Richard Peddie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Richard A. Peddie
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|---|---|
| CEO and President of MLSE | |
| In office October 1998 – December 31, 2011 |
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| Preceded by | new post |
| Succeeded by | Tom Anselmi - as President |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 1947 Windsor, Ontario |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Residence | Toronto |
| Alma mater | University of Windsor |
Richard A. Peddie, born in January 1947, is a Canadian businessman. He used to be the president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE). MLSE owns many famous sports teams in Toronto, like the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Toronto Raptors.
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Richard Peddie's Career Journey
Richard Peddie has had an exciting career in the world of sports and entertainment.
Leading the SkyDome
From August 1989 to 1994, Mr. Peddie was the president and CEO of the SkyDome. This is a large stadium in Toronto, now known as the Rogers Centre. While he worked there, he was offered the top job for the Toronto Argonauts, a Canadian Football League team that played at the SkyDome.
In 1993, he took a break to help a group led by Larry Tanenbaum. They wanted to bring a new NBA team to Toronto. Even though another group ended up getting the team (which became the Toronto Raptors), Mr. Peddie was still very involved in the sports scene.
Working with Labatt Communications
In 1994, Mr. Peddie became the president and COO of Labatt Communications. This company was part of Labatt Brewing Company. Labatt Communications owned popular TV channels like The Sports Network (TSN) and Discovery Channel Canada.
During his time at Labatt's, the company also owned the Toronto Argonauts and the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team. Mr. Peddie helped with plans to try and bring a NFL team to Toronto.
Leading Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE)
Richard Peddie became the president and CEO of the Toronto Raptors in November 1996. Then, in 1998, the company that owned the Toronto Maple Leafs bought the Raptors. This led to the creation of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE).
Mr. Peddie took charge of MLSE in October 1998. He worked as president and CEO for 14 years, until he retired on December 31, 2011. He was in charge of all the business and team operations for:
- The Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL hockey team)
- The Toronto Raptors (NBA basketball team)
- Toronto FC (MLS soccer team)
- The Toronto Marlies (AHL hockey team)
He also oversaw the operations of major venues like the Air Canada Centre (now Scotiabank Arena), BMO Field, and Ricoh Coliseum (now Coca-Cola Coliseum). Plus, he managed MLSE's TV channels and Maple Leaf Square.
Under his leadership, MLSE's value grew a lot. In his first nine years, its value tripled to $1.5 billion. When he retired, a big part of MLSE was sold to Bell Canada and Rogers Communications for $1.32 billion.
After MLSE
Today, Richard Peddie owns and runs an independent book store. It's called "River Bookshop" and is located in Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada.
Personal Life
Richard Peddie was born in Windsor, Ontario. He went to the University of Windsor and graduated in 1970. In 2001, the university gave him an honorary doctorate degree. Mr. Peddie now lives in Amherstburg with his wife.
