Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment took a big step forward for its future on Friday, announcing that Tim Leiweke had been appointed president and chief executing officer of MLSE, effective June 30, 2013.
Leiweke, the former president and CEO of Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), comes to MLSE where he will oversee the Toronto Raptors, Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto FC and Toronto Marlies franchises. AEG is the international sports and entertainment company that owns the Los Angeles Kings, the Los Angeles Galaxy and a stake in the Los Angeles Lakers as well.
In a conference call with Toronto media on Friday night, Leiweke didn’t waste any time in letting his intentions be known.
“What the board told me, unequivocally, in the dance we just went through is they want to win,” Leiweke said. “They want that to be my highest priority. I told them as they will hear from L.A., I got up every day trying to push everyone toward winning championships and we’ve got the resources to do it.”
Larry Tanenbaum, chairman of MLSE, praised Leiweke’s experience at putting the right pieces together to build successful franchises, saying, “Tim Leiweke is one of the top sports executives in the world, renowned for his ability to build championship teams, premier entertainment events, and innovative brand and marketing opportunities.”
As Leiweke mentioned on the call, between the Lakers, Galaxy and Kings, he had been a part of eleven championships.
He comes to Toronto with its three franchises trying to work themselves into being contenders.
While the Maple Leafs are currently in the post-season for the first time in eight seasons, Toronto FC has yet to make it to the playoffs and the Raptors finished their regular season by failing to reach the post-season for the fifth consecutive year.
After speaking positively about the Leafs making it to the post-season, Leiweke made it clear that the Raptors would be an immediate focus for him from day one on the job.
“I don’t think anybody is happy with the Raptors being out of the playoffs as long as they have,” Leiweke said. “I’ve learned under the curve of Jerry Buss and Jerry West. You do not find two better teachers than those guys on how to build an organization that not only wins one championship but becomes a dominant organization. The Raptors have that chance. They have the fan base, they have the ownership, they’ve got the support economically. We need to build the culture that Jerry Buss built with the Lakers, that Jerry West built with the Lakers. I don’t know if that requires change or not. We’re going to find out real quick.”
Leiweke acknowledged that the board’s decision on Bryan Colangelo’s fate is a pressing matter. While he will not be full-time with the organization when a decision is made, he said the board will look to him for a recommendation on how to proceed with Colangelo.
Leiweke also downplayed rumblings that he had reached out to Phil Jackson about a position within the organization.
“Phil and I talked this week but only because he had heard the rumours about Toronto and called to tell me what a great city it is,” Leiweke said. “It’s too early to speculate. I’m not going to deny that Phil and I are friends and we had an amazing run here (in Los Angeles).”
When he was asked again if he had had conversations with Jackson about coming to Toronto he denied that such a conversation took place.
“We didn’t have any of those conversations, nor was it appropriate,” Leiweke said. “I felt like it was inappropriate to have any discussions until we finalized the deal and announced it and in return he was just calling to tell me best of luck.”
Leiweke spoke strongly of turning MLSE’s franchises into dominant ones that others chased in the league. Using the Raptors as an example, he gave a glimpse into his high hopes for the future.
“The Raptors have to aspire to be the Heat and the Lakers,” Leiweke explained. “A team and a city that people want to be apart of. That’s what we’re going to build, that culture there. Same with the Maple Leafs. I used to hear rumblings of, ‘Guys don’t want to go to Toronto because the pressures are too much.’ Well, I think that one’s easy. Let’s start winning Stanley Cups and everyone wants to come to Toronto.”
Making it to the post-season is the first step toward winning a Stanley Cup. From Leiweke’s first conversation with the media in his new city, he made it clear he’s hoping to go the distance and bring MLSE more than just a few steps forward.
