MLSE's hiring of Air Canada Leisure Group President & CEO Michael Friisdahl as its new President & CEO "highlights changing priorities" for the organization, according to Morgan Campbell of the TORONTO STAR. While outgoing President & CEO Tim Leiweke was "hired to change the company’s culture, Friisdahl was brought in to fit in, and the incoming boss recognizes MLSE’s board doesn’t expect him to shake up its sports properties." Instead, he "wants to keep them moving forward." Few observers outside MLSE "expected Friisdahl to get the call, but say he’s close to the type of executive the company would be expected to hire after Leiweke." Friisdahl "figures to spend less time in the spotlight than the charismatic, big-thinking Leiweke." Friisdahl said that the teams "aren’t his focus," and he will instead "concentrate on improving fan experience and working with the managers of MLSE’s various enterprises" (TORONTO STAR, 10/30). The GLOBE & MAIL's James Bradshaw notes Friisdahl at MLSE also "plans to focus on community events." The CEO’s role is "now expected to focus more on corporate tasks, including the live entertainment and real estate portfolios, leaving sports decisions" to Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan, Raptors President & GM Masai Ujiri and new Toronto FC President Bill Manning. Friisdahl: "You’re not going to find me involved in any of the day-to-day operations of any of the teams" (GLOBE & MAIL, 10/30).
POLAR OPPOSITES: SPORTSNET.ca's Michael Grange wrote MLSE in hiring Friisdahl has gone "in the opposite direction" it did when it brought in Leiweke in '13. Friisdahl "has no background in the sports industry, having spent his entire career in the travel and leisure sphere." Friisdahl was "identified as a candidate by a search firm and has no previous business ties with MLSE." He said, "Quite frankly they (MLSE) looked at it in totality and said what we need is an overall executive to lead the whole organization. And then we’re going to rely on the very strong leadership in each of the sports organizations and have them focus on that." Grange cited a source as saying the hire was "completely off the radar." Another source called it "shocking." Other sources noted that Friisdahl's name is "new to most of the team executives at MLSE" (SPORTSNET.ca, 10/29). TSN.ca's Rick Westhead wrote it is "hard to imagine MLSE could find an executive to replace" Leiweke who is "so different from his predecessor." Friisdahl said his hiring came after "a number of months'" worth of negotiations with MLSE (TSN.ca, 10/29).
TOP CHEDDAR: In Toronto, Mike Zeisberger asks if the hiring of Friisdahl is a sign that MLSE is "finally heading in the right direction." Only time will tell, but for an organization that "far too many times have featured too many cooks, bringing in a low-key figure such as Friisdahl seems to be the right move" (TORONTO SUN, 10/30).
