http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=2003701

 

TORONTO -- A Wall Street buyout firm and a sports advisory company reportedly made a joint proposal to buy all 30 NHL teams for as much as $3.5 billion.

 

 

Bain Capital Partners LLC and Game Plan International, both based in Boston, made the offer in a 30-minute presentation to NHL owners on Tuesday in New York, sources told the Toronto Star. The companies were invited to make their pitch by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

 

“ When someone's offering over $3 billion, we felt we had an obligation to the board to have them, at least, hear it from the proposed purchaser. ”

  — Bill Daly, NHL executive vice president 

 

Bain managing partner Steven Pagliuca, co-owner of the NBA's Boston Celtics, and Game Plan, which recently acted as an adviser on the sale of the Ottawa Senators, are betting that many NHL owners would welcome the chance to get out of the hockey business.

 

 

The NHL, which because of its ongoing player lockout recently became the first major North American pro sports league to cancel an entire season, has said its teams have lost a collective $500 million over the past two seasons.

 

 

It's unclear if team owners, especially those in large markets such as Toronto, Boston and New York, would accept the offer. Maple Leafs officials declined comment, as did a Game Plan spokesman.

 

 

NHL executive vice president Bill Daly was cautious in describing the level of interest the proposal received from the governors.

 

 

"I'm not going to characterize it," Daly told the Globe and Mail. "I would imagine different clubs had different feelings. The board listened to a presentation and that's about it."

 

 

Daly said the league was compelled to listen based on the significance of the offer.

 

 

"When someone's offering over $3 billion, we felt we had an obligation to the board to have them, at least, hear it from the proposed purchaser," Daly added.

 

 

The purchase would not be dependent on the NHL reaching agreement with the players on a collective bargaining deal, and a sale would not affect the status of the NHL Players' Association as the bargaining agent for players under U.S. and Canadian labor laws.

 

 

According to Bain and Game Plan, the sale would bolster the league's revenue because all of the teams would work together to generate more local television, sponsorship and revenue instead of competing against one another. The consortium told the NHL owners it had arranged for a large Canadian-based financier to join its efforts.

This tells me a lot. These guys making this offer think the NHL is a gold mine waiting to happen. The NHL has so mismanaged over the past 10 years or so, and the value is at a low point. Maybe, just maybe, we can get rid of Dollar Bill.

This tells me a lot.  These guys making this offer think the NHL is a gold mine waiting to happen.  The NHL has so mismanaged over the past 10 years or so, and the value is at a low point.  Maybe, just maybe, we can get rid of Dollar Bill.

Absolutely. It's a major risk, but there could be some major returns down the line.

If you have Wall Street looking at the business, that tells me something. Those guys are in business to make money, nothing else. And that means that there is a lot more revenue/and or waste going on than we know about.

Do you think they would take a check??

I think if this somehow did end up happening (i don't think it will) you'd see 6 or so teams contracted immediately.

I think if this somehow did end up happening (i don't think it will) you'd see 6 or so teams contracted immediately.

No doubt at all that's gonna happen if this goes down. And it's pretty easy to figure out the teams that will be contracted as well just because they don't have the fan bases etc. to support the team long - term.

I think if this somehow did end up happening (i don't think it will) you'd see 6 or so teams contracted immediately.

 

No doubt about it. I wonder how that would affect the labor stuff at the sametime? Would the league start over, or would they have to apply the same rules? What would happen to player movement.

Some sort of ugly, messy contraction draft. But i'm all for contraction at this point.

The league easily needs to lose atleast 6 teams....

If they can come to terms with the player's union and get the NHL up and running again, I'm all for it.

please god, i hope this happens anything to get rid of wirtz

This sounds nice... but the day Bill Wirtz doesnt own the Blackhawks anymore is the day about 10,000 blackhawk fans get fined for peeing on his grave.

 

MurcieOut?

Do you think they would take a check?? 

 

C'mon, you know they want it in small, unmarked bills!

This sounds nice... but the day Bill Wirtz doesnt own the Blackhawks anymore is the day about 10,000 blackhawk fans get fined for peeing on his grave.

 

MurcieOut?

 

Only 10,000?

I think if this somehow did end up happening (i don't think it will) you'd see 6 or so teams contracted immediately.

 

That would be great, as there are WAY too many as is. Who the hell watches hockey in Nashville?

That would be great, as there are WAY too many as is.  Who the hell watches hockey in Nashville?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The same people that watch in Atlanta and Carolina.

 

 

 

Those bastard overbidded me.. I had 3.4 Bil read and waiting.. but noooooooo they woudl not sign the papers.

The same people that watch in Atlanta and Carolina.

Those bastard overbidded me.. I had 3.4 Bil read and waiting.. but noooooooo they woudl not sign the papers.

 

 

Cheapskate!

The same people that watch in Atlanta and Carolina.

 

Not in NC, but I watch/listen/follow Carolina Hurricanes hockey. It's too bad that our vacation to Raliegh was cancelled two years ago - we had intended to go to a couple Hurricanes' hockey games as well as a Wolfpack football game.

This sounds nice... but the day Bill Wirtz doesnt own the Blackhawks anymore is the day about 10,000 blackhawk fans get fined for peeing on his grave.

 

MurcieOut?

 

LMAO

So let me see if i understand this article correctly....

if the teams accepted this proposal, this firm would own ALL the teams instead of them being independently owned? That's an interesting idea.

LMAO

 

There are still 10,000 Hawks fans?

 

It has enormous potential to do good, but I wonder about the competitiveness of having all the teams owned by one firm. This could just be the XFLification of Hockey.

there is about a million to one chance of this happening, but if it did that would be great for the game

The same people that watch in Atlanta and Carolina.

Those bastard overbidded me.. I had 3.4 Bil read and waiting.. but noooooooo they woudl not sign the papers.

 

 

You sound a lot like Bill Wirtz on that one.

 

Guys, this ain't going to happen, at least not now. So don't even speculate.