MLSE President & CEO TIM LEIWEKE today announced that he will leave the organization on June 30, 2015, or until a successor is appointed. Leiweke plans to pursue his goal of owning and operating his own business following his departure. MLSE has begun its search for a new CEO and will continue to operate with its current executive management structure (MLSE). In Toronto, Mark Zwolinksi notes Leiweke "flatly denied reports he was leaving the past two days," a position he "reaffirmed" yesterday during an event at the Air Canada Centre. However, he has maintained he “wouldn’t be staying on forever” at MLSE. Leiweke joined the organization in April '13 and is reportedly "under contract for five years" (THESTAR.com, 8/21).
LOSS FOR MLS: Leiweke this morning wrote in an e-mail that he is "not interested" in running Chivas USA, which is in the process of being sold, and added that he "doesn't plan on doing anything for a while." SI.com's Grant Wahl writes if Leiweke "is on his way out" of MLS, that is a "huge blow to the league." No single person "has signed more big names for MLS teams over the years than Leiweke." He "just gets things done ... and his vision for what MLS can be has been a driving force for the league's growth" (SI.com, 8/21). NBCSPORTS.com's Joe Prince-Wright writes Leiweke’s "strong links with the soccer world has helped turn Toronto FC into one of the most talked about franchises in MLS," as the club has acquired MF MICHAEL BRADLEY and F JERMAIN DEFOE over the past six months. But losing Leiweke will be a "big blow" for the club. Under Leiweke's watch, MLSE "pumped plenty of money into TFC and now only time will tell if the new man in charge is set to do the same" (NBCSPORTS.com, 8/21).
