TORONTO — Leonard Asper channels former New York Jets head coach Herm Edwards when listing his goals as the new owner of the Brampton Honey Badgers.
"You play to win the game," said Asper in a phone interview. "So No. 1, I want to win. The goal is to win."
Asper was announced as the new owner of the Honey Badgers by the Canadian Elite Basketball League on Tuesday. Asper is a lawyer, entrepreneur and the chief executive officer of Anthem Sports & Entertainment, a Toronto-based media company that owns several cable channels in Canada and the United States, as well as a pair of combat sport promotions.
"Sports is a good place to invest," said Asper. "It's a growth industry, mostly because of digital technology because a sports team today is a media company, it's intellectual property, and a multi-headed beast for revenue streams.
"There's examples of a Manchester United or a Dallas Cowboys, these super brands, but pretty much even smaller teams, these second-tier leagues, have global reach now. They have players who are from various countries that generate interest from those countries. A local team is not really confined to its local market."
The former president and CEO of Canwest Global Communications had wanted to buy a professional sports team for a long time — including potentially buying his hometown Winnipeg Blue Bombers with his brother David — but was waiting for the right opportunity. David Asper is already the owner and chairman of the CEBL's Winnipeg Sea Bears.
"I've been looking at it for a couple years and couldn't agree on terms and I wanted to see the league develop a little bit more," said Leonard Asper of the Honey Badgers, who were formerly owned by the league. "But I have been nosing around different sports teams and leagues for a few years and turned down a few opportunities.
"There's certain criteria I had, and this one ticked all the boxes."
That included a situation where he could add value with Anthem's pre-existing relationships in the streaming and broadcasting industries. He also liked how the CEBL has been constructed since its founding in 2019.
"Leonard Asper is a terrific addition to the CEBL and we are fortunate to add another high-profile team owner with strong business acumen and commitment to the community," said CEBL commissioner and co-founder Mike Morreale. "The league continues to grow into a premium destination for players, fans, sponsors, and owners who share the vision of Canadian basketball and the desire to grow the game right here in our own backyard."
The Honey Badgers were one of the original CEBL franchises, first located in Hamilton but moved to Brampton, Ont., after winning their first championship in 2022. The Honey Badgers missed the playoffs last season.
"We have an amazing, an outstanding basketball mind in (general manager) Jermaine Anderson, a Canadian basketball legend," said Asper. "I felt the team had great management in place with president Josie Pingitore, who is, again, a very experienced sports executive for operations."
The Honey Badgers will start the 2025 season on the road, visiting the Montreal Alliance on May 18. Brampton will host the Scarborough Shooting Stars on May 25, a day after TNA Wrestling — one of Anthem's sports products — has back-to-back shows at the CAA Centre.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2025.
John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press
