Bill Ballard son of Harold and co-founder of Concert Promotions International

On my walk through Park Lawn Cemetery in Toronto’s west end, I stopped by the newly cleaned Ballard family plot. Interred there is William “Bill” Ballard—lawyer, businessman, and son of Toronto Maple Leafs owner Harold Ballard.

Bill graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School, and with both legal acumen and strong industry connections, he partnered with Michael Cohl to found Concert Promotions International (CPI) in 1973. CPI would go on to become one of the most influential rock concert and tour promoters in North America. Their very first major event was an ambitious one: a 1973 concert at Varsity Stadium featuring Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, The Band, and The Youngbloods. They would go on to bring acts like the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and David Bowie to Toronto.

Before his concert-promotion career took off, Bill had stepped into a significant role at Maple Leaf Gardens. When his father Harold was convicted of tax fraud and sent to prison in 1972, Bill became a director and vice-president of Maple Leaf Gardens Ltd. However, the father–son relationship fractured after Harold’s release. Tensions grew over control and direction of the organization, and by 1988 Harold removed Bill from the board altogether, even barring CPI from booking shows at the Gardens. Their longstanding power struggles and personal conflicts ultimately defined the end of their professional association.

William Owen Sydney Ballard died in Toronto on March 14, 2014. He was 67.

Bill Ballard was a co-founder of Canada’s Walk of Fame.