Latest news with #MapleLeafSports
National Post
13-06-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Joe Bowen started his Maple Leafs career with an 'F__ you'
Article content From a Walt Poddubny goal at old Chicago Stadium when it seemed his Maple Leafs' broadcast debut was doomed, Joe Bowen will have put in 44 years behind the microphone when he retires next year. Article content He's seen it all with this team, except a Stanley Cup to date, and those memories are sure to be part of a wonderful final season, even if there's no farewell tour after cost-conscious Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment saw fit to ground him and sharp witted colour man Jim Ralph in recent years. Article content Article content Article content With the 74-year-old Bowen announcing Friday that the 2025-26 season will be his last, some of our favourite stories from the Hall of Fame broadcaster in many interviews with the Toronto Sun: Article content CAREER LIMITING START Article content When Len Bramson, head of Telemedia Sports, called Bowen in Halifax in September of 1982, with an offer to move up from the Nova Scotia Voyageurs and call the Leafs, Bowen thought it was a prank. Article content He'd had heard nothing for weeks after sending in his audition tape from the AHL and the OHL Sudbury Wolves and had just put down a mortgage on a new house in anticipation of another season down east. Convinced it was a prank by his friend, overnight host Allan Davis at CJCL, the flagship Leaf station, Bowen just bellowed 'F- you,' into the receiver 'I don't need you being an a-hole.' Article content There was silence and then Bramson politely repeated himself, with Bowen slowly realizing this call was for real. Article content 'I'm like Jackie Gleason, 'humana, humana,' trying to figure out how to apologize. My dream job and I'd just told the guy to screw off. I'd have slit my wrists if there was anything sharp around.' Article content Article content Bramson, trying to stifle his laughter, said he'd call back in 10 minutes to let Bowen compose himself. A much different chat followed, Bramson telling him the energy he unleashed on the phone was exactly what the network wanted in its new play-by-play man. Article content Bill Plaunt, who ran Sudbury's TV and radio station, was part-owner of the junior team and a good friend of the Bowen's father, local doctor Joe Sr. He gave the University of Windsor grad a shot with the Sudbury Wolves, bringing him to Foster Hewitt's famous gondola five storeys above the ice.
Globe and Mail
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Globe and Mail
Will Canada's World Cup Set a Zero-Waste Standard, or Leave a Legacy of Trash?
TORONTO, the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnaabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat Peoples, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In one year, millions of fans will take part in global festivities around Toronto's BMO Field and Vancouver's BC Place as Canada co-hosts the FIFA World Cup 26 TM. What they leave behind could be just as monumental: a legacy of trash, or a breakthrough in sustainable sport. Today, Oceana Canada launched #ReuseForTheWin, a campaign urging Toronto and Vancouver to eliminate single-use food and beverage containers during the tournament. The campaign calls on stadium operators to eliminate single-use cups for beer, pop, and coffee during the World Cup. The stadium operator in Toronto is Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. (BMO Field) and in Vancouver, it is BC Pavilion Corporation (BC Place, which already operates a reusable cup program in select sections and is exploring expansion). The solution is simple: ditch single-use cups bound for the trash and replace them with ones that will be collected, cleaned, re-stocked, and reused for the next game, creating a zero-waste standard in global sport. 'Every match of the World Cup could generate over 100,000 single-use items — and that's just from drinks,' said Anthony Merante, Senior Plastics Campaigner at Oceana Canada. 'We have one shot to get this right. If stadiums make the switch to reuse, Canada can leave behind a legacy of sustainable leadership, not litter.' The Problem: Single-Use Waste on a Global Stage Governments are investing nearly $1 billion to host the FIFA World Cup 26™ in Toronto and Vancouver. Unless major venues stop serving single-use items, millions of cups, trays, bottles, and wrappers could end up in landfill, incinerators, or polluting waterways. This isn't just a waste issue — it's an ocean crisis. Major sports stadiums across Canada routinely serve single-use items, many of them made from or lined with plastic. In Canada, half of all plastic waste is single-use like the products served in the stands. Yet only eight per cent of plastics are recycled, with more than 90 per cent going to landfill, incineration, or directly into lakes, rivers, and oceans. Canadians want better. An Oceana Canada-commissioned poll by Abacus Data found that 88 per cent of Canadians would choose a reusable option over single-use one if available. Right now, fans at BMO Field and BC Place lack choice. It's time to make single use history. #ReuseForTheWin. The Solution: Reuse is a Win for Everyone If BMO Field and BC Place fully switch to reuse, up to 2.3 million single-use items could be avoided during the tournament. Reuse creates local green jobs in collection, cleaning, and delivery, while cutting waste management costs. All fans would get a guilt-free, zero-waste experience at every match. Toronto and Vancouver could create a sustainability legacy for their stadiums and cities. Each year, more than $7.8 billion worth of plastic is lost to landfills in Canada. Reusables offer a long-term, sustainable investment, eliminating the need to repurchase items that become trash after a single use. Reuse isn't just good for the environment, it's good economics. The Call to Action: One Year to Get it Right The opportunity for change is now. Oceana Canada is calling on: Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. (BMO Field) and the BC Pavillion Corporation (BC Place) to ditch single use and switch to reuse ahead of the FIFA World Cup 26™. Toronto and Vancouver to pass reuse bylaws ahead of FIFA World Cup 26™, requiring refillable and reusable food and beverage service at stadiums, restaurants, festivals and other large venues. (Read and sign the petition at The Coca-Cola Company, one of the largest 2026 World Cup sponsors, to invest in the transition to reuse at World Cup venues. 'Hosting the World Cup will leave a legacy on our cities. Let's make it one of sustainability — not waste,' said Merante. 'Stadiums across the world have already been upgraded to reuse and found success. This is Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment and the BC Pavillion Corporation's moment to lead.' Oceana Canada's recommendations follow a workshop with stadium operators, policy experts, reuse providers, and government representatives from across Canada and the United States exploring practical approaches to zero-waste operations in sport. Visit to learn more and add your voice to the call for zero-waste World Cup cities. Oceana Canada was established as an independent charity in 2015 and is part of the largest international advocacy group dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana Canada has successfully campaigned to ban single-use plastics, end the shark fin trade, make rebuilding depleted fish populations the law, improve the way fisheries are managed and protect marine habitat. We work with civil society, academics, fishers, Indigenous Peoples and the federal government to return Canada's formerly vibrant oceans to health and abundance. By restoring Canada's oceans, we can strengthen our communities, reap greater economic and nutritional benefits and protect our future. Find out more at
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Will Canada's World Cup Set a Zero-Waste Standard, or Leave a Legacy of Trash?
New Campaign Urges Toronto and Vancouver to Act Now TORONTO, the traditional territory of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnaabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat Peoples, June 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In one year, millions of fans will take part in global festivities around Toronto's BMO Field and Vancouver's BC Place as Canada co-hosts the FIFA World Cup 26TM. What they leave behind could be just as monumental: a legacy of trash, or a breakthrough in sustainable sport. Today, Oceana Canada launched #ReuseForTheWin, a campaign urging Toronto and Vancouver to eliminate single-use food and beverage containers during the tournament. The campaign calls on stadium operators to eliminate single-use cups for beer, pop, and coffee during the World Cup. The stadium operator in Toronto is Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. (BMO Field) and in Vancouver, it is BC Pavilion Corporation (BC Place, which already operates a reusable cup program in select sections and is exploring expansion). The solution is simple: ditch single-use cups bound for the trash and replace them with ones that will be collected, cleaned, re-stocked, and reused for the next game, creating a zero-waste standard in global sport. 'Every match of the World Cup could generate over 100,000 single-use items — and that's just from drinks,' said Anthony Merante, Senior Plastics Campaigner at Oceana Canada. 'We have one shot to get this right. If stadiums make the switch to reuse, Canada can leave behind a legacy of sustainable leadership, not litter.' The Problem: Single-Use Waste on a Global StageGovernments are investing nearly $1 billion to host the FIFA World Cup 26™ in Toronto and Vancouver. Unless major venues stop serving single-use items, millions of cups, trays, bottles, and wrappers could end up in landfill, incinerators, or polluting waterways. This isn't just a waste issue — it's an ocean crisis. Major sports stadiums across Canada routinely serve single-use items, many of them made from or lined with plastic. In Canada, half of all plastic waste is single-use like the products served in the stands. Yet only eight per cent of plastics are recycled, with more than 90 per cent going to landfill, incineration, or directly into lakes, rivers, and oceans. Canadians want better. An Oceana Canada-commissioned poll by Abacus Data found that 88 per cent of Canadians would choose a reusable option over single-use one if available. Right now, fans at BMO Field and BC Place lack choice. It's time to make single use history. #ReuseForTheWin. The Solution: Reuse is a Win for Everyone If BMO Field and BC Place fully switch to reuse, up to 2.3 million single-use items could be avoided during the tournament. Reuse creates local green jobs in collection, cleaning, and delivery, while cutting waste management costs. All fans would get a guilt-free, zero-waste experience at every match. Toronto and Vancouver could create a sustainability legacy for their stadiums and cities. Each year, more than $7.8 billion worth of plastic is lost to landfills in Canada. Reusables offer a long-term, sustainable investment, eliminating the need to repurchase items that become trash after a single use. Reuse isn't just good for the environment, it's good economics. The Call to Action: One Year to Get it RightThe opportunity for change is now. Oceana Canada is calling on: Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Ltd. (BMO Field) and the BC Pavillion Corporation (BC Place) to ditch single use and switch to reuse ahead of the FIFA World Cup 26™. Toronto and Vancouver to pass reuse bylaws ahead of FIFA World Cup 26™, requiring refillable and reusable food and beverage service at stadiums, restaurants, festivals and other large venues. (Read and sign the petition at The Coca-Cola Company, one of the largest 2026 World Cup sponsors, to invest in the transition to reuse at World Cup venues. 'Hosting the World Cup will leave a legacy on our cities. Let's make it one of sustainability — not waste,' said Merante. 'Stadiums across the world have already been upgraded to reuse and found success. This is Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment and the BC Pavillion Corporation's moment to lead.' Oceana Canada's recommendations follow a workshop with stadium operators, policy experts, reuse providers, and government representatives from across Canada and the United States exploring practical approaches to zero-waste operations in sport. Visit to learn more and add your voice to the call for zero-waste World Cup cities. Oceana Canada was established as an independent charity in 2015 and is part of the largest internationaladvocacy group dedicated solely to ocean conservation. Oceana Canada has successfully campaigned to ban single-use plastics, end the shark fin trade, make rebuilding depleted fish populations the law, improve the way fisheries are managed and protect marine habitat. We work with civil society, academics, fishers, Indigenous Peoples and the federal government to return Canada's formerly vibrant oceans to health and abundance. By restoring Canada's oceans, we can strengthen our communities, reap greater economic and nutritional benefits and protect our future. Find out more at Media contacts: Vaishali Dassani, Oceana Canada, vdassani@ 647-294-3335; Rose-Marie Ménard, Pilot PMR, +1-579-622-9925
Washington Post
22-05-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
Toronto Maple Leafs are not renewing president Brendan Shanahan's contract
Brendan Shanahan will not be returning as president of the Toronto Maple Leafs, ending the Hall of Fame player-turned-executive's tenure after 11 years, nine playoff appearances and no trips beyond the second round of the playoffs. Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which owns the team, said Thursday his contract that is expiring at the end of June will not be renewed. Toronto was eliminated by Florida in Game 7 of the second round Sunday with a 6-1 defeat.
National Post
21-05-2025
- Sport
- National Post
Manchester United teenager invited to take part in Team Canada training camp
Article content Canada coach Jesse Marsch has invited 18-year-old Manchester United academy forward Gabriele Biancheri to train with his team ahead of next month's Canadian Shield tournament in Toronto. Article content Article content Biancheri spent nine years at Cardiff City before joining Manchester United on a four-year deal in February 2023 as a 16-year-old. The Cardiff-born Biancheri, whose mother was born in Canada, has represented Wales at youth level and is also eligible for England and Italy. Article content The teenager started for Wales in European Under-19 Championship qualifiers against England, Portugal and Turkey in March, scoring against Turkey. He has scored in bunches for the United academy and trained with the first team, amidst reports that the Premier League side has already turned down a transfer offer for the young striker from Italy's Como. Article content The training camp invitation is a chance for Biancheri to see the Canadian setup as Marsch continues his hunt for talent. Article content The Canadian Shield is a new four-team tournament organized by Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which owns Toronto FC and operates BMO Field. Article content The Canadian men, currently ranked an all-time high of No. 30, face No. 25 Ukraine on June 7 and the 41st-ranked Ivory Coast on June 10. No. 86 New Zealand is also taking part. Article content CF Montreal goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois is the other training player invited. Marsch's 23-player roster also includes goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Dayne St. Clair. Article content Article content Unavailable through injury are captain Alphonso Davies, defenders Alistair Johnston and Moise Bombito, midfielder Jonathan Osorio and forward Liam Millar. Article content Davies and Millar are recovering from knee surgery while Johnston has been dealing with a nagging back issue. Bombito and Osorio are dealing with wrist and shoulder injuries, respectively. Article content Marsch's roster includes 19 players from the CONCACAF Nations League Finals squad in March. That group includes defender Zorhan Bassong, who had filled in for the injured Richie Laryea. This time, both are named to the squad. Article content Forwards Promise David and Daniel Jebbison, who both committed to Canada prior to joining the team for the Nations League finale, are also back. Article content Additions this time are Vancouver Whitecaps defender Sam Adekugbe and winger Jayden Nelson, Fulham defender Luc de Fougerolles and CF Montreal midfielder Nathan Saliba.
