Baseball in Canada

[TorontoDrew]

Originally Posted by Tg11

Sucks y'all had to go out like that yesterday

So true, but if we can keep most of our players we will be one of the teams to beat next season. None of the tes in the American league wanted Toronto to get a wildcard spot. We were on fire at the end there with momentum in our favour.

[JHikka]

Rogers looks to cash in on Blue Jays to pay down company debt ahead of Shaw deal

ANDREW WILLIS
PUBLISHED 6 HOURS AGO

Rogers Communications Inc. RCI-B-T +1.53% is considering selling some of its stake in the Toronto Blue Jays and the team’s stadium, as the telecom and media company puts a priority on paying down debt under its new interim chief executive, Tony Staffieri.

In early November, then-CEO Joe Natale told investors that Rogers was looking at ways to “monetize” its stake in the Major League Baseball team and its home, the Rogers Centre.

...

Rogers executives have talked about raising money by selling all or part of the baseball club for many years. At an investor conference in 2017, Mr. Staffieri said the company was “looking at ways to better surface the value of the Blue Jays.” The concept is now on the front burner as Rogers moves to close its $26-billion takeover of Shaw Communications Inc., an acquisition funded with $20-billion of debt.

Options under consideration for the Blue Jays and Rogers Centre include selling a minority stake in the ball club, spinning off the team or raising money by selling “tracking shares,” according to one company source and a source in banking. Tracking shares, a type of specialized equity offering that would mirror the value of the team, are already used by the owner of at least one other Major League Baseball franchise, the Atlanta Braves.

Rogers also owns a 37.5-per-cent stake in Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Ltd., parent of the Raptors, Maple Leafs, Argos, and Toronto FC. This holding is not part of the current review, according to the company and banking sources.

If Rogers did decide to sell a portion of the Blue Jays to an individual, the sources said company chair Edward Rogers is a potential buyer. The vast majority of professional sports franchises are owned by wealthy individuals, rather than public companies.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/busi...debt-ahead-of/

[Djeffery]

Not really a surprise considering the rift between Edward and the rest of the Rogers leadership. The team is Edward's baby, so I can see the corporation either telling him to buy out the team and get lost, or sell it to someone else. I wonder if taking the rest of MLSE into the ownership group is something they are considering as well?

[many]

Other then Edward Rogers or MLSE who else would buy the Jays knowing that they need to have build a new stadium or put a massive renovation to the dump of the skydome

[Fischbob]

Quite the comeback Friday night, eh? And 4 homers this afternoon already at the end of the 3rd.

Shaping up to be an interesting season for the Jays.

[many]

Originally Posted by many

Other then Edward Rogers or MLSE who else would buy the Jays knowing that they need to have build a new stadium or put a massive renovation to the dump of the skydome

One possible name is Joseph Tsai, who wants to own more sports teams

[Fischbob]

Originally Posted by Fischbob

And 4 homers this afternoon already at the end of the 3rd.

Turned off the game to attend a 90 minute Zoom meeting and now they're down 12-6...

lol

[TorontoDrew]

Just purchased 4 tickets to the Jays at Mariners July 9th and can't wait. Has anybody been to a game and Seattle before? It always looks like fun when I watch the games.

[WhipperSnapper]

Pretty good start to the second half

[megadude]

Coincidentally, I just got all the family Jays gear sorted today in anticipation of going to a game next weekend. Been four or five years since I've been. Now I'm even more pumped. Though this probably means it'll be like a 1-0 game.

A few weeks ago the Jays were also playing the Sox and our work team got tickets but I couldn't make it. The managing director is actually located in Boston but he couldn't make it due to passport issues. Jays won that game and hit a few HRs so our team rubbed it in to the managing director but then the Jays started slumping and Boston surpassed them so he had the last laugh. But with this thrashing, we're going to turn it around on him again. Ultimately though, 4 WS, 6 SBs, 1 SC and 1 Larry O'B. for his hometown teams in the past 20 years. And numerous other finals appearances so he's not too bothered.

On a related note, Fenway was also the first place I caught a foul ball, when I was 10 years old. Incidentally, also the place I discovered that guys still peed in troughs and not urinals. I have been told that those have since been replaced, thankfully.

Is it just me or have the Jays had a top 5 offense for like 15+ years in a row? It seems like every now and then I hear a stat about how many HRs they've hit for the year and how high it ranks in the league.

[WhipperSnapper]

The Skydome is home run friendly. I enjoy hits and high averages than home runs and strike outs. I wasn't that impressed by the Batista era eventhough they could rack up the runs. This offense last year was incredible. It's dipped down quite a bit this year but, hopefully, this is the break out moment. The biggest issue is starting pitching. They need to pick up another before the trade deadline. I'm not as worried about the rotation should they make the playoffs. They have an amazing ace and a good second. It's getting to the playoffs.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

Pretty good start to the second half

An inside the park grand slam.

[samne]

Watched hilights from Jays in 30. Hilarious reactions from Shulman and Bosox fans disbelief from that drubbing in 3rd and 5th.

Half season left in Jays still in it.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Red Sox series swept. Hopefully this is a sign of things to come.

[JHikka]

Was driving on the 401 getting the occasional score update from my passenger and couldn't believe when the score continued creeping up above 20. Insane showing, and at Fenway, too.

[megadude]

And this is why I stopped getting so invested in hometown teams. I still love sports, but I've drifted away from passionately supporting the home teams. I root for them, but I don't live and die by them. When my cousin and I were at All Stars at the ground level of his condo with all the other supporters and TFC lost the final in 2016 despite not allowing Seattle a single SOG in 120 minutes, I think it was then and there that I said nope, not doing this anymore. When the Raps had their run, I watched very little of it live. Just checking the final score and if they won, I'd watch the highlights.

Got the Leafs disappointing year after year and the Jays blowing an 8-1 lead. Disappointing but not heart breaking for me anymore.

Anyway, I was posting this summer about the Leafs still having '22 Playoffs banners hanging up long after they were bounced. For all I know, they might still be hanging by the lobby of the ACC, but they did at least change them on the outside to Insigne banners.

Then we have this today at Longos, next to the ACC. Hmmm... wonder how long that message is going to stay up.

[WhipperSnapper]

Well, it's the All Star Break and all I can say is that I can't watch this team. The only thing consistent about their play is the poor run production and they are still 50-41. I still think they can win the division and avoid a 3 game wild card series. Vlad has found his power. The pitching staff is going to be deeper and I think Schneider has figured out who is having a great year and who is having a terrible year. He lost a number of games with his pitcher selections.

[rousseau]

Originally Posted by megadude

When the Raps had their run, I watched very little of it live. Just checking the final score and if they won, I'd watch the highlights.

My condolences. That season was the greatest sporting enjoyment I've ever experienced in my entire life, including my own participation. It was absolutely magical, from beginning to end.

[le calmar]

^ I still remember that. You became quite frenetic on here during that time.

[rousseau]

Originally Posted by le calmar

^ I still remember that. You became quite frenetic on here during that time.

?