After more than two eventful years in Toronto, outgoing MLSE President & CEO TIM LEIWEKE has returned to L.A., and it is "hard to believe" anyone in Canada "will ever be better connected," according to a profile by Cathal Kelly of the GLOBE & MAIL. Leiweke "knew everyone who mattered, and wanted to know everyone who didn’t." He joined the company to "push MLSE to another level, and did," but "with an expiry date." What was "not publicized was that he did not intend to stay long." Leiweke: "They wanted to know that I would be here for at least two years. I didn’t want to make that commitment because I didn’t know where this path would take me. ... This was always my decision.” He added, "Some of them were caught off-guard when I said I wanted to go create my own company, but some of them knew it. [Bell Canada President & CEO GEORGE COPE] is disappointed I’m leaving because I think he feels like maybe I let him down a little bit.” Kelly noted Leiweke is "well aware that he is incapable of treading lightly." Every idea "is the greatest idea ever, and must be shouted at top volume to anyone who will listen." Toronto "didn’t know what to make of this slick visitor." He was "instantly a love/hate proposition." Leiweke: “I probably should have fit in better to the culture, rather than thinking the culture was going to fit better around me." Former Blue Jays President & CEO PAUL BEESTON said of Leiweke, "He made one mistake while he was here. He didn’t own the company.”
GO YOUR OWN WAY: Kelly noted one of Leiweke’s first acts with MLSE was finessing company Chair LARRY TANENBAUM "away from making post-game appearances in the locker rooms." Leiweke was "incapable of keeping himself out of the news." As things got uglier, Tanenbaum "took the remarkable decision of stripping Leiweke of his corporate seats behind the Maple Leafs bench." But Rogers Deputy Chair EDWARD ROGERS "got wind of the pissing contest and intervened." Leiweke: “Was there friction and tension? Yeah. I’ve only been here two years. I made a lot of changes. I caused a fair amount of havoc. Obviously, everyone’s feeling that on my way out and I understand that.” Kelly noted Leiweke and Tanenbaum after that incident "resumed an amicable business relationship." Leiweke: “I can’t work for anyone ever again." He said new MLSE CEO MICHAEL FRIISDAHL "will have a different style than me." Leiweke: "He’s less of a bull, which I think is a good thing. We made some tough decisions. We made some bold pronouncements" (GLOBE & MAIL, 12/19).
