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Larry Tanenbaum launches Kilmer Sports Ventures / Hires Football Exec Ivan Gazidis as President

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Larry Tanenbaum launches Kilmer Sports Ventures / Hires Football Exec Ivan Gazidis as President 

Post#1 » by WuTang_OG » Tue Mar 5, 2024 3:39 pm

some big news here



TORONTO, March 05, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Kilmer Sports Ventures announced the appointment of Ivan Gazidis as President, effective immediately. Kilmer Sports Ventures is a new division of the Kilmer Group and will focus on investment opportunities in the world of sport and entertainment.


Kilmer Sports Ventures is owned by Larry Tanenbaum, Chairman and CEO of Kilmer Group and Chair of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE), the parent company of Canadian sports teams including the National Hockey League’s Toronto Maple Leafs, the National Basketball Association’s Toronto Raptors, Major League Soccer’s Toronto FC, and the Canadian Football League’s Toronto Argonauts.




Gazidis joins Kilmer Sports Ventures after thirty years as a business executive and leader in the world of football and sports. Most recently, he was Chief Executive Officer of AC Milan where he led a remarkable turnaround of the football club both on and off the field, guiding it from the brink of bankruptcy to its first league title in 11 years while also restoring the club to profitability and financial security in just four years.

Prior to his role at AC Milan, Gazidis served as the Chief Executive Officer of Arsenal Football Club. During his tenure, Arsenal won three FA Cups and three Community Shields, while consistently securing UEFA Champions League qualification. Under his leadership, the club modernized all aspects of its operations and facilities, including its two training grounds, without adding debt and while maintaining profitability in every year of his tenure.

Gazidis was one of the founders of Major League Soccer and served as its Deputy Commissioner. He has served on and chaired many boards and committees including the European Clubs Association Executive Board, the UEFA Executive Committee and FIFA’s Football Stakeholders Committee.

“I am delighted to join Kilmer Sports Ventures and look forward to building this new organization with Larry Tanenbaum,” said Ivan Gazidis. “Larry Tanenbaum is one of the most important and influential leaders in the world of sports and I am honored and excited to be working with him.”

“We are delighted to welcome Ivan Gazidis to Kilmer Sports Ventures,” said Larry Tanenbaum. “He has had such an influential role in the development of football internationally, and I know his unparalleled experience and proven leadership will be invaluable.”


https://financialpost.com/globe-newswire/kilmer-sports-ventures-appoints-ivan-gazidis-as-president#:~:text=Gazidis%20was%20one%20of%20the,and%20FIFA's%20Football%20Stakeholders%20Committee.
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Re: Larry Tanenbaum launches Kilmer Sports Ventures / Hires Football Exec Ivan Gazidis as President 

Post#2 » by OakleyDokely » Tue Mar 5, 2024 3:49 pm

There were past rumours of Larry being interested in a Euro soccer team and even the NFL (that's a long shot). So, it could end up being a lot more than than just a WNBA push.

https://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/mlse-larry-tanenbaum-chelsea-bid-1.6418195
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Re: Larry Tanenbaum launches Kilmer Sports Ventures / Hires Football Exec Ivan Gazidis as President 

Post#3 » by rocky_da_best » Tue Mar 5, 2024 4:24 pm

Take it from an Arsenal fan, Gazidis is a ****
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Re: Larry Tanenbaum launches Kilmer Sports Ventures / Hires Football Exec Ivan Gazidis as President 

Post#4 » by rapsfanz420 » Tue Mar 5, 2024 4:43 pm

rocky_da_best wrote:Take it from an Arsenal fan, Gazidis is a ****


Same, if I was Ivan I wouldn’t be proud of my record at Arsenal.

-Went from perennial champions league qualifiers to Europa league at best
-FA Cups wins kinda our thing over the last 100 years but not as good as winning the league or even finishing top 4
-Community Shield wins are meaningless lol
-Left our roster in shambles
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Re: Larry Tanenbaum launches Kilmer Sports Ventures / Hires Football Exec Ivan Gazidis as President 

Post#5 » by ruckus » Tue Mar 5, 2024 4:59 pm

I wonder if this group will be behind the push to bring a NBA team back to Vancouver.
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Re: Larry Tanenbaum launches Kilmer Sports Ventures / Hires Football Exec Ivan Gazidis as President 

Post#6 » by rocky_da_best » Tue Mar 5, 2024 5:04 pm

rapsfanz420 wrote:
rocky_da_best wrote:Take it from an Arsenal fan, Gazidis is a ****


Same, if I was Ivan I wouldn’t be proud of my record at Arsenal.

-Went from perennial champions league qualifiers to Europa league at best
-FA Cups wins kinda our thing over the last 100 years but not as good as winning the league or even finishing top 4
-Community Shield wins are meaningless lol
-Left our roster in shambles


Exactly. Only now are we seeing us finally rebound from the shambles he left us in and it's been a tall order for Edu/Arteta.
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Re: Larry Tanenbaum launches Kilmer Sports Ventures / Hires Football Exec Ivan Gazidis as President 

Post#7 » by ForeverTFC » Tue Mar 5, 2024 6:16 pm

This pretty much confirms Larry is out in 2026, no? Man, it's going to suck.
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Re: Larry Tanenbaum launches Kilmer Sports Ventures / Hires Football Exec Ivan Gazidis as President 

Post#8 » by Merit » Tue Mar 5, 2024 6:43 pm

ForeverTFC wrote:This pretty much confirms Larry is out in 2006, no? Man, it's going to suck.


Hopefully not. I think it’s more about him getting the freedom to operate without the influence of bell and rogers. I don’t see him leaving MLSE.
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Re: Larry Tanenbaum launches Kilmer Sports Ventures / Hires Football Exec Ivan Gazidis as President 

Post#9 » by ForeverTFC » Tue Mar 5, 2024 6:56 pm

Merit wrote:
ForeverTFC wrote:This pretty much confirms Larry is out in 2006, no? Man, it's going to suck.


Hopefully not. I think it’s more about him getting the freedom to operate without the influence of bell and rogers. I don’t see him leaving MLSE.


He may have no choice. Apparently there is an option for Bell/Rogers to buy him out of MLSE in 2026. We're going to be at the mercy of Bell and Rogers if they choose to do so.
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Re: Larry Tanenbaum launches Kilmer Sports Ventures / Hires Football Exec Ivan Gazidis as President 

Post#10 » by Chandan » Tue Mar 5, 2024 7:03 pm

rapsfanz420 wrote:
rocky_da_best wrote:Take it from an Arsenal fan, Gazidis is a ****


Same, if I was Ivan I wouldn’t be proud of my record at Arsenal.

-Went from perennial champions league qualifiers to Europa league at best
-FA Cups wins kinda our thing over the last 100 years but not as good as winning the league or even finishing top 4
-Community Shield wins are meaningless lol
-Left our roster in shambles


treadmill life?
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Re: Larry Tanenbaum launches Kilmer Sports Ventures / Hires Football Exec Ivan Gazidis as President 

Post#11 » by ItsDanger » Tue Mar 5, 2024 7:03 pm

When OMERS bought a minority position in Tanenbaum's holding company, it clearly signaled a likely exit from MLSE soon. This was known last year. I'd expect movement by late 2025 on this issue.
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Re: Larry Tanenbaum launches Kilmer Sports Ventures / Hires Football Exec Ivan Gazidis as President 

Post#12 » by dagger » Tue Mar 5, 2024 7:26 pm

ItsDanger wrote:When OMERS bought a minority position in Tanenbaum's holding company, it clearly signaled a likely exit from MLSE soon. This was known last year. I'd expect movement by late 2025 on this issue.


I'm going to relish a Bell vs Rogers head to head with no third party to arbitrate. They will never achieve consensus, which is why they might not be so eager to pay the inflated buyout Larry has set them up for.
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Re: Larry Tanenbaum launches Kilmer Sports Ventures / Hires Football Exec Ivan Gazidis as President 

Post#13 » by kwajo » Tue Mar 5, 2024 7:28 pm

ruckus wrote:I wonder if this group will be behind the push to bring a NBA team back to Vancouver.


I would love if that were true.
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Re: Larry Tanenbaum launches Kilmer Sports Ventures / Hires Football Exec Ivan Gazidis as President 

Post#14 » by Merit » Tue Mar 5, 2024 7:59 pm

kwajo wrote:
ruckus wrote:I wonder if this group will be behind the push to bring a NBA team back to Vancouver.


I would love if that were true.


All signs point to a premiership side and a wnba team.
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Re: Larry Tanenbaum launches Kilmer Sports Ventures / Hires Football Exec Ivan Gazidis as President 

Post#15 » by Merit » Tue Mar 5, 2024 8:00 pm

ForeverTFC wrote:
Merit wrote:
ForeverTFC wrote:This pretty much confirms Larry is out in 2006, no? Man, it's going to suck.


Hopefully not. I think it’s more about him getting the freedom to operate without the influence of bell and rogers. I don’t see him leaving MLSE.


He may have no choice. Apparently there is an option for Bell/Rogers to buy him out of MLSE in 2026. We're going to be at the mercy of Bell and Rogers if they choose to do so.


You’re more informed on this than I am, but dagger’s post aligns with my thinking.
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Re: Larry Tanenbaum launches Kilmer Sports Ventures / Hires Football Exec Ivan Gazidis as President 

Post#16 » by WuTang_OG » Tue Mar 5, 2024 10:25 pm

Read on Twitter
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Re: Larry Tanenbaum launches Kilmer Sports Ventures / Hires Football Exec Ivan Gazidis as President 

Post#17 » by Raptors Realtor » Tue Mar 5, 2024 11:34 pm

Pretty major news... Obviously this isn't all just being done to bring in a WNBA team.
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Re: Larry Tanenbaum launches Kilmer Sports Ventures / Hires Football Exec Ivan Gazidis as President 

Post#18 » by 2019nbachamps » Tue Mar 5, 2024 11:47 pm

Arsenal fan here. Gazidis is terrible.

Tannenbaum leaving MLSE would have huge implications for the Raptors. My sense he is Masai’s main surrogate on the board. If he leaves Masai may be in a more precarious position.
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Re: Larry Tanenbaum launches Kilmer Sports Ventures / Hires Football Exec Ivan Gazidis as President 

Post#19 » by Johnny Bball » Wed Mar 6, 2024 1:06 am

ItsDanger wrote:When OMERS bought a minority position in Tanenbaum's holding company, it clearly signaled a likely exit from MLSE soon. This was known last year. I'd expect movement by late 2025 on this issue.


It clearly did not signal that, as he retained all voting shares. You were told this, it was explained in detail, but again you just proceed to ignore it and troll on, now stating a date pulled right straight out of your ass.

Its a year later and he's still there. and he's literally added to his holdings.
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Re: Larry Tanenbaum launches Kilmer Sports Ventures / Hires Football Exec Ivan Gazidis as President 

Post#20 » by WaltFrazier » Wed Mar 6, 2024 1:08 am

Thread title should read, soccer. This is North America
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