The MLSE Channel?

[Apollo]

Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment is poised to take a billion-dollar gamble in broadcasting.

Now that the “for sale” sign has been taken off Canada’s highest-profile sports company, sources say Maple Leaf Sports is planning to move ahead and develop a regional sports channel that would show Maple Leafs, Raptors and Toronto FC games.

It will be a complex and risky move that will require difficult negotiations with cable operators and advertisers alike. Sports industry executives say a search committee formed by Maple Leaf Sports to find its next chief executive is considering a former Montreal Canadien for the job.

Pierre Boivin, a highly regarded veteran of the sport industry, was the Canadiens president from 1999 until earlier this year. He also worked as chief executive of Bauer Nike Hockey and now works with Claridge, a Montreal firm that manages the interests of the billionaire Bronfman family.

Maple Leaf Sports is searching for a new leader because chief executive Richard Peddie will retire by year’s end.

While the company’s teams struggled, Peddie was a business visionary, and helped to create new revenue sources with condominium developments and a sports-themed restaurant. His successor will inherit a company where the overarching concern involves a network startup.

Creating a new regional sports channel could generate billions of dollars for Maple Leaf Sports.

But industry executives say the effort could easily backfire and leave the company scrambling to connect with the next generation of young sports fans.

The surest sign that Maple Leaf Sports is plotting a new network is the company’s hiring of consultant Ed Desser, a former National Basketball Association executive who has helped Time Warner Inc. plan its own regional sports network in Los Angeles, a channel that’s built around basketball’s Lakers.

Source: TorontoStar.com

Click the link to read more.

[MangoKid]

A NEW channel? They already have a Leafs and Raptors (NBATV) television stations, not to mention a GOL TV for the Reds. Who would really subscribe to another MLSE channel?

[c_bcm]

Seems like MLSE is trying to make up for their inability to make profits with successful franchises by cashing in on the fervor of the fan-base. Although, maybe a dedicated channel will give MLSE more opportunities to reward the fans with cheap access and limited commercial interruptions. But then again, maybe not.

[drizz]

It will probably cost lower bowl prices per month for the channel. Also if you drink a beer while watching a game they will charge you $12.50 ACC prices.

[Apollo]

Wait a second, if we're playing this game Drizz then does this mean they'll send cheerleaders to my house? I don't think my fiance is going to be too thrilled about that.

[GameBreaker]

I would get it. Raptors channel is full of shit. They never play live Raps game, when they SHOULD be. Period. I'd give up my Raps channel if the MLSE channel showed all the live games. If not, at least you can bet your left nut that you'll see a Raptor re-run for a week on Raps channel.

[Apollo]

I agree. The thing I liked about Raptors TV when I had it was Raptors Game in an hour. It wasn't worth having the channel.

[Nilanka]

The pre and post game shows were decent (if you're starving for Raptors coverage). But again, not worth the additional cost. I happen to be "piggy-backing" my father-in-law's satellite signal, so I'm not complaining

[Tim W.]

Seems like MLSE is trying to make up for their inability to make profits with successful franchises by cashing in on the fervor of the fan-base. Although, maybe a dedicated channel will give MLSE more opportunities to reward the fans with cheap access and limited commercial interruptions. But then again, maybe not.

How are they not able to make a profit? They HAVE BEEN making a profit. They were one of the few NBA teams to be in the black, last year, and while I don't know much about the Leafs, I'm pretty sure they're profitable.

[Tim W.]

The MSG network is a big cash cow for them, and while I normally would think it would be a great idea, considering the importance of owning your own content and having an avenue to distribute it, the issue I have is that the NBA already owns the content and can distribute it themselves on the internet, as well as through various portals like Roku and more in the future. I think this idea would have been a better one 5 years ago. Now, I wonder if they've missed their chance.

[c_bcm]

Sorry. I think I didn't explain myself properly. I am fully aware that the Raps are a profitable team. But it just irks me that the organization is putting all of this investment and infrastructure in place for what is perennially a bad product. I also understand that the team may eventually improve to the point where they are not the laughing stock of the league. But when the teams of MLSE are brutal for so long how can you put a program in place to invite the fans to invest more time energy and money into your sub-par product. TO me it reeks of uber-profiteering (new word of the day) from a forgiving and fanatic fan-base.

If, however, this stream-lines the broadcasting of their product to the point where MLSE could offer incentives to its fans that it would not otherwise be able to do through other sports broadcasters, then I like this idea. But I have a feeling that this altruism is not their intent.

[Tim W.]

Sorry. I think I didn't explain myself properly. I am fully aware that the Raps are a profitable team. But it just irks me that the organization is putting all of this investment and infrastructure in place for what is perennially a bad product. I also understand that the team may eventually improve to the point where they are not the laughing stock of the league. But when the teams of MLSE are brutal for so long how can you put a program in place to invite the fans to invest more time energy and money into your sub-par product. TO me it reeks of uber-profiteering (new word of the day) from a forgiving and fanatic fan-base.

If, however, this stream-lines the broadcasting of their product to the point where MLSE could offer incentives to its fans that it would not otherwise be able to do through other sports broadcasters, then I like this idea. But I have a feeling that this altruism is not their intent.

They hired Colangelo in the hopes of putting a better product on the floor. I don't blame them for what we've seen the last few years. It's not as if they've cheaped out, which has caused the subpar product.

[NoPropsneeded]

when my dad signed us up for cogeco Raptors/NBA Canada TV came free. I don't think they are charging us for it. We never signed up for it in the first place, i just flipped to it and it works.

[RaptorDan]

I stumbled across this in researching which gaming system to buy:

http://www.xbox.com/en-CA/Live/Partners/Home

On Xbox 360 Live it says that Real Sports will soon be part of their entertainment line-up, which will soon include You Tube, UFC, Rogers on Demand, Crackle and others along with Netflix.

Real Sports is MLSE, and says:

Real Sports on Xbox Live is your home for access to Canada's premier sports programming featuring hockey, basketball and soccer content from around the globe.

http://www.realsports.ca/

This sounds pretty cool, but it is pretty light on specific details.

[Nilanka]

I stumbled across this in researching which gaming system to buy

Just cut to the chase and get yourself a PS3 already :P