When summer hits, you can often find the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball club playing at the diamond at Christie Pits Park. And with the club’s roots spanning decades of history — dating back to 1969 — it’s no surprise, the team is a fan favourite for the diverse communities in the area.
Now, as the club, which ended its season last week, seeks a new owner, the team and neighbourhood are curious to see who will continue the legacy.
Tyrone Crawford, the team’s chief operating officer, expressed the club’s hopes in finding the right owner.
Originally owned by Jack and Lynne Dominico, the team has been a fixture in Toronto’s Christie Pits Park for many years. After Lynne’s passing in 2008, Jack continued to lead the team, nurturing its growth and success. However, his passing in 2022 marked a turning point for the team.
Crawford and his team had a year-and-a-half to consider the team’s future before deciding to put the team up for sale.
“What we’ve done is we’ve given it to a marketing firm and that firm is going to hold an auction,” he said. Though Crawford is the estate trustee for the team, Cosmos Sports & Entertainment have been hired to handle the sale of the team.
“But it’ll be up to me if we accept the offer. I have discretion to carry on with this team for a number of years until we get the right fit,” he added.
Though Crawford said that to sell the team it needs to be the right price point, above all it needs to be sold to someone who needs to also follow certain criteria: they continue to comply with the Intercounty Baseball League (IBL) rules and regulations, the team stays at Christie Pits, admission to the game remains free, and the team needs to be competitive.
Currently, the Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Club’s roster includes many Canadian players, along with three players the team houses from the Dominican Republic.
Over the years, the Toronto Maple Leafs baseball team has achieved remarkable success within the IBL, securing eight league titles. The team’s alumni list boasts former Major League Baseball players such as Rob and Rich Butler and Paul Spoljaric.
“There’s so much opportunity, and there’s so much to a visionary that can see all the positives that come with owning a team like the Maple Leafs,” said Crawford.
Originally posted 2023-08-30 14:37:45.