Tim Leiweke heard all of the reasons NBA players didn't want to play for the Toronto Raptors. He called them excuses.
The hard-charging and energetic CEO and president of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Raptors, shot them down one by one.
Too cold. "Last time I checked, Detroit and Chicago have a lot of banners up in their ceilings. It's just as cold, if not colder there," Leiweke said.
Higher taxes. "The taxes are a myth. I pay less in taxes here than I did in California," he said.
Constantly going through customs and changing money. "It takes an extra 10 minutes at most based on the way our players travel. I think for the most part that doesn't bother anybody," Leiweke said.
No ESPN. "That's my favorite one," he said.
Of course ESPN is available.
"Ultimately, I don't believe they keep any good player from coming here," Leiweke said.
The hard-charging and energetic CEO and president of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which owns the Raptors, shot them down one by one.
Too cold. "Last time I checked, Detroit and Chicago have a lot of banners up in their ceilings. It's just as cold, if not colder there," Leiweke said.
Higher taxes. "The taxes are a myth. I pay less in taxes here than I did in California," he said.
Constantly going through customs and changing money. "It takes an extra 10 minutes at most based on the way our players travel. I think for the most part that doesn't bother anybody," Leiweke said.
No ESPN. "That's my favorite one," he said.
Of course ESPN is available.
"Ultimately, I don't believe they keep any good player from coming here," Leiweke said.
But while the Raptors' staffing is exceptional, they still need players. Leiweke came from entertainment giant AEG, which owns Staples Center and has an ownership stake in the Lakers. Leiweke is fond of what the late Jerry Buss did with the Lakers.
"If I'm a player, I have to be sold on the idea that the culture is such that they're driven and all they care about is a championship," Leiweke said. "I do believe we are developing a reputation as an organization that is absolutely focused, intense and dedicated to winning championships. It's why I'm here. It's why Masai is here.
"Players have to look at people who are on top and the culture they have created, and they have to believe we will do whatever it takes to win. And we wake up every day thinking about it."
"If I'm a player, I have to be sold on the idea that the culture is such that they're driven and all they care about is a championship," Leiweke said. "I do believe we are developing a reputation as an organization that is absolutely focused, intense and dedicated to winning championships. It's why I'm here. It's why Masai is here.
"Players have to look at people who are on top and the culture they have created, and they have to believe we will do whatever it takes to win. And we wake up every day thinking about it."
On marketing the Raptors:
Our gross — sponsorships, tickets, suites — is one of top five or 10 in the NBA, and we're not ashamed of that.
I expect we'll be sold out every game next year. I expect we'll have one of the largest increases in new season tickets. I'll expect we'll have one of the largest increases in ratings. That's all good for us. Sponsorship is up 18%, and that's before the impact of the playoffs.
My guess is we're going to be one of the top three teams with new season-ticket sales this year. We're already top five. We'll end up top three. We'll have a shot at 3,500 new season tickets this year.
Our ratings are way up. Part of that is our ratings weren't very good to begin with. But we're getting there. For us, we aspire to a million people viewing our games.
We have a marketplace that is booming right in front of us and we have to become that team they all relate to. We have to be that team they want to play for, and we have to be that team they want to follow. That's the challenge we have right now. We haven't even scratched the surface.
We're the only team in an entire nation. Think about that for a second. We're the only true international team in the NBA. For a league that has built itself and has become brilliant because of its international appeal, we are the only international team in the whole league and we're proud of that.
We as a country are beginning to produce meaningful great players within this league. The Vince Carter impact is now being felt based on the influence that man and that team were at getting kids to want to play basketball at the highest level. We have an awakening in a Canada. One of the two fastest growing sports Canada is now basketball.
If you add all of that, you have to look at the NBA and the Raptors and says it's one of the great growth stories in all of professional sports. … The uniqueness of the Raptors is we are our Canada's team.
Our gross — sponsorships, tickets, suites — is one of top five or 10 in the NBA, and we're not ashamed of that.
I expect we'll be sold out every game next year. I expect we'll have one of the largest increases in new season tickets. I'll expect we'll have one of the largest increases in ratings. That's all good for us. Sponsorship is up 18%, and that's before the impact of the playoffs.
My guess is we're going to be one of the top three teams with new season-ticket sales this year. We're already top five. We'll end up top three. We'll have a shot at 3,500 new season tickets this year.
Our ratings are way up. Part of that is our ratings weren't very good to begin with. But we're getting there. For us, we aspire to a million people viewing our games.
We have a marketplace that is booming right in front of us and we have to become that team they all relate to. We have to be that team they want to play for, and we have to be that team they want to follow. That's the challenge we have right now. We haven't even scratched the surface.
We're the only team in an entire nation. Think about that for a second. We're the only true international team in the NBA. For a league that has built itself and has become brilliant because of its international appeal, we are the only international team in the whole league and we're proud of that.
We as a country are beginning to produce meaningful great players within this league. The Vince Carter impact is now being felt based on the influence that man and that team were at getting kids to want to play basketball at the highest level. We have an awakening in a Canada. One of the two fastest growing sports Canada is now basketball.
If you add all of that, you have to look at the NBA and the Raptors and says it's one of the great growth stories in all of professional sports. … The uniqueness of the Raptors is we are our Canada's team.
On the three-step process to making the Raptors successful on the court:
To me, the challenge is, how do we convince the next Chris Bosh (the All-Star who started his career with the Raptors) he can win here? That takes a few things. First, resources. I'm OK with the reputation of having resources. I hope we don't have a reputation of just overpaying for the sake of overpaying, but I will not be shy about the fact this organization has great resources and we're not afraid to spend them. We did on our soccer team (Toronto FC). We will on our hockey (Toronto Maple Leafs) and we will on our basketball team.
...
Second, you have to have the intelligence, and that's not a shot at anybody.
...
Then there's the third piece, which is the hardest. If I'm a player, I have to be sold on the idea that the culture is such that they're driven and all they care about is a championship. ... My guess is, if you look around the NBA, one of the changes that we are now going through most people will look at us — some call it a circus, some call it drive and energy, some call it a ridiculous focus, call it what you will — but I do believe were are developing a reputation as an organization that is absolutely focused, intense and dedicated to winning championships. It's why I'm here. It's why Masai is here.
Players have to look at people who are on top and the culture they have created and they have to believe we will do whatever it takes to win and we wake up everything day thinking about it.
What's important is having a culture that isn't not satisfied with what we've done to date.
To me, the challenge is, how do we convince the next Chris Bosh (the All-Star who started his career with the Raptors) he can win here? That takes a few things. First, resources. I'm OK with the reputation of having resources. I hope we don't have a reputation of just overpaying for the sake of overpaying, but I will not be shy about the fact this organization has great resources and we're not afraid to spend them. We did on our soccer team (Toronto FC). We will on our hockey (Toronto Maple Leafs) and we will on our basketball team.
...
Second, you have to have the intelligence, and that's not a shot at anybody.
...
Then there's the third piece, which is the hardest. If I'm a player, I have to be sold on the idea that the culture is such that they're driven and all they care about is a championship. ... My guess is, if you look around the NBA, one of the changes that we are now going through most people will look at us — some call it a circus, some call it drive and energy, some call it a ridiculous focus, call it what you will — but I do believe were are developing a reputation as an organization that is absolutely focused, intense and dedicated to winning championships. It's why I'm here. It's why Masai is here.
Players have to look at people who are on top and the culture they have created and they have to believe we will do whatever it takes to win and we wake up everything day thinking about it.
What's important is having a culture that isn't not satisfied with what we've done to date.
On Ujiri telling Raptors fans "F--- Brooklyn" just before Game 1 against the Nets in the playoffs
That wasn't meant as any disrespect to Brooklyn. But we're fighting back. We're taking our gloves and we're going to fight for this team and fight for this organization because we will do whatever it takes to win here. Players are looking at that now and they say 'different attitude up there now.'
I love what Masai did because it who it really meant something to the players, the fact he was willing to stand up for them and fight back. That meant a lot to me. Again, I don't think we need to be out doing f-bombs in order to get there. But I admire him for fighting for this organization, and the players to a man loved what he did. Loved it.
That wasn't meant as any disrespect to Brooklyn. But we're fighting back. We're taking our gloves and we're going to fight for this team and fight for this organization because we will do whatever it takes to win here. Players are looking at that now and they say 'different attitude up there now.'
I love what Masai did because it who it really meant something to the players, the fact he was willing to stand up for them and fight back. That meant a lot to me. Again, I don't think we need to be out doing f-bombs in order to get there. But I admire him for fighting for this organization, and the players to a man loved what he did. Loved it.
On the Raptors hanging an Atlantic Division banner:
Personally, I wouldn't have done the banner. They didn't ask me, but if they did I would've told them that doesn't mean anything. I don't go in the locker room and congratulate the guys because we haven't done anything yet. Our guys know that. It's not that I don't love our guys and I won't fight for them. But we haven't done anything yet. I don't understand why everyone's happy.
We have work to do here. For me, are we on the right path? Yes. Do we have a chance to do something great? Yes. Talk to me when we do it. I'm not happy. Masai's not happy.
Personally, I wouldn't have done the banner. They didn't ask me, but if they did I would've told them that doesn't mean anything. I don't go in the locker room and congratulate the guys because we haven't done anything yet. Our guys know that. It's not that I don't love our guys and I won't fight for them. But we haven't done anything yet. I don't understand why everyone's happy.
We have work to do here. For me, are we on the right path? Yes. Do we have a chance to do something great? Yes. Talk to me when we do it. I'm not happy. Masai's not happy.
On what Leiweke, who worked for Los Angeles Lakers partner AEG, learned from late legendary owner Jerry Buss:
Championship banners, those are the ones that matter. Jerry West taught me that. Show me the Larry O'Brien (Trophy). You want a scene? Dr. Buss at the Toyota training center and all those Larry O'Brien trophies overlooking the court. You show me that, and I'll show you roses. Until we get there we haven't done anything.
I'm in awe of what Dr. Buss created. That's so hard to do
That's where we need to get to and we can't be satisfied until we get there, and one of the ways you get there is an insatiable appetite to get there and we now have that.
Championship banners, those are the ones that matter. Jerry West taught me that. Show me the Larry O'Brien (Trophy). You want a scene? Dr. Buss at the Toyota training center and all those Larry O'Brien trophies overlooking the court. You show me that, and I'll show you roses. Until we get there we haven't done anything.
I'm in awe of what Dr. Buss created. That's so hard to do
That's where we need to get to and we can't be satisfied until we get there, and one of the ways you get there is an insatiable appetite to get there and we now have that.
On whether the Raptors need a Toronto-born star on the team:
We're going to sellout next year, and Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan are not from Canada. But at the end of the day they are from Toronto. They live here. They're proud of Toronto. They love it here. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what their passport says, it matters what their heart says and as long as we have guys who want to fight for this city and believe in 'We the North' like our guys, they live in Toronto and that's good enough for me.
Would it be great if we have a Toronto-born player on our team? Sure, that would be fantastic but that's not going to determine the success or failure of our organization. What matters to me is we have 15 guys on this roster who love this city as much as I do. I think we're getting there.
We're going to sellout next year, and Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan are not from Canada. But at the end of the day they are from Toronto. They live here. They're proud of Toronto. They love it here. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what their passport says, it matters what their heart says and as long as we have guys who want to fight for this city and believe in 'We the North' like our guys, they live in Toronto and that's good enough for me.
Would it be great if we have a Toronto-born player on our team? Sure, that would be fantastic but that's not going to determine the success or failure of our organization. What matters to me is we have 15 guys on this roster who love this city as much as I do. I think we're getting there.
On Steve Nash's future:
There are probably few people who admire and like Steve Nash like I do. I had the privilege of getting to know him when he came to the Lakers. I love Steve Nash. I hope a great player like that gets to go out on a high. That said, I definitely would hope there's day in time where Steve Nash is playing a role here somehow.
There are probably few people who admire and like Steve Nash like I do. I had the privilege of getting to know him when he came to the Lakers. I love Steve Nash. I hope a great player like that gets to go out on a high. That said, I definitely would hope there's day in time where Steve Nash is playing a role here somehow.
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