Keith Pelley believes connecting MLSE's teams more than the past is 'critical' to the organization's successgetty images
Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment CEO Keith Pelley “figures to have a lot to say about who leads the Maple Leafs and Raptors in the years to come,” according to Dave Feschuk the TORONTO STAR. During a staff meeting this past week, Maple Leafs President Brendan Shanahan was on hand as well as was Raptors President Masai Ujiri, who had flown in especially from N.Y. Not since the days of long-departed CEO Tim Leiweke had those two been “bankable fixtures at such events.” Pelley said, “(The meeting) was incredible. Brendan and Masai were the last two to leave. ... I’ve heard (Shanahan and Ujiri) don’t come to a lot of (MLSE) functions. They’re now going to be part of all of our executive team meetings. Connecting the teams is something I think is really critical.” Feschuk wrote Pelley took the job because the "current trend among the world’s top sports organizations is global growth." And “globality,” Pelley will say, is the "only way forward." Pelley: “We’re definitely going to grow. What exactly that means, I’m still determining.” Pelley said that he recently lunched with Leiweke and "acknowledged the outsized legend of the former CEO credited with instilling a winning-is-everything ethos at the company." But Feschuk noted even if Pelley possesses Leiweke-esque energy and motivational acumen, “he’s no carbon copy.” Long-time observers of MLSE will tell you Pelley “won’t be pleased to learn about the less-than-optimal boardroom dynamics.” Pelley said one thing he is “not worried about is ownership alignment.” Pelley: “They have alignment on investment. They have alignment on being world class. And they have alignment on winning” (
TORONTO STAR, 4/7).
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