Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment was finally sold in early December to Rogers Communications and BCE. Former president and Chief Executive Officer of MLSE Richard Peddie retired December 31st. The timing is right for the company’s board to resume its search for the next CEO.

And they have, MLSE spokesperson Rajani Kamath tells Josh Rubin of the Toronto Star, as he explains the reason why the search was suspended for almost a year.

[We]‘ve just restarted the process. It was placed on hold while the company was on sale.

However, a number of high-profile potential candidates have already taken themselves out of the running before MLSE enlisted California-based executive headhunting firm Korn Ferry to aid them in their search.

The list includes Paul Beeston, president of Rogers-owned Toronto Blue Jays and former president of Major League Baseball, as well as the chairman of satellite radio company SiriusXM Canada John Bitove Jr.

Beeston flat out denies any interest in becoming the head of MLSE — now, and after his three-year contract with the Jays ends at the conclusion of the 2012 baseball season.

I have absolutely no interest in it. I’m gainfully employed and am enjoying what I do. They don’t need to ask me because Rogers knows my position.

John Bitove Jr., the man that brought the Raptors to Toronto and “arranged construction of the Air Canada Centre, and led the city’s bid for the 2008 Olympics” says he’s not interested either.

“I’ve moved on to other things.”

So, who’s left?

Brian Burke, President and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, denied any interest in the job during an interview on the FAN590.

And MLSE’s chief financial officer Ian Clarke doesn’t appear to be in the mix, eiter.

MLSE chief operating officer Tom Anselmi. Photo courtesy mlse.com.

Rubin cites an MLSE source as saying that the only internal candidate is chief operating officer Tom Anselmi, who also enjoys the support of his old boss. In an interview with Toronto Star’s Dave Feschuk Peddie — who is enjoying the retired life in Miami, Florida — believes that the right man for the job is Anselmi.

I have endorsed Tom Anselmi. The business side of MLSE is in excellent shape and Tom has been a major contributor to that. Also importantly, MLSE people, customers, league officials and the (general managers) support him. Two recent articles in the Harvard Business Journal clearly prove that when business is good and you have a well-prepared internal candidate, you promote from within the company. (But) I support doing a search and through that I hope the board comes to the same conclusion.

Asked whether he would be interested in the position, Anselmi wouldn’t bite. It’s hard to believe that he wouldn’t want the top job with at one of the top companies in sports.

I’d really prefer not to comment about the CEO position at this time.

Anselmi is currently the man in charge at MLSE, but according to Kamath he is not the interim CEO.

We’ve got a very strong executive leadership team in place under Tom Anselmi, but there’s no official interim CEO.

John Tory. Photo courtesy Flickr user 35mmmonkey.

He’ll have plenty of time to audition, if he really wants the job. The sale to Rogers and BCE isn’t supposed to be completely official until sometime in June.

Another name that has been mentioned is that of John Tory, the ex-commissioner of the Canadian Football League and former provincial Progressive Conservative leader.

What may hold Tory back getting hired is board-room politics. He is currently a board member at Rogers and was also employed by the communications company as president of Rogers Media in the mid- to late-nineties. This may not sit well with BCE, who may think he’ll play favorites with his pals at Rogers.