David Braley taken to hospital

[Ron]

Saw it on CP24. Hope he's OK

[AngeloV]

I've said a lot about his ownership practices, but I sincerely hope he is all right. Might not be the best sports owner in the world, but not a bad guy either.

[ArgoGabe22]

I've said a lot about his ownership practices, but I sincerely hope he is all right. Might not be the best sports owner in the world, but not a bad guy either.

I hope everyone agrees with this....

It sounds like he checked himself in after not feeling well, so here's hoping its nothing serious.

[rdavies]

Makes you wonder what it would take to put that old school, tough ol' goat into the hospital. On the whole he has done far more to help the league than hurt it. He stepped up to the plate far more times than anyone else would or could.

[R.J]

http://www.tsn.ca/lions-say-owner-br...oving-1.459907

[jerrym]

Despite the positive comments in the last post from March 26th, David Braley does not seem to be getting better, causing Dennis Skulsky to delay his scheduled April 1st departure from the team. Hopefully, Mr. Braley fully recovers.

B.C. Lions owner David Braley faces a “long, slow” recovery from a diabetic-related foot infection, says the team’s vice-chairman, Dennis Skulsky.Skulsky announced in February that he would relinquish his duties as president and CEO of the Canadian Football League club effective April 1. But that decision has been put on hold. His stay will be lengthened because of Braley’s illness.
The Lions owner entered a Vancouver hospital on March 24 and remains there indefinitely.
“I’ll move on when the time is right,” Skulsky said. “It could be a month, it could be two months. It could be the end of the season. We’ll see. We need to have someone leading the club.”
Skulsky said Braley’s return to health “isn’t responding as well as they would have hoped. He has an infection in his toe. It’s done some damage. And he’s got to recover from that.”
Braley turns 75 on May 31 and is approaching the 20-year anniversary since he rescued the Lions from bankruptcy and possible oblivion. He has made no secret of the fact the club is for sale. The Hamilton, Ont., businessman also owned the Toronto Argonauts from 2010 to 2015 before selling that club to Bell Media and Larry Tanenbaum.
“To be honest, a sale (of the Lions) is the least of our worries,” Skulsky said. “The focus now is getting David better. That’s No. 1. And we’ve got to get ourselves ready for the (2016) season. I’m here for as long as it takes.”
Skulsky became team president in 2010, succeeding the late Bob Ackles. He was publisher of The Vancouver Sun and Province until 2006, when he was named president and CEO of Canwest Publishing.
Last fall, Skulsky informed Braley that he planned to gear down into semi-retirement to spend more time with his family and because of his own health issues. Skulsky is also diabetic.
“To be honest, after 43 years of full-time employment, you get worn down,” he said. “It was a combination of wanting to spend more time with the grandkids and taking a break from high-pressure jobs, flying on too many airplanes. This is a great job. It’s really great when you’re winning. But when you’re not, it’s not as much fun.”

http://vancouversun.com/sports/footb...raley-recovers

[jerrym]

Here is more information on how serious Braley's health problems are - a bacterial infection that spread from his foot throughout his body aided by the fact that he is a diabetic. However, he does seem to be more optimistic than the last posting. The article also includes an url if you want to send him best wishes.

David Braley is known for playing his cards close to the vest, so it’s understandable that B.C. Lions boss Wally Buono‘s first reaction was to respect the man’s privacy over his current health problems.The Leos’ Hamilton-based owner of 18 years fell ill in Vancouver through the night of March 24 and was admitted to St. Paul’s Hospital. ...
While Lions management steered clear of volunteering any further information, a close family friend in Ontario revealed that Braley, 74, had a bacterial infection that had spread throughout his system. “It started in one of his feet,” the friend told Steve Arnold of the Hamilton Spectator. “It was one of those blood diseases that gets into your entire system. David is recovering nicely since the antibiotics have attacked the infection.”
The friend also noted that Braley’s office in Ontario had been receiving get-well wishes from “across the country and overseas.”
Few of those greetings will have been coming from Lions fans, not knowing his whereabouts because of the cloak of secrecy locally.
To send along your best wishes, email getwellmrb@bclions.com.

http://www.canada.com/sports/sport+l...219/story.html

[R.J]

Hearing #BCLions owner David Braley (toe infection) has left Vancouver hospital and returned to Hamilton.

— NEWS 1130 Sports (@NEWS1130Sports) April 13, 2016

Good news. Ownership issues aside, I'm happy to read that Braley has improved.

[AngeloV]

Hearing #BCLions owner David Braley (toe infection) has left Vancouver hospital and returned to Hamilton.

— NEWS 1130 Sports (@NEWS1130Sports) April 13, 2016

Good news. Ownership issues aside, I'm happy to read that Braley has improved.

Me too.

[gilthethrill]

That must be a serious toe infection....does not sound like fun.

[Deerkeeper]

That must be a serious toe infection....does not sound like fun.

I'm diabetic and although it's only Type II my feet really bother me. I've been warned by doctors, nurses and and public health officials to watch my feet. A small cut can turn serious very fast. That's why I am rarely barefoot.

[gilthethrill]

I'm diabetic and although it's only Type II my feet really bother me. I've been warned by doctors, nurses and and public health officials to watch my feet. A small cut can turn serious very fast. That's why I am rarely barefoot.

Really sorry to hear that Deerkeeper....keep safe.

[jerrym]

In BC there is growing concern about the Lions because of David Braley's health. At least they have Buono. However, there's never a dull moment when considering the future of the CFL.
It's a good thing that its owners, players and fans are all survivors.

[ArgoRavi]

In BC there is growing concern about the Lions because of David Braley's health. At least they have Buono. However, there's never a dull moment when considering the future of the CFL.
It's a good thing that its owners, players and fans are all survivors.

Braley needs to sell the Lions to committed local ownership.

[jerrym]

Braley needs to sell the Lions to committed local ownership.

It's starting to look like a replay of the Argos.

[KCargosfan]

Who in Vancouver would buy the team? Would the owners of the Canucks have any interest?

[jerrym]

There are quite a few potential buyers according to this post.

December 1, 2015 8:36 PM by dbo.
David Braley is starting the process of assessing 19 interested buyers of the BC Lions, starting with 14 local parties expressing a desire to purchase a majority stake in the franchise. There is no deadline set for the sale and transfer to be complete, and could take until the end of next year or longer.

https://cfldb.ca/single-points/2015/...ment-underway/

[Will]

Yes, we know well in Toronto that the process can take a long, long time.

[jerrym]

Here are more details on where the previous post most likely came from.

The process to sell the B.C. Lions is under way, with 19 parties having expressed interest and long-time owner David Braley beginning to assess potential buyers.
Braley, 74, wants to sell to someone who will take at least a majority stake in the team and will be a steward for the club in British Columbia. He doesn’t want to sell to a group in which each member holds a small fraction.
“The most important thing is they look after the club as part of the community,” Braley said in an interview on Wednesday, from his office at his auto-parts company Orlick Industries Ltd. in Hamilton.
Of the 19 parties interested in the Lions, 14 are local, with others located in Calgary, Edmonton, California, Las Vegas and Florida. Braley will first focus on the local 14. Braley said he didn’t know how long the process would extend.
“That may take all this year. It may take next year. Who knows? We will just start to sort it now, with the interested parties.” ...
Valuation will be a key question in the sale of the Lions. In 2014, Braley floated a figure of $40-million for the club, which is considered by some observers to be high. The CFL is on stronger financial footing these days, buoyed especially by a five-year television deal with TSN worth about $40-million, running through to 2018. New Argos co-owner Bell Media owns TSN. The Lions have also benefited from holding the Grey Cup twice in recent years, 2011 and 2014, at BC Place, with a capacity of 50,000-plus.
The Lions, however, are a team in transition. B.C. has made the playoffs in each of the 19 seasons Braley has owned the team but this year’s 7-11 record is the worst of Braley’s tenure. The Lions were beaten up by the Calgary Stampeders in the West semi-final last Sunday. B.C. last won a Grey Cup in 2011 and had the league’s best record in 2012, but lost in the West final – and has slid each year since. Attendance has also slid. The recent peak at BC Place was about 30,000 a game in 2012 and has fallen each year. This season was the worse, falling to about 21,000 from 28,000. Braley’s early years as owner, in the late 1990s, saw average attendance below 20,000. It began to turn higher when Wally Buono took over as coach in 2003 and sparked a run of success.
Buono’s future as the Lions general manager, through this past difficult season, has been debated by fans. He retired as coach after the Grey Cup win in 2011 and this year’s 7-11 is his second-worst season as a CFL coach or GM, ahead of only his last year in Calgary in 2002 when his team went 6-12. Buono, 65, has one year left on his contract. Braley on Wednesday expressed confidence in Buono. ...
Skulsky, like Buono, has one year left on his contract. As the sale process begins, Skulsky likely will step aside from his role as team president, as he is widely expected to help lead one of the potential buyers groups. “At that time the decision will have to be made, whether I’m interested in staying or being part of an ownership group,” said Skulsky on Wednesday, after Buono spoke.
Like his management team, Braley wasn’t happy with the Lions 2015 season. “I’ve very disappointed – 7-11 is not very good.”
Asked whether he’d be at the helm when the CFL’s 2016 season kicks off next June, Braley smiled. “Who knows,” he said, chuckling. “Who knows.”

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...ticle27345606/