Ticket scandal prompts Maple Leafs firings

TORONTO, April 5 (UPI) -- Five employees of the sports holding company that owns the Toronto Maple Leafs have been fired following a ticket scandal, a company official said.

Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Chief Operating Officer Tom Anselmi said the five workers were dismissed and Jim Edmands, the director of sales and service for Maple Leaf Sports, resigned after news of ticket irregularities surfaced, The (Toronto) Star reported Saturday.

While specific details regarding the ticket scandal were not released, Anselmi praised Edmands for taking responsibility for the irregularities.

"Jimmy stepped up and resigned," Anselmi said. "He said he couldn't continue because it happened under his watch. It's been a shock to the whole organization.

"We're all disappointed. We have 500 really good people working here and few people who aren't."

The Star said the five fired employees were all members of the company's ticket sales department, including ticket-sales executive John Jones. The company fired them "for conduct that wasn't in keeping with what we hold important as a company," the newspaper said.