Maple Leaf Gardens Chair Steve Stavro "denied in a rare
interview yesterday that the hockey club plans to bid" for
the Blue Jays in an effort to bring Toronto's four main pro
teams "under the same umbrella," according to Geoff Baker of
the TORONTO STAR. Stavro: "I have no interest in it because
we have enough on our plate." MLG already controls the
Leafs and Raptors and is finalizing construction on the new
Air Canada Centre. More Stavro: "I have respect for the
sport of baseball, just no interest in the game itself"
(TORONTO STAR, 8/13). In Toronto, Robert MacLeod reports
that one source close to MLG said that rather than purchase
the Blue Jays outright, the Gardens is more interested in a
scenario in the which the Blue Jays and its current
ownership would join the Leafs and Raptors "under one
umbrella organization" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 8/13).
EXPLORATORY TALKS TOOK PLACE: While Blue Jays Chair Sam
Pollock says the sale of the team is not imminent, "initial
discussions with a prospective purchaser did take place
three months ago," according to a report in the OTTAWA SUN.
In May, members of a group interested in buying the Jays
flew to N.Y. to meet reps of Interbrew SA, which owns the
team. Pollock: "There's nothing on the table today. But I
can't answer about the future" (OTTAWA SUN, 8/13).
