A weekly digest of the top Canadian sports business news, tweets, and more. All links are curated by hand by the Sports Business Canada team. Posted every Sunday/Monday. Submit your links to sportsbusinesscanada@gmail.com.
Disenchantment in the “mecca of MMA”
Following the dismissal of Tom Wright, EVP and General Manager for UFC Operations in Canada, our friend Matthew Ryder at Bleacher Report examined how, in a few short years, things went downhill for the UFC in a country that Dana White once hailed the “mecca of MMA”.
From @BR_MMA @matthewjryder UFC 206: Examining Canadian Disenchantment with the Promotion. READ –> https://t.co/TSi5uFKm8I pic.twitter.com/RAHVxI3VC6
— Sports Business CA (@SportsBizCanada) October 25, 2016
Major League Success
Last week, we talked to Trevor Whiffen about the challenges of selling tickets in a crowded marketplace. Fortunately, winning paid off for Toronto FC this season as they averaged 26,583 fans at BMO Field, a 13.4% increase over last season. Overall, 2016 was a great year at the gate for Canadian MLS teams, as TFC, the Impact, and Whitecaps registered the top 3 year-over-year % attendance increases in the league. These numbers bode well for the health of professional soccer in Canada.
Canada’s three MLS soccer teams finished 1-2-3 in league attendance gains this season, up as much as 16% this yr. via @sbjsbd pic.twitter.com/kNbiS8Vzko
— Rick Westhead (@rwesthead) October 24, 2016
CFL on the rise
Paulo Senra, the CFL’s Director of Communications, tweeted this week that the league’s Week 18 TV ratings are up 18% compared to last year. This comes on the heels of 902,000 viewers tuning into the Labour Day weekend game between the Tiger Cats and Argonauts, with a total of 2.9 million Canadians watching a part of the coverage.
#CFL's Week 18 TV ratings are up 18% compared to last year and viewership in the key 18-49 age demo increased by 15%. pic.twitter.com/Y3SdqLGVHr
— Paulo Senra (@paulosenra) October 26, 2016
From usher to head honcho
Great read this week from the Globe and Mail on Susan Darrington, the woman in charge of running the new $480-million Rogers Place in Edmonton. Marty Klinkenberg gives an inside look into a day in the life of overseeing a major league sports and entertainment venue.
Meet Susan Darrington, the woman in charge of running the Edmonton Oilers' new $480-million rink https://t.co/dSQtoy5OUr pic.twitter.com/tF1WOUbDqC
— Globe Sports (@Globe_Sports) October 28, 2016
Mullowney on the move
Rob Mullowney, currently the VP, Operations for the AHL’s St. John’s IceCaps, has been named the Chief Operating Officer for the AHL’s Belleville Senators. Mullowney has worked 12 years in the AHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Winnipeg Jets and the Montreal Canadiens affiliates. During his five seasons with the IceCaps, he has played a key role in making the team a league leader in all revenue categories. His resume also includes the AHL’s Ken Mackenzie Award as the league’s top marketing executive. Mullowney will start in his new role on January 3, 2017, prior to the Binghamton Senators relocating to Belleville to begin play in 2017-18.
.@bellevilleon Please join me in welcoming Rob Mullowney to your great city! Rob will be Chief Operating Officer of @bellevillesen. #TheAHL
— Eugene Melnyk (@MelnykEugene) October 31, 2016
IceCaps VP, Operations, @IceCapsRob is headed to Belleville for the new @Senators AHL club. Congrats Rob!
More: {https://t.co/wZo7HqqAab} pic.twitter.com/weQRlrwwKQ
— St. John's IceCaps (@IceCapsAHL) October 31, 2016
