Make no mistake, I have no problem with The Toronto Maple Leafs as a hockey team, but my disdain for the ownership is Steinbrenner-esque. The corporate dwarfs that run this elitist dog and pony show should be tied to the back of the Bloor Night Bus and be given a tour of this city.
It as if this once proud institution has been taken over by some hybrid clone of Fat Tony, Monty Burns and Conrad Black. And don't try and muscle in, this is a pretzel town!
The Toronto Maple Leafs charge more than double the league average to watch a crap hockey team and the suckers are lined up out the door.
Worst of all is that MLSE leaves a lot of innocent victims in its wake, namely taxpayers.
Yah see all those empty platinum seats for the first ten minutes of every period? The reason those seats are empty is because there are government subsidized martini's in the platinum lounge. The drinks go along well with the government subsidized seating and the government subsidized sushi.
Hey, its all a corporate write off, but keep in mind that taxes someone else avoids are taxes the rest of us have to pay. The ACC is rife with people who are using the tax system to discount their tickets. Discounts that you and I pay for. And the empty seats of the discounted Martini Sippers mock the true hockey fan every Saturday night.
To add insult to this obscenity is the fact that we subsized the building of the ACC and BMO Field, and that MLSE is so threatened by the thought of competition in "their" market place. I don't blame them for being afraid of competition. Hey, if I was that incompetent in my business, you can bet I would be terrified of challengers.
I feel sorry for true Leaf fans. They drank the Kool-Aid a long time ago, but The Dear Leader doesn't give a crap.
As a final note, the Leafs recently held an event in their new practice facility (also subsidized by taxpayers) to announce how upset they are about the high price of kids playing hockey. Did they offer a solution? NO. Did they suggest a way things could be made easier? NO. Were they annoyed that this stupid event interrupted their "money fight"?. PROBABLY.
The average shmoe has only one chance to fight this incompetent Goliath.
- Every night that you sit down to watch a Leaf game , bring a pad and paper.
- Write down the name of every corporate logo and commercial that you see.
- Don't buy those products.
Its not hard to break the chain of stupidity, it just takes a little diligence.
It is the only chance to break down this Kafkaesque wall, and remember that when you buy those products you are actually paying so that a wealthy person can enjoy discounted sushi on your nickel.
As far as I'm concerned MLSE can go and Phoenix itself.
Happy Thanksgiving!
http://www.goyestoeverything.com
ps Go Canucks Go
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