Who, in their right mind, would want to buy the Toronto Maple Leafs ?
We ask this in light of the speculation last week that Rogers Communications was making overtures to purchase the Leafs from Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment.
The speculation has Rogers, the telecommunications giant who has nickeled and dimed their way to a massive fortune on the backs of couch potatos across the country, buying the Leafs, the Raptors, the Marlies, Toronto FC, the Air Canada Center and the adjacent TV services; Leafs TV & Raptors TV.
Again, who would buy this package ?
The jewel in the crown hasn’t come close to winning anything since a TV consisted of 2 channels.
They don’t win, they can’t play, they can’t draft, they have a solid track record of losing. Every stinking year.
The Raptors might be worse.
How many people care about FC or the Marlies ?
And how long before the building and the TV services are outdated ?
But somehow, for the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan, this enterprise makes money on everything they touch.
So instead of asking, ‘ who in their right mind would buy the Leafs ? ‘, the question might be ‘ who in their right mind would sell it ? ‘
I’m Fred Wallace