Leafs continue off-ice dominance, become tops in smartphone app world
It’s remarkable how mediocrity – literally, decades of mediocrity – is so often rewarded.
No, you don’t need me to further chastise the Toronto Maple Leafs. With no Cup since 1967, no playoff run since 2004 and a propensity to price out its real fans/give everybody short of ACC janitors a no-trade clause, the team’s ongoing eulogy writes itself.
But, my goodness, are the Leafs successful when it comes to dollars and cents. Despite the news preceding their current last-place division standing, the Leafs easily ranked as 2009’s most valuable franchise in the NHL for the fourth year in a row.
Towering over the New York Rangers, Forbes’ second-most valuable hockey team, the Leafs were worth a whopping US$470 million last year by the finance magazine’s numbers.
Yet the Leafs’ off-ice dominance doesn’t stop there, as a new report suggests. According to the Financial Post, Toronto is also tops in the smartphone app world, too.
Maple Leafs Mobile, the team’s downloadable app for the iPhone, BlackBerry and iPod Touch, has now become the NHL’s most popular application since it broke onto the scene one year ago.
With over 100,000 downloads, Maple Leafs Mobile users have accessed the app about three million times since its launch, the program’s designer said in a statement. More than one million of those uses have come in the past three months.
Perhaps most unsurprisingly, the app’s designer hails from the Big Smoke, too. Toronto-based Polar Mobile – who also represent Sports Illustrated, Time magazine and BusinessWeek, according to the Post – is behind the program, which offers scores, stats, news and video for free.
Of course, leading smartphone app or not, you really didn’t expect malcontent Leafs fans to take any solace in this news, did you?
“It’s a good app to keep in touch with your fav nhl (sic) team,” writes reviewer EZv3 in a post titled Good App BAD TEAM. “But the Leafs will never make it 2 the Stanley Cup.”
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
Posted by: jacob | Feb 9, 2022 1:35:20 PM
Thats because the fans who have the money don't really care about the team and so pay to see a mediocre team year in and year out instead of boycotting the damn bastards ! the poor folk or average folk if given the chance will go to see the game because they otherwise don't get to. so you see the leafs organization has the fans in a stranglehold not the other way around like it should be ! people are so pessimistic and gullible !
Posted by: mARCO CONWAY | Feb 9, 2022 3:19:55 PM
sHITTY ORGANIZATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: mike | Feb 9, 2022 3:53:55 PM
The leafs are dogshit.
Posted by: Bob Corriveau | Feb 9, 2022 4:33:03 PM
Leafs worth 470 million US,imagine the Montreal Canadien,575 or more:
Posted by: Sir Richard | Feb 9, 2022 5:04:24 PM
Have you all forgotten? The hockey club was renamed when old farts Ballard estate sold it. It is now called the Toronto Maple Laughs.
Posted by: Joe | Feb 9, 2022 5:56:35 PM
I love seeing all the negative feedback from all the Hab fans, and Leaf Nation haters. I can see the Green Envy in their words. We(Toronto) are and always be the #1 Hockey town. What people don't realize is, people go to leaf games because they LOVE Hockey. This is Canada, Hockey is our game. And yes sometimes we have to put up with not making the play-offs.
Now imagine how much they would be worth if they were to win the cup.
Posted by: Richard | Feb 9, 2022 10:45:54 PM
for Bob Corriveau
Team Value 1 $334 mil not 575m wake the puck up
and that is being nice
I saw another value 280 million
all you hab fans are nuts
yep just like us leafs fans,
Posted by: Richard "Still a fan but in hiding" | Feb 11, 2022 3:45:10 AM
I grew up in Toronto the leafs were our idols. Our family gathered in front of the TV and watched Hockey Night In Canada every saturday evening cheering on a team that won more cups then all but one franchise. They were a tridition in our household. Now they are an embarrisment and my son's never connected with them because there was no need to give the fans a winner. The leafs may very well still have the most broad based fans accross our nation but unfortunately I bet they are not the younger generation. If this is not corrected then will they remain Canada's Team? I doubt it !!
Leaf fans deserve better! and I believe Burke and company truly want it as well. But how does one build with nothing to build from? Draft pics gone! scouting doubtfull ! and another year wasted in the basement. Im tired of being ridiculed for hoping for the impossible and watching game after game end in a all to common format.
Now wonder no other franchise has been permitted by Leaf Nation. Leaf Nation would be no more as leaf fans would have a choise.
Posted by: Chris | Feb 12, 2022 11:37:57 AM
The Leafs ownership structure doesnt allow for building a winner. Shareholders want to maintain their great and ongoing return on investment. Maximize proft first ! Leafs if they wanted could buy a winner, pay the penalities for overspending and buy their way to the top. In the end money talks and players know it. The Yankees approach. Unlike other sport teams such as Detroit Red Wings where the owner decided long ago its about winning and not profit the Leafs will always be a tier 2 performer but very profitable.