MLSE getting new top boss in former Rogers and TSN president: report
Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) has reportedly found a new top boss. The sports and media empire has come to an agreement with Keith Pelley to become the company’s new president and chief executive officer, according to TSN’s Rick Westhead.
Pelley has been working as the CEO of golf’s European Tour. The decision is expected to be made official with an announcement later this week.
New: Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment has reached an agreement to hire Keith Pelley as president and CEO. Pelley, who turns 60 on Thursday, is the CEO of the PGA European Tour and a former executive with Rogers Sportsnet and TSN.
MLSE is expected to announce Pelley’s hiring as…— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) January 10, 2024
Pelley has had a busy tenure as CEO of the European Tour as the golf world undergoes drastic changes. He was a key player in brokering a deal between his tour, the PGA Tour, and the Saudi-backed LIV Golf Tour that was announced last summer, although has yet to be implemented.
MLSE controls the Toronto Raptors, Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Argonauts, and Toronto FC. It’s one of the most powerful organizations in the Canadian sports world.
Pelley graduated from Ryerson University, now known as Toronto Metropolitan University, in 1986. Since then, he has held a variety of powerful positions within the sports world including being president at TSN, president at Rogers Media, and president/CEO of the Toronto Argonauts.
The Ontario-raised Pelley also contributed to the Canadian television screening of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. The event recorded a record number of viewers from coast-to-coast and the broadcast was considered to be a large success.
MLSE has been without a full-time CEO since Michael Friisdahl left in 2022. Chief Financial Officer Cynthia Devine has been acting as an interim in the role ever since. The company is owned by Larry Tanenbaum, Rogers, and Bell Media.
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