Kukla's Korner Hockey
Entries with the tag: Ted+Leonsis
Morning Line
by Paul on 09/13/11 at 09:39 AM ET
Comments (5)
“We injected a lot of change this year because we weren’t satisfied with the results we had in the playoffs. We understand, we get the joke. Over the last four years, we might have the best record in the NHL over the regular season. We won the East the last two years, we’ve had a really good team, but we can’t seem to get past that last round of the playoffs. And that’s obviously what the focus is.”
-Ted Leonsis, Owner of the Washington Capitals. More from Leonsis from Katie Carrera of Capitals Insider.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Morning Line
by Paul on 07/14/11 at 07:05 AM ET
Comments (6)
“The team will make the playoffs, as I promised, 10 to 15 years in a row. There is a 10 to 15 year horizon. Woody Allen said, half of success in life is showing. Well, you’ve got to make the playoffs in order to compete for the Cup.”
-Ted Leonsis, Owner of the Washington Capitals. More from Leonsis at Capitals Insider.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Should Boudreau Stay?
by Alanah McGinley on 05/05/11 at 01:04 PM ET
Comments (3)
CBC’s Chris Iorfida and Jesse Campigotto debate Boudreau’s future.
Lorida says “Yes”:
… take a look at Washington’s goals-against and penalty-killing rankings in comparison to 2008 to the end of the 2010 season, and you’ll see significant improvements toward a complete game.
Health is so critical to a Stanley Cup run; one is hard-pressed to name a recent team that won a championship with significant injury woes. Most teams have 12 to 15 players who suit up in all playoff games.
Washington looked like a Cup contender in February and March, but were hit with a number of injuries that took their toll.
Campigotto says “No”
I like Boudreau a lot (partly because he might be the most entertaining HBO character since Pauly Walnuts, or at least Leon Black), and I don’t like the NHL’s general trigger-happiness when it comes to firing coaches. But it feels like maybe Boudreau has taken this team as far as he can.
The guy has tried everything.
Much more here. Any guesses on Boudreau’s future? It seems Ted Leonsis is acknowledging “change” might be in the future, while GM George McPhee says he expects Boudreau to stay on.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: bruce+boudreau, george+mcphee, ted+leonsis,
Morning Line
by Paul on 01/22/11 at 08:31 AM ET
Comments (0)
He is both the subject and the writer.
If you’re a Caps fans, you can just feel the fact he wants to win as much as you do. If you’re a Caps official or player, you could probably do without Captain Blogosphere offering up his two cents after a tough loss.
But in the heavily corporate NHL, Leonsis is different, and therefore welcome.
-Damien Cox of the Toronto Star on Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis. More on Leonsis at the Toronto Star.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Afternoon Line
by Paul on 01/18/11 at 01:05 PM ET
Comments (1)
Does the coach need to be publicly questioned by the owner about his line combinations and power play scheme? Does the GM need to hear, along with the Capitals’ fanbase, that the guy who signs his paychecks thinks the star players with whom he negotiated massive contracts are not getting the job done? And if Leonsis uses these posts to communicate with his customers as a well-intentioned owner, might he be openly undermining his hockey department in the process?
-Stu Hackel of the Red Light at Sports Illustrated. Read more and read the reaction from Ted Leonsis.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Afternoon Line
by Paul on 11/13/10 at 03:07 PM ET
Comments (1)
Three All-Star candidates on our team.
Four on the Maple Leafs.
Go figure.
-Ted Leonsis, Owner of the Washington Capitals. Ted would like you to vote for Alex Semin.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Caps & Wizards Or Wizards & Caps
by Paul on 06/10/10 at 12:52 PM ET
Comments (3)
from Ted Leonsis at WashingtonCapitals.com,
By now you have probably heard the news that my partners and I have completed our purchase of the Washington Wizards and Verizon Center and created a new company – Monumental Sports & Entertainment – that owns those entities as well as the Capitals and the Mystics.
You’re likely to see and hear more from me on this news in the coming days – in the media, on my blog (tedstake.com), at the NBA Draft. It’s big news, and something my partners, my family and I are very excited about.
But I’m here to assure you that even if you hear me talking about the Wizards a lot, I haven’t – and never will – overlook the Capitals and our commitment to bring a Stanley Cup to Washington. I will continue to be focused on your well being and happiness.
A few people have asked how I expect to juggle these new responsibilities. I believe I’ve always been someone with great “bandwidth” to cover a variety of interests, including different companies, film projects and, foremost, my family. The Wizards will have a place in those interests, no bigger or smaller than the Caps – just as I don’t choose between my son and my daughter!
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Afternoon Line
by Paul on 05/07/10 at 11:53 AM ET
Comments (1)
We win as an organization. We lose as a unit. We are in it together and we are a tight knit, in-synch group. We have spent many years rebuilding a culture, a system, and a relationship with our affiliates in Hershey and South Carolina while implementing a system that is successful.
We need to tweak, change, and adapt to win and go deeper in the Stanley Cup playoffs. That is a process. It will be painful, but it is one that I am willing to take on, and one that we as a unit are all dedicated to see through.
-Ted Leonsis, Owmer of the Washington Capitals. More at Ted’s Take.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Talking Respect
by Paul on 04/04/10 at 10:08 PM ET
Comments (9)
from Ted Leonsis of Ted’s Take,
Until we win a Stanley Cup, we won’t earn true respect from pundits; from on ice officials; from mainstream and Canadian media; from the NHL; and from certain fans.
As I have said many times, ”I get the joke.” And I agree.
We can do tit for tat stat analysis. Dan (Steinberg of D.C. Sports Bog) does a great job here and it won’t matter until we join other great teams in saying we are Stanley Cup champions. As a character once said in a great film “THIS is the business that we have chosen. It isn’t personal. It is only business.” Thank you Dan for trying to shed light on our season to date.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Evening Line
by Paul on 02/10/10 at 06:56 PM ET
Comments (0)
“I could say my goal is to make the playoffs and have the team be profitable,” he told Elliot. “Boring. I could say I want us to win the Stanley Cup. I mean, that’s a great aspiration, that’s on my list. But really, my aspiration is to bring the city closer together. Because as we’re seeing, nothing brings a city closer together than a winning [sports] team.
“And, I want immortality for the players. Once you get your name on the Cup, you’re immortal. They’ll never take that away. And I really want to create bonding memories for mothers and fathers and sons and daughters and families, because that’s how you define yourself….
-Washington Capitals Owner Ted Leonsis. Much more from Dan Steinberg of D.C. Sports Bog at the Washington Post.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Afternoon Line
by Paul on 01/20/10 at 12:37 PM ET
Comments (2)
We won over a very dangerous Detroit team 3-2. It was a game that I thought we didn’t deserve to win. But we have reached that point now in our development. We don’t play as well as our capabilities and we can still beat a fantastic opponent. Everyone chips in and we get the two points. We have beaten Philly and Detroit back to back and now we go play Pittsburgh. I don’t ever remember a more competitive three game stretch since we bought the team 11 years ago.
-Washington Owner Ted Leonsis. A bit more at Ted’s Take.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Take A Trip To Washington Mr. Kelley
by Paul on 12/04/09 at 12:19 PM ET
Comments (0)
from Ted Leonsis of Ted’s Take,
I am probably one of the most transparent and interactive owners in the league. I embrace the media and the blogosphere. I respect all of the people that cover our great sport. I went to my first hockey game with my father as a birthday gift he gave me in 1961. I still remember that day. I actually did see many of the great old great players play as a child at Madison Square Garden and The Boston Garden. My favorite player was Bobby Orr.
In all of that time and all of those interactions, I honestly can’t ever remember meeting Jim Kelley or seeing him at a Caps game here in DC. If I am incorrect in that statement I apologize in advance.
I would like to invite Jim to a Caps game here in DC where we can meet, discuss and exchange ideas. We can talk about the game and history. He can come and Rock the Red. He can put a human face on the name that he writes about. We certainly didn’t connect or talk about what he was writing in this piece. He certainly didn’t call me to talk or send me an email to discuss.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Caps Owner Has A Sit-Down With Ovechkin
by Paul on 12/02/09 at 11:57 AM ET
Comments (30)
from Ted Leonsis of Ted’s Take,
We had a short and direct conversation.
Alex isn’t trying to hurt anyone. He has an honest respect for the game and for all players in the league. Alex is trying to “get the puck. I just want what they have and that is the puck.” It is a simple logic. He plays the game the way it was designed. He is just bigger and faster than anyone. Can you name a player in NHL history that has this mix of size, skill, power and speed? I can’t.
Alex does play fast and hard. It is why he is beloved. It is why he is the two-time and reigning MVP of the league.
I believe if he changes and becomes a player that is managed by the media or fans or anyone else, he will put himself at risk. ” To thine own self be true.” That is the right motto to live by. That is what I have advised Alex. Be authentic and be respectful. Play the game with passion. Lean in, don’t lean back. Love the game. Have fun. Win.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Alexander+Ovechkin, Ted+Leonsis,
All Ted Leonsis
by Paul on 10/12/09 at 09:27 PM ET
Comments (0)
from Helene Elliott of the Fabulous Forum at the LA Times,
Here’s the rest of my chat with Leonsis before the Capitals 3-2 shootout loss to New Jersey on Monday.
Q: You’re so willing to interact with fans. Is that something you did to build a fan base or something that’s just part of your nature?
A: I grew up on the Internet and I don’t think you can use the medium at your convenience. And so what I decided to do from day one is I published my e-mail address. And I do owners’ corners, and then I started my blog and I’m walking around with the fans at games.Then I turned my blog into Facebook. I’m already at 5,000 fans on Facebook. And I send all my blog posts out automatically as tweets on Twitter, so I try to pride myself on being transparent and honest, both good and bad. And so at least you’ll know that what you’re hearing and seeing from me you can believe. And sometimes people don’t like what I say.
A couple weeks ago I had this big press event at the Washington Times. There was, like, 20 editors and reporters and I showed up and this one managing editor said, ‘Are we waiting for somebody else?’ I said no. He said, ‘It’s just you?’ And I said, ‘What do you mean?’
They said, ‘No PR people, no entourage?’ I said no. Why do I need those?
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Afternoon Line
by Paul on 10/07/09 at 11:05 AM ET
Comments (0)
We took too many penalties or too many penalties were called. The refs can’t become such a big part of the night. Six penalties in one period and more penalty killing time than playing 5 on 5 time means that our best offensive players aren’t on the ice either. The refs played the best D against our best lines last night!
-Capitals Owner Ted Leonsis on last night’s loss to the Flyers. Read more from Ted at Ted’s Take.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Evening Line
by Paul on 05/02/09 at 07:26 PM ET
Comments (8)
“This is the script- You have a major market. You have transcendent players on both teams. I don’t know if there has ever been a team with three centers as good as Crosby, Malkin and Staal. And this is the most evenly matched series I’ve ever seen in the playoffs. You compare the stars, the lines, the goalies.
“This will go seven games. I don’t know how. But it will.”
-Capitals Owner Ted Leonsis after today’s game. More on the Caps/Pens series from Thomas Boswell of the Washington Post.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Capitals Owner On Game 3 Victory Over The Rangers
by Paul on 04/21/09 at 12:47 PM ET
Comments (2)
from Ted Leonsis at Ted’s Take,
I thought we played the way we needed to play last night. While aggressive, we weren’t focused on hits for the sake of hitting. We were more focused on scoring and playing tight, frustrating defense. Our penalty kill was very effective and we buried our chances scoring 4 goals. We are a bigger and faster team and if we control the pace of play, we are difficult to shut down for long periods of time. I think our goaltender’s stats are now better than their goaltender’s stats too. Who would have thought that was possible?
Filed in: NHL Teams, New York Rangers, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Washington Owner Says Lay Off On The Bad Mouthing
by Paul on 04/01/09 at 07:46 AM ET
Comments (1)
from Ted Leonsis of Ted’s Take,
So while we have lots of work left to do this season and in the playoffs, let us lay off some of the bad mouthing about this team’s play of late. We have actually been one of the better performing teams and most consistent teams in the NHL this year.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Proper Pronunciation
by Paul on 03/09/09 at 07:49 AM ET
Comments (10)
via Ted Leonsis at Ted’s Take,
I am proud of my last name given to me by my father.
My ancestors are from Sparta. My last name is kind of a derivative of Leonidas, the King of Sparta and of 300 film fame.
For those of you who are unfamiliar, it is pronounced “Lee - On - Sis”, Leonsis.
Most intelligent, non-xenophobic and educated people have no issue with its pronunciation.
In case the hockey weekend slipped by you, start here to find out who Ted may be talking to.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals, NHL Media, Hockey Broadcasting, CBC HNIC | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Don+Cherry, Ted+Leonsis,
Cherry Takes A Shot At Caps Owner
by Paul on 03/08/09 at 08:09 AM ET
Comments (7)
from Eric McErlain of AOL Fanhouse,
Cherry had already warmed up the viewing audience earlier in the segment when he jokingly referred to Calgary Flames center Oli Jokinen, a Finn, as a Russian—because after all, it’s impossible to tell those European players apart these days!
Next, in a move that will only reinforce Cherry’s reputation as a xenophobe, he mangled the Caps owner’s last name (“Legonsis”), before questioning his hockey judgment in light of the team’s decision to sign Jaromir Jagr to a long-term contract…
read on...
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals, NHL Media, Hockey Broadcasting, CBC HNIC | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Don+Cherry, Ted+Leonsis,
Insight From An Owner
by Paul on 03/05/09 at 05:43 PM ET
Comments (0)
from Ted Leonsis at Ted’s Take,
Trade deadline day in the past has been a fan and media favorite, very exciting with lots to talk about.
Yesterday was different. Why?
To start, we are well into the new CBA and its ramifications have started to take root. There are only 50 contracts that a team can take on. There is a hard cap and as folks have noticed, the cap will be flat to down over the next few years. Hence there was a lot of trading player for player and salary for salary. It reminds me a bit of the NBA trading dollar for dollar and contract for contract.
The economic landscape has changed too. Teams aren’t looking to add to payroll. They want to shed payroll. Many teams that had high-priced veteran players were looking to exchange those contracts for younger players with lower-priced contracts
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals, NHL Talk, NHL Business of Hockey | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Leonsis Talks Caps
by Paul on 03/02/09 at 11:42 AM ET
Comments (0)
from Home Ice XM204,
Capitals owner Ted Leonsis joined Scott Laughlin for his monthly appearance and they talked about the upcoming NHL Trade Deadline, playoff expectations, and Don Cherry’s controversial comments regarding Alexander Ovechkin.
Listen here...
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Winning But Still Losing
by Paul on 12/10/08 at 04:37 PM ET
Comments (4)
via Ted Leonsis at Ted’s Take,
...we have grown our payroll and related expenses faster than we have grown our revenues so we will LOSE more money this season than we did last season. And that loss will be way more than $5 million for the year.
But there is good news. We can’t grow our payroll anymore. We are at the cap max basically so any additional revenue growth cuts into the losses. The business model is not fixed but it has improved dramatically with the new CBA for us in DC. Thanks to our fans but we have miles to go before we sleep. I would be celebrating if we lost $5 million this year on our hockey team. That would mean we would have won a Stanley Cup in four 7 game series.
Even then, I bet our loss would be more than $5 million.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Caps Attendance Talk
by Paul on 11/26/08 at 01:24 PM ET
Comments (0)
from Ted Leonsis at Ted’s Take,
We are humbled as the Caps are now ranked as a Top 10 team in the NHL in paid admissions with only Minnesota, Buffalo, Detroit and Philadelphia ahead of us for US -based teams. We are up in paid admissions more than 27 percent year over year. Only Chicago is growing faster than us.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
NHL and Technology
by Alanah McGinley on 11/22/08 at 05:33 PM ET
Comments (0)
Earlier today, Forechecker pointed to an interview that Sharkspage posted with Washington Capitals owner Ted Leonsis. I wanted to reference the interview here on the main KK Hockey feed as well, just in case anyone missed the earlier post. It’s really a fascinating read for anyone interested in the issues of technology and media as it pertains to the NHL.
Leonsis provides a great deal of detail about how the league does—and will—utilize technology to support its business model. In his words:
“We lifted up [our business enterprise], put the internet underneath, and then slammed it back down so it is the powerplant the pretty much drives everything that we do.”
Read the rest here.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals, NHL Media | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: media, technology, ted+leonsis,
Duck Eric
by Paul on 11/21/08 at 11:55 AM ET
Comments (0)
from Eric Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail,
Here’s a first for me, in the new give-and-take world of cyberspace sports writing. Ted Leonsis, the Washington Capitals’ owner and AOL mover and shaker, took a shot at me in his blog, Ted’s Take. Leonsis took exception to my views on the ballot-box stuffing controversy in Montreal, in which Canadiens supporters have their six candidates miles ahead of the pack in the voting for the 2009 All-Star Game.
What fun! Usually, it’s the other way around – writers critically analyzing the work of owners, general managers and players, mostly done in a vacuum. Turnabout is absolutely fair play - I wish more of them did it. A real dialogue could be a useful tool in ridding the industry of the lame blah-blah-blah that passes for analysis these days, fuelled largely by professional athletes who are coached to say nothing of consequence, for fear of alienating opponents or tarnishing their brilliantly polished images.
continued with many more NHL topics…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Expecting More From The Capitals
by Paul on 11/07/08 at 10:42 AM ET
Comments (1)
Coach Boudreau? No. Owner Ted Leonsis!
We struggle on the power play and with all of our talent, we must be more effective. We pass too much. We don’t shoot the puck and generate enough traffic.
We are not aggressive enough on our forecheck.
We are not making crisp enough outlet passes, D to forwards in transition.
We are not taking the body enough.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
The Right Attitude
by Paul on 10/08/08 at 07:14 PM ET
Comments (0)
from Ted Leonsis of Ted’s Take,
The last time we were picked this highly and with this much expectation, we didn’t even qualify for the playoffs.
So I think I liked it better when we were underdogs. Now we have the weight of expectations on our shoulders. I am hoping our shoulders are broad enough to carry these heightened expectations. There are so many great teams in the NHL. I would hate to give any team bulletin board fodder as motivation. We must remain hungry and very humble.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
The Leonsis Plan
by Paul on 10/06/08 at 11:44 AM ET
Comments (1)
from Adam Proteau of the Hockey News,
Asked what he had learned after just about 10 years as an NHL owner, Leonsis said:
“You know, I’ve always worked in public companies, but here’s a private company (in the Capitals).
“So I said, ‘OK, we don’t have shareholders like Wall Street. We have stakeholders – our fans.’ And you always hear businessmen being criticized for not taking the long-term view; that they have to meet the next 90 day’s quarterly results. So they view things for the short term, at the detriment of the long term of the company.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Sometimes They Just Don’t Get It
by Paul on 08/15/08 at 08:04 AM ET
Comments (2)
from Ted’s Take,
From time to time, you have heard me rail against media pundits for their lack of criticality; original thinking; creativity; and basic non-understanding of what they are writing about.
Well here is another rant. This time against Ross McKeon and his blog post mentioning contraction of six NHL teams including the Washington Capitals. Read it here.
First, the throw away notion of shuttering six major league teams is just mean-spirited. Those six teams employ thousands and thousands of people and support tens of thousands of families. I guess Ross wants us to lay off all those people in the toughest economy ever. And those teams generate dollars for their cities in taxes and they generate dollars to hundreds and hundreds of small businesses as vendor/ suppliers.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
The Caps Plan
by Paul on 07/28/08 at 08:38 AM ET
Comments (0)
from Ted’s Take,
It was such a difficult and painful process and it had so much risk inherent in it. And it isn’t completed. But my sincerest desire is to not only win a Stanley Cup but for the team to be really good for a long, long time. I believe that is the deliverable: Keep a very good team together for a long time to the benefit of the fan base and the franchise itself. And win the franchise’s first ever Stanley Cup trophy. We made one tiny step last season. We have to get our team into its prime together. The window has opened and now we need to jump through it.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Whatever You Say Ted
by Paul on 07/18/08 at 03:43 PM ET
Comments (1)
via Ted’s Take,
Yesterday was quite the day. Check out SnagFilms now. Drive around it; watch some films; snag one and embed it into your page. It is easy to do. And thousands of people are doing so with tens of thousands of folks already watching films. Let’s build a new way to watch films together.
I have taken the advice of Mr.Leonsis and embedded a video below called, New England Hockey: Life at the Rink. It is about 8 minutes long and very enjoyable.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Ready to Party
by Alanah McGinley on 06/11/08 at 04:49 PM ET
Comments (1)
From the AP via NHL.com,
The Washington Capitals are so confident that Alex Ovechkin will win the NHL’s MVP award that they’ve already scheduled a celebration party.
The Capitals, in fact, are in the hunt for a shelf-load of hardware at the league’s annual awards dinner Thursday night in Toronto. The team has a chance to become the first in NHL history to take home MVP, rookie and coach honors in the same year.
“I’m hoping to make history,” owner Ted Leonsis said Wednesday.
In more ways than one.
Update7:34pm ET: From Tarik El-Bashir at the Capitals Insider,
If Alex Ovechkin wins the Hart Trophy tomorrow in Toronto, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty will present the all-star with a key to the city during a fan celebration in Washington on Friday.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: alexander+ovechkin, ted+leonsis,
Afternoon Line
by Alanah McGinley on 06/11/08 at 12:05 PM ET
Comments (0)
From Tarik El-Bashir, Capitals Insider at the Washington Post:
Earlier today I asked majority owner Ted Leonsis about A.O.‘s new clothing line, which will be introduced tonight in Toronto.
Without any hesitation, Leonsis dropped this gem of a quote:
“I’ve asked Alex to save for me one pair of bright red pants, which I’m sure will have holes in it,” he said. “They’ll be low-slung bellbottoms. If he wins MVP and I can fit in them, I’ll wear them Friday night.”.
All due respect to Mr. Leonsis, I’m not sure I really need to see that…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: alexander+ovechkin, ted+leonsis,
Embrace These Times
by Paul on 06/05/08 at 11:50 AM ET
Comments (0)
from Ted’s Take,
The NHL had a great year. Can you name me one other media oriented company that can say they grew and grew fast across the board in terms of:
Ratings - both nationally and locally;
Season ticket renewals and season ticket sales;
Overall ticket sales;
Overall ticket pricing;
Merchandising sales;
Sponsorship sales;
And revenues?
The salary cap will move up again as the players share in more than half of the revenues so the players are happy.
For the most part, the product has improved.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals, NHL Talk | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Morning Line
by Paul on 04/18/08 at 09:30 AM ET
Comments (2)
Our team is bigger and tougher than the Flyers. They know it now and we know it now.
We now know how to play playoff hockey, NHL style. We have figured out what the refs will call and not call except for the random bad call like the final penalty called on Kozlov driving to the net.
more from Ted Leonsis at Ted’s Take…
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Milbury Talks To Leonsis
by Paul on 04/14/08 at 11:18 AM ET
Comments (0)
from Ted’s Take,
I reached out to Mike Milbury last night via NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. Gary called me and we spoke. And then Mike called me and we spoke late last night.
Mike calmly explained that he meant no harm. He had a slip of the tongue when trying to start a commentary about our play. He meant to say the Washington Caps but instead he said the Washington Craps. He laughed and then stated we weren’t playing well at that time in the game and we were playing like the “Crapitals”. He was trying to be funny and trying to recover - on air - and he misspoke.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Mike+Milbury, Ted+Leonsis,
It’s A Series Now
by Paul on 04/13/08 at 08:13 PM ET
Comments (0)
from Ted Leonsis at USA TODAY,
It does feel great to be able to lose a game and NOT have the season be over. We have basically been in a situation where we have been playing Game 7 eliminations during the regular season. We know now that we could lose three games this series and still move on to the next round—so no need to panic quite yet.
It is a series now. We go play Games 3 and 4 in Philly—we had the ‘Red Out,’ they will have the ‘Orange Crush.’ NHL playoffs are so much fun but so tense and hard to predict.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Philadelphia Flyers, Washington Capitals | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Ted+Leonsis,
Flashback with Ted Leonsis
by Alanah McGinley on 04/11/08 at 12:04 PM ET
Comments (0)
From James Mirtle’s blog, an interview from April 2007 with Ted Leonsis,
And on this Saturday afternoon last April, they were awful.
I knew they were awful. Leonsis knew they were awful. And the fans in the building, at least those wearing Capitals colours, knew it, too.
It was with that uncomfortable knowledge that we all watched the third period together.
I’ve only met Leonsis the once, but there were two things I realized right away: (a) this is one competitive guy and (b) I’ve just met the biggest Capitals fan in the world.
more… on what a difference a year makes
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Thank You Ted
by Paul on 04/10/08 at 09:08 AM ET
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from Mike Hume of the Falls Church News-Press,
Since the rebuild began, Leonsis tried to sell fans on his team. But for all of silver-lining citations and what, at times, seemed like overly-optimistic opinions, he never once presented a false front. He never lied about his commitment to the team and to the fans — even the ones that had temporarily forsaken him.
In a perfect world, such behavior would be common place, but struggling sports teams seldom receive the commitment the Capitals have from Leonsis. Fans of the Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals, Florida Marlins and Pittsburgh Pirates, feel free to send in your testimonials.
So as the euphoria of the Stanley Cup Playoffs washes over Washington this weekend, praise the players that willed this team into the postseason. But save something for the man in the owners’ box that made this playoff push possible.
added 10:16am, The Wall Street Journal published a Q & A with Ted Leonsis today,
The Wall Street Journal: Like most other NHL teams, the Capitals get little exposure. What can the NHL do to get a better TV deal than the arrangements with Versus and NBC—and, of course, more fans?
Mr. Leonsis: My belief, and what I’ve been advocating, is we’ve lost the TV war. That’s where the puck is. We want to go to where the puck’s going to be. We want to fight the big battle, and there we’re advantaged. The NHL has the most wired, the most affluent fans. They’re living their life on the Net. We wanna be, and we’re becoming, the leader in growing digital media.
more (not sure if it is for paid subscribers only)
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The Future of the Hockey Blogger
by Alanah McGinley on 03/03/08 at 12:13 PM ET
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Ted Leonsis, owner of the Washington Capitals, was interviewed today on XM Radio discussing the world of hockey blogging.
*Our thanks to Hockey This Morning on NHL Home Ice XM 204, for the providing the audio for KK readers.
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Tags: blogging, interview, media, ted+leonsis, xm+radio,
Ted Leonsis on the NHL Hour Today
by Alanah McGinley on 02/14/08 at 02:30 PM ET
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Ted Leonsis, owner of the Washington Capitals, will be Gary Bettman’s guest on the NHL Hour today.
The NHL Hour broadcasts live Thursdays from 4-5 pm ET on NHL Home Ice, (XM channel 204) and NHL.com. The show will re-run on XM Satellite Radio and NHL.com, with archived shows available for download via a podcast on NHL.com.
*At showtime, listen live at this link. While on the air, listeners can call into the show at 1-877-645-6696, or send questions/comments via this email address: nhlhour@nhl.com.
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Tags: gary+bettman, media, ted+leonsis, washington+capitals, xm+radio,
At Home With Ted Leonsis
by Paul on 01/18/08 at 09:20 AM ET
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from USA TODAY,
A few years ago, when Ted Leonsis and his wife, Lynn, stumbled onto a designer show house that was on the market just outside Washington, D.C., they fell in love with it.
Well, sort of. Kind of. OK, not really.
But they bought it, gutted it, added on and rearranged. They bought the neighbor’s house, too, then tore it down.
When the sawdust had finally settled, there stood a 22,000-square-foot brick mansion on 5.5 acres, complete with pond, pool, tennis court, guesthouse and five-car garage.
continued with pictures…
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Fans Love AO
by Paul on 01/11/08 at 03:22 PM ET
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from Scott Burnside at ESPN,
“We know him through really bad times. We’ve been through fire together,” Leonsis said. “I couldn’t think of a better face for our franchise.
“Our fans love Alexander Ovechkin. Our fans didn’t love Jaromir Jagr.”
Whether the fact that Ovechkin is a home-grown talent, or the fact he signed on for a 13-year tour of duty with the Caps of his own volition, makes any difference to a hockey market that has distinguished itself with its own indifference, is unknown.
The only thing that is for certain is that Leonsis won’t have to worry about second-guessing himself, even if it cost him $124 million for that satisfaction.
“You can talk to me after we win a Cup,” he said.
much more...
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Ted Takes on the Ovechkin Rumors
by Alanah McGinley on 01/08/08 at 01:38 PM ET
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From Ted Leonsis of the Washington Capitals,
No mention of our team can pass, it seems, without noting Alex Ovechkin’s contract status, and I can tell from postings in the blogosphere and message boards that this has a lot of fans worried. I respect Alex and George McPhee’s commitment to keep the negotiations out of the media and frankly have wondered who is making up some of the things I have read. As I have stated on numerous occasions, we couldn’t be more impressed with Alex as a player and a person and we expect him to be in D.C. for a long, long time.
I don’t have much to add, but want to say this: We love Alex Ovechkin.
lots more… on the Caps, from prospects to television revenues to logos
Update 4pm ET: Yesterday, Leonsis discussed this same issue on XM Radio. Interview mp3 can be downloaded here.
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Tags: alex+ovechkin, contracts, ted+leonsis,
The Most New Media Savvy League
by Paul on 12/18/07 at 12:29 PM ET
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from On Frozen Blog,
Leonsis emphasized that embracing new media is for the league merely an extension of the relationship its fans have already cultivated, passionately. “All of our fans are wired. They spend most of their time on broadband. They have their mobile devices.”
“People have underestimated the importance of search. They’ve underestimated the influence of Facebook. Facebook has a $15 billion valuation — more than every NHL and NBA team combined. What did they do? They brought a big audience of young Web-savvy customers. We have to look at our business in the same vein.”
So what’s ahead? For starters, the owner contends, increasing acceptance of bloggers and the blogosphere. Additionally, individual blogs that are likely to surpass The Hockey News in popularity and influence. Their quality, he said, “is better than the copy you see in the newspaper.” Then next up comes a very new age role for NHL players.
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Caps Need To Pick It Up Quickly
by Paul on 11/16/07 at 12:20 PM ET
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from Scott Burnside at ESPN,
What is certain, though, for every feel-good story that grabs headlines, even if only for a short while, there is another team that believed it, too, and had the Cinderella goods, only to find it still wore the garments of the scullery maid.
For teams like the Washington Capitals, that feeling of disappointment, even disbelief, is hard to fend off.
The Caps were one of those teams that began the season with that kind of iron-clad belief they were ready, even if the rest of the league didn’t believe it.
Owner Ted Leonsis told fans emphatically, “The rebuild is over!”
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Ted Leonsis- In His Own “Shoes”
by Paul on 09/21/07 at 05:21 PM ET
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from Fox Sports,
His Capitals have lost tens of millions of dollars, he acknowledges, but the team is worth more than twice the $85 million he paid for it in 1999. The value will only increase if the team, which Leonsis has slowly rebuilt after initially overspending for players, returns to the playoffs this season for the first time since 2003.
“I have to laugh,” Leonsis said, “because we get slammed by newspapers or frankly even some new media properties, and I go, ‘Our salary cap has grown from $39 million to $50 million in two years.’ Whose shoes would you rather be in?”
more on Ted…
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Tags: Ted+Leonsis, washington+capitals,
The Rebulid Is Over For The Capitals
by Paul on 09/11/07 at 03:57 PM ET
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from the AP via Yahoo,
Two days before players report for training camp, the owner proclaimed “the rebuild is over” in an interview Tuesday with Associated Press reporters and editors. After consecutive last-place, low-payroll seasons following the 2004-05 lockout, Leonsis feels the strategy of building with young talent is heading toward fruition.
“Every person in the organization’s expectation is that we will make the playoffs,” Leonsis said. “Because we improved a lot ... and a lot of teams around us didn’t.”
The rebuilding project has centered around rising superstar Alex Ovechkin, who already has 98 goals in two NHL seasons and will turn 22 during training camp. Ovechkin was the lone star in his first season with the team—Washington’s worst in decades—but the Capitals have slowly but surely given him a better supporting cast that includes Alexander Semin and 2007-08 arrivals Michael Nylander, Tom Poti, Viktor Kozlov and Nicklas Backstrom.
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