men in the room, it was a bit of an awkward moment.

One might argue if it hadn't been for the MLSE board, there would not have been a Shanahan hiring. 

Businesswise from Peddie's years and with the Bell-Rogers broadcasting adventure that despite the bickering is off and running and doesn't need his help because they have all the broadcasting expertise they need, Leiweke needed to do something special beyond just making a team competitive. MLSE is a well developed business with few obvious remaining frontiers. Leiweke's hired key execs and given them the autonomy to do their jobs. All he can do largely from that perspective is sit and watch if they can bring in a championship - which he can do from elsewhere.

He's a doer - not a spectator. I think the NFL bid was big for Leiweke. When it fell through, he felt the need to go find something big and special to do. That's why he had an exit option in his contract and that's why he would not commit to passing it up.

His real Stanley Cup is building things or businesses. He's off to do that.

 

[hockeyfan1]

CBC link
When Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment President and CEO Tim Leiweke was in the red chair, George asked him about Brian Burke, the former Toronto Maple Leafs GM who was fired a few months before he assumed control.

"I'm proud to call Brian Burke my friend," Leiweke said. "He has been one of the mainstays for me since I got here, and I'm not afraid to tell people I meet with Burkey once a month, because he teaches me a lot, and he's helped me understand what we have to do here and how we have to win. And I love Brian Burke. I think he's a great ambassador for our game, and for our industry."

Leiweke's first choice before Shanahan was to bring back Brian Burke allegedly:

Star link
In an early meeting between Tim Leiweke and the board of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment in spring of 2013, the board asked their future CEO who he would like to hire as the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Brian Burke, Leiweke told them, knowing full well what that meant. He liked Brian Burke.
As Burke had recently been fired by the men in the room, it was a bit of an awkward moment.

One might argue if it hadn't been for the MLSE board, there would not have been a Shanahan hiring. 

Businesswise from Peddie's years and with the Bell-Rogers broadcasting adventure that despite the bickering is off and running and doesn't need his help because they have all the broadcasting expertise they need, Leiweke needed to do something special beyond just making a team competitive. MLSE is a well developed business with few obvious remaining frontiers. Leiweke's hired key execs and given them the autonomy to do their jobs. All he can do largely from that perspective is sit and watch if they can bring in a championship - which he can do from elsewhere.

He's a doer - not a spectator. I think the NFL bid was big for Leiweke. When it fell through, he felt the need to go find something big and special to do. That's why he had an exit option in his contract and that's why he would not commit to passing it up.

His real Stanley Cup is building things or businesses. He's off to do that.

Good points, cw.  What surprised me the most reading this was Lieweke wanting Burke back into the fold.  Lieweke's recommendation (on re-hiring Burke)comes across as a little strange, considering fact that Burke had previously been fired by the same board,

The very suggestion of choosing Burke as his first choice in front of a board whom he knew had disliked Burke sounds absurd in the least,  Tactless?  Maybe,  But if were Lieweke, I would rot even have mentioned Burke's name in the first place.
He's lucky that no one on that board was offended,  His recommendation of Shanahan thereafter, it's certain, was much better received.

 

[cw]

CBC link
When Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment President and CEO Tim Leiweke was in the red chair, George asked him about Brian Burke, the former Toronto Maple Leafs GM who was fired a few months before he assumed control.

"I'm proud to call Brian Burke my friend," Leiweke said. "He has been one of the mainstays for me since I got here, and I'm not afraid to tell people I meet with Burkey once a month, because he teaches me a lot, and he's helped me understand what we have to do here and how we have to win. And I love Brian Burke. I think he's a great ambassador for our game, and for our industry."

Leiweke's first choice before Shanahan was to bring back Brian Burke allegedly:

Star link
In an early meeting between Tim Leiweke and the board of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment in spring of 2013, the board asked their future CEO who he would like to hire as the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Brian Burke, Leiweke told them, knowing full well what that meant. He liked Brian Burke.
As Burke had recently been fired by the men in the room, it was a bit of an awkward moment.

One might argue if it hadn't been for the MLSE board, there would not have been a Shanahan hiring. 

Businesswise from Peddie's years and with the Bell-Rogers broadcasting adventure that despite the bickering is off and running and doesn't need his help because they have all the broadcasting expertise they need, Leiweke needed to do something special beyond just making a team competitive. MLSE is a well developed business with few obvious remaining frontiers. Leiweke's hired key execs and given them the autonomy to do their jobs. All he can do largely from that perspective is sit and watch if they can bring in a championship - which he can do from elsewhere.

He's a doer - not a spectator. I think the NFL bid was big for Leiweke. When it fell through, he felt the need to go find something big and special to do. That's why he had an exit option in his contract and that's why he would not commit to passing it up.

His real Stanley Cup is building things or businesses. He's off to do that.

Good points, cw.  What surprised me the most reading this was Lieweke wanting Burke back into the fold.  Lieweke's recommendation (on re-hiring Burke)comes across as a little strange, considering fact that Burke had previously been fired by the same board,

The very suggestion of choosing Burke as his first choice in front of a board whom he knew had disliked Burke sounds absurd in the least,  Tactless?  Maybe,  But if were Lieweke, I would rot even have mentioned Burke's name in the first place.
He's lucky that no one on that board was offended,  His recommendation of Shanahan thereafter, it's certain, was much better received.

I haven't see verification of that story about Leiweke suggesting Burke. Maybe someone else has. So I'm not positive it's true. It's just possible as he obviously liked him.

If he did it, I don't think he did it to offend them. He did it to demonstrate he's his own man and he's going to expect autonomy and they can expect the honesty from him to hear what he really thinks whether they like it or not. I don't think there's a lot wrong with that - and that sort of thing may have sealed the deal for him to be hired.

The exit option in his contract was also pretty forthright with them. He was going to try for a year or two and then review whether he wanted to stay.  It's hard to criticize him for that.

Short term, I don't think his departure will have much impact on the Leafs. Shanahan has the reins of power for the franchise and who the CEO is will only become relevant when it's time to replace Shanahan - which probably won't happen until his (probable) replacement for Nonis fails.

 

[2badknees]

Short term, I don't think his departure will have much impact on the Leafs. Shanahan has the reins of power for the franchise and who the CEO is will only become relevant when it's time to replace Shanahan - which probably won't happen until his (probable) replacement for Nonis fails.

The Nonis and Carlyle insurance policy is actually quite clever, and I assume it was a lieweke strategy to protect his new hire.

If the team overachieves, well, it was due to Shanahan's new influence, and if it remains lacking, then the new golden boy continues cleaning house, giving the GM and coach the sack. He's got at least a couple seasons of true involvement before anything sticks to him.

Nonis in particular must surely must know he's being played. There's shades of the JFJ and Cliff Fletcher situation clearly creeping in. I wouldn't go as far to say Nonis is the GM in name only, but its getting there.

 

[bustaheims]

Nonis in particular must surely must know he's being played. There's shades of the JFJ and Cliff Fletcher situation clearly creeping in. I wouldn't go as far to say Nonis is the GM in name only, but its getting there.

I don't see how. Fletcher wasn't brought back into the Leafs organization until JFJ was fired. He was actually part of the Coyotes organization until then. He just stuck around for a long time after he was replaced, and there was no one brought in to oversee JFJ.

 

[2badknees]

I don't see how. Fletcher wasn't brought back into the Leafs organization until JFJ was fired. He was actually part of the Coyotes organization until then. He just stuck around for a long time after he was replaced, and there was no one brought in to oversee JFJ.

As soon as MLSE discussed getting a "mentor" for JFJ, he was essentially gone, and then Fletcher was hired less than half a year later. This situation with Nonis seems similar, barring team overachievement. Any potential negativity is set up to affect only the GM and coach, due to how the prior season came apart at the end.

 

[cw]

I don't see how. Fletcher wasn't brought back into the Leafs organization until JFJ was fired. He was actually part of the Coyotes organization until then. He just stuck around for a long time after he was replaced, and there was no one brought in to oversee JFJ.

As soon as MLSE discussed getting a "mentor" for JFJ, he was essentially gone, and then Fletcher was hired less than half a year later. This situation with Nonis seems similar, barring team overachievement. Any potential negativity is set up to affect only the GM and coach, due to how the prior season came apart at the end.

I think it's quite different though Nonis is likely to be replaced.

Unlike Fletcher, who only carried on in an advisory capacity, Shanahan seems to have real control that is very likely to continue after Nonis is replaced. And that's the unusual thing about this new management structure (similar to Sakic in Colorado and arguably Burke in Calgary). The autonomy of the GM over hockey decisions is rather questionable.

There have been NHL teams with presidents that presided over GMs before. But they've typically been financial guys. Sakic & Shanahan are not financial guys - they're hockey guys. So the decision making autonomy of their GM is cloudy because the only thing those two have to credibly contribute in terms of their expertise to their club are hockey decisions.

It's going to be interesting to see how that works out. Could be problematic. And it could curtail who wants the GM job. A number of prospective quality GMs might apply for the president's job if that's how it's going to work because they want the autonomy to control their own destiny.

 

[hockeyfan1]

Lieweke states his plans... will enter the ticket world business-wise...and why he's leaving MLSE ...

Leiweke has a number of reasons for wanting to leave Toronto. The cold Canadian winters have been tough after two decades in Los Angeles ? ?I miss home, I do,? he told the students ? and dealing with a board controlled by rivals Rogers and Bell seems to have worn on him as well.

More story:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/tim-leiweke-future-plans-mlse-stubhub/

 

[hockeyfan1]

Lieweke's replacement to be announced soon.  John Cassaday, former president of Corus Entertainment appears to have the inside scope:

Sources say that early next week there will be final discussions to approve John Cassaday as Leiweke?s successor. 

Cassaday, who recently retired as president and CEO of Corus Entertainment, has long been rumoured the likely choice to succeed Leiweke.

More info:
http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/source-john-cassaday-looking-like-mlses-man/

 

[Highlander]

My big fear is that whoever comes in will have their own agenda, and want to fit the world into there perspective.  I really don't give two sh_ts about the Raptors but Leiweke for all his faults put management structures in all the teams that should not be tinkered with for at least 5 years.

 

[skrackle]

My big fear is that whoever comes in will have their own agenda, and want to fit the world into there perspective.  I really don't give two sh_ts about the Raptors but Leiweke for all his faults put management structures in all the teams that should not be tinkered with for at least 5 years.

Shanahan appears to have carte blanche to execute his vision of the Leafs. Adding Babcock is a major coup (as I stand back and admire my French).

Whatever else happens within MLSE, I think the Leafs are going to be left alone and allowed to get on with business.

 

[Fanatic]

Star

It is being reported that Cassaday bowed out after not being able to reach a settlement with the board on compensation. Apparently he was not happy with Babcock being the highest paid guy in the organization.

 

[Kin]

I mean, not to put too fine a point on how weird a decision that it but isn't Kyle Lowry the highest paid guy in the organization?

 

[Fanatic]

I mean, not to put too fine a point on how weird a decision that it but isn't Kyle Lowry the highest paid guy in the organization?

Fair enough. For that matter, Phil is also paid more than Babcock.

I do not know what went on with Cassaday and why he was on the verge of being announced as Leiweke's successor, but it is being reported that it was a last minute compensation issue related to Babcock's contract.

It raises an interesting point in that Babcock surely is making more than any other front office guy within the Leafs organization and perhaps all of MLSE (save and except for a guy like Tanenbaum). 

 

[Kin]

It raises an interesting point in that Babcock surely is making more than any other front office guy within the Leafs organization and perhaps all of MLSE (save and except for a guy like Tanenbaum).

Well, Tanenbaum isn't taking a salary I wouldn't think.

Anyways, I guess it's weird but if someone were looking at it reasonably I think they'd see it's not that weird considering it's a sports/entertainment company. I'd guess that the majority of NFL coaches, for instance, earn more than anyone else in their organizations. The highest paid basketball coaches too. Most places in the states the public university's football or basketball coach is technically the highest paid state employee.

It's one of the things that always struck me as so bogus whenever people, during the lockout, would try to just dismiss the players as "employees".