On MLSE business direction and fan involvement
If MLSE is laughing all the way to the bank, why is the support level for the Maple Leafs even important?
Presuming for a moment that the die-hard die-off (the number of “die-hard” Leaf fans declined by 17% over 2007 (
source)) is representative of other levels of engaged fan interest, you might argue that now the Leafs can satisfy 18% of those wishing to buy tickets instead of the current 16%, and there for your average man-in-the-street nothing has changed.
If you can sell all the product you want (or perhaps more accurately, all the product you are capable of supplying) at will, it suggests that you are meeting your market's needs.
In fact, should the Leafs be successful and bring home a Cup win, this will only make the product more desirable, increasing fan engagement, and further limiting said fan's access to the product. MLSE's only business response will be to increase prices again, further pushing access to the game out of reach of your "average" fan.