In a current growth, the Nationwide Hockey League (NHL) confirmed a gathering with a billionaire-led consortium, expressing curiosity in introducing an enlargement group based mostly in Houston. Deputy Commissioner Invoice Daly confirmed the information to The Related Press through e-mail on Thursday night.
The occasion spearheading the initiative is none apart from billionaire Dan Friedkin, who, in line with Forbes, boasts a whopping web value of $6.4 billion. Friedkin is not any stranger to the sports activities world, having not too long ago acquired a 98.8% stake in Everton, one of many longstanding golf equipment within the English Premier League.
Based mostly in Houston, The Friedkin Group, which Dan runs along with his son Ryan, is a well-diversified conglomerate with a strong portfolio spanning the automotive, leisure, hospitality, and sports activities industries. Nonetheless, an official remark from the Friedkin Group on the matter stays forthcoming.
Current experiences from ESPN recommend that Friedkin has emerged as a front-runner for securing a franchise, ought to the NHL resolve to develop past its present 32 groups. Nonetheless, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has repeatedly clarified that the league will not be formally contemplating enlargement at this level. Curiously, Atlanta has additionally seen a number of teams expressing curiosity in bringing hockey again to Georgia’s capital for a 3rd try.
Bettman, in a dialog with The AP in September, had emphasised a focused strategy in the direction of enlargement, if in any respect. He acknowledged that the method wouldn’t resemble earlier expansions the place a number of purposes had been thought of concurrently. As a substitute, if a celebration ticks all of the packing containers and is eager to progress, the matter could be taken up individually with the chief committee.
The annual common managers’ spring assembly in Florida, which concluded not too long ago with Bettman’s information convention, didn’t carry up the subject of enlargement. Nonetheless, there have been cases prior to now the place curiosity in enlargement groups has materialized into actuality. As an example, the Smith Leisure Group introduced its curiosity in a Utah-based enlargement group over a 12 months in the past and shortly after bought the Arizona Coyotes, transferring them to Salt Lake Metropolis. Now, they’re often known as the Utah Hockey Membership for this season.
The NHL’s enlargement into Las Vegas and Seattle has been extremely profitable, sparking hypothesis in regards to the potential rise in enlargement charges, which could contact near $1 billion for future groups. The league final expanded its group roster in 2000 with the inclusion of the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild, earlier than including the Golden Knights in 2017.
Dan Friedkin, who amassed his wealth by distributing Toyotas in Texas, was additionally not too long ago rumored to be contemplating a bid for the NBA’s Boston Celtics, earlier than they had been offered final Thursday.
