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The Brian Burke Thread

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PG said:
MLSE make money hand over fist. They have made the fan experience pretty darn good down at the ACC with Maple Leaf Square and Real Sports Bar and Grill. As awful as they are at putting together good sports team, these are very astute business people. At some point, an exec is going to wonder aloud "Imagine how many more revenue streams we could have if we, um, made the playoffs and had a good team?"

With every missed playoff comes oodles of lost revenue. You know these guys are chomping at the bit to release insanely priced playoff tickets that will be criticised by the media, but sold out in less than 30 minutes.

Burke is safe right now but far from untouchable. He now has his own coaching hire so he is completely out of excuses.
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I know they'll make some money in a playoff round but I thought this notion tying Burke's security to financial gain from that alone had been addressed somewhat previously... anyone?

I wouldn't bet any money on whether Burke has run out of excuses either, at least where his 'bosses' are concerned. He may be in tough ( and may make some mistakes as a result ) but I wouldn't count him out of that fight too quick.
 
Potvin29 said:
Probably any deal for Nash, Yakupov and Johnson would have to start with a wing and a prayer.
Click to expand...

and considering the insane amount rumored to be wanted by Howsen for Nash alone, you might as well add the moon and several solar systems.
 
PG said:
MLSE make money hand over fist. They have made the fan experience pretty darn good down at the ACC with Maple Leaf Square and Real Sports Bar and Grill. As awful as they are at putting together good sports team, these are very astute business people. At some point, an exec is going to wonder aloud "Imagine how many more revenue streams we could have if we, um, made the playoffs and had a good team?"

With every missed playoff comes oodles of lost revenue. You know these guys are chomping at the bit to release insanely priced playoff tickets that will be criticised by the media, but sold out in less than 30 minutes.
Click to expand...

You know, I never really bought the idea that the playoff money was going to be a big deal for the OTPP when they were earning tons anyway but I especially don't buy it now that ownership will be looking to get a ton of money for their media companies from owning the team.

Forbes had their operating income at 81.8 million last time they did valuations. Would making the playoffs add to that? Sure. But by what...10 percent? 20? I'm sure they'd like that bump sure but I'm doubtful they'll make a lot of decisions based on it.

 
Saint Nik said:
PG said:
MLSE make money hand over fist. They have made the fan experience pretty darn good down at the ACC with Maple Leaf Square and Real Sports Bar and Grill. As awful as they are at putting together good sports team, these are very astute business people. At some point, an exec is going to wonder aloud "Imagine how many more revenue streams we could have if we, um, made the playoffs and had a good team?"

With every missed playoff comes oodles of lost revenue. You know these guys are chomping at the bit to release insanely priced playoff tickets that will be criticised by the media, but sold out in less than 30 minutes.
Click to expand...

You know, I never really bought the idea that the playoff money was going to be a big deal for the OTPP when they were earning tons anyway but I especially don't buy it now that ownership will be looking to get a ton of money for their media companies from owning the team.

Forbes had their operating income at 81.8 million last time they did valuations. Would making the playoffs add to that? Sure. But by what...10 percent? 20? I'm sure they'd like that bump sure but I'm doubtful they'll make a lot of decisions based on it.
Click to expand...

Not sure about this one, but if there are any financial or tax gurus here who may be able to answer this one, but if MLSE's revenues increased due to additional playoff revenue, wouldn't their taxes or expenses also increase?  Just wondering if it would be profitable for MLSE if the Leafs did not make the playoffs.
 
Mack674 said:
Potvin29 said:
Probably any deal for Nash, Yakupov and Johnson would have to start with a wing and a prayer.
Click to expand...

and considering the insane amount rumored to be wanted by Howsen for Nash alone, you might as well add the moon and several solar systems.
Click to expand...

And then add a 2nd rounder.
 
RipBurke.jpg


This team is dead Burke! Don't you have any idea what you have done here? Well, I'm gonna make sure they nail you right to the wall for this! You're not gonna sleaze your way out of this one! Right to the wall!
 
:)

So does that mean we get to see Colton Orr try to eat Burke?

I can't lie to you about your chances, but ? you have my sympathies.

 
It's quite depressing being a Leafs fan right now. 

Looking back I think all of Leafs Nation was on board with a teardown/rebuild during 2008.  We got rid of JFJ, Fletcher was cleaning out some deadweight and then we hired Burke in Nov of that year.  We suffered through 2008/2009 season, saying Burke really had no influence on the outcome.  Then he started to make changes, 2009/2010, the team was bad again, but hey it was only Burke's first season right?  2010/2011, bad again, but light at the end of the tunnel, team plays well down the stretch, Reimer seems to emerge as a #1 goalie.

Now this season, Leafs fans expecting to be in the mix for a playoff spot, we're given all indications that we are a playoff team after 54 games with a very good record. 

Where do we go from here?
 
Saint Nik said:
PG said:
MLSE make money hand over fist. They have made the fan experience pretty darn good down at the ACC with Maple Leaf Square and Real Sports Bar and Grill. As awful as they are at putting together good sports team, these are very astute business people. At some point, an exec is going to wonder aloud "Imagine how many more revenue streams we could have if we, um, made the playoffs and had a good team?"

With every missed playoff comes oodles of lost revenue. You know these guys are chomping at the bit to release insanely priced playoff tickets that will be criticised by the media, but sold out in less than 30 minutes.
Click to expand...

You know, I never really bought the idea that the playoff money was going to be a big deal for the OTPP when they were earning tons anyway but I especially don't buy it now that ownership will be looking to get a ton of money for their media companies from owning the team.

Forbes had their operating income at 81.8 million last time they did valuations. Would making the playoffs add to that? Sure. But by what...10 percent? 20? I'm sure they'd like that bump sure but I'm doubtful they'll make a lot of decisions based on it.
Click to expand...

You don't think a 10-20% profit increase would be substantial to a billion dollar company? Um...
 
Zee said:
It's quite depressing being a Leafs fan right now. 

Looking back I think all of Leafs Nation was on board with a teardown/rebuild during 2008.  We got rid of JFJ, Fletcher was cleaning out some deadweight and then we hired Burke in Nov of that year.  We suffered through 2008/2009 season, saying Burke really had no influence on the outcome.  Then he started to make changes, 2009/2010, the team was bad again, but hey it was only Burke's first season right?  2010/2011, bad again, but light at the end of the tunnel, team plays well down the stretch, Reimer seems to emerge as a #1 goalie.

Now this season, Leafs fans expecting to be in the mix for a playoff spot, we're given all indications that we are a playoff team after 54 games with a very good record. 

Where do we go from here?
Click to expand...

I would say go with the hope/assumption that the fact this team is playing as bad a stretch as a Leafs team has in memory (probably close to a bad all-time mark for this number of games) that it is unlikely it will continue like this.  Like you said, they were 9 games over .500 or something not even that long ago.  If they end up with a truly high pick, and manage to achieve some semblance of consistent goaltending, I don't see why this team can't get back to the playoff position it was for the vast majority of the season.  I don't want them to tank ever, but in the end if they end up with a high pick, it may be the best thing to happen in awhile for the team.
 
Saint Nik said:
Corn Flake said:
You don't think a 10-20% profit increase would be substantial to a billion dollar company? Um...
Click to expand...

Yup. That's what I said alright.
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Hard to tell if your sacracm font is broken or just can't tell exactly what the point was you were trying to make.  Either way, I shouldn't bother.
 
Corn Flake said:
Hard to tell if your sacracm font is broken or just can't tell exactly what the point was you were trying to make.  Either way, I shouldn't bother.
Click to expand...

It would probably be easier for you, all things considered.
 
Saint Nik said:
Corn Flake said:
Hard to tell if your sacracm font is broken or just can't tell exactly what the point was you were trying to make.  Either way, I shouldn't bother.
Click to expand...

It would probably be easier for you, all things considered.
Click to expand...

Would save you the trouble of taking a side on a point, too.
 
Corn Flake said:
Would save you the trouble of taking a side on a point, too.
Click to expand...

Exactly and after that incomprehensibly dense maze of trickery that post was, I mean, who needs to tax themselves unraveling it all?
 
Corn Flake said:
You don't think a 10-20% profit increase would be substantial to a billion dollar company? Um...
Click to expand...

Sorry if I got it wrong Nik, but, I think he was saying it would add to their operating income. That's not a huge amount of dough for these guys.
 
So, let's get to the point: if you had the power, would you fire Burke after the season, and if so, who would you go for?

I am torn.  Not a huge fan of some aspects of his personality, and more importantly I think his ego and his loyalty to Wilson have really hurt the team.  OTOH he has made some very good moves.

But on balance I think I would fire him.  This collapse, which means a regression from the previous 2 years, is highly disturbing. 

I guess I'd give Nonis the reins.
 
I would not fire him after this season. I don't see a problem with his ego that others do, I think Wilson had a pretty good run this year before the team fell apart so that's not a big deal to me in terms of his longevity.

I think he's put together a great management group and has been largely on the plus side of a wholesale reorganization of talent and move to youth.

4 weeks of bad play isn't enough for me at all.

I agree though, if Burke was fired I think Nonis would get serious consideration for the job.
 
I'm willing to take Poulin at face value when he said there was a plan a short while ago. What it is? I don't know but I trust there is one.  I like our prospect pool though it lacks a true blue chipper and I think there are enough depth and moveable parts at both the NHL and AHL level to really shake things up for the better. I'm willing to give Burke one more year to do so.
 
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