Islanders "buyer" John Spano and "seller" John Pickett
"acknowledged" that there is an "on-going dispute regarding
the $165 million sale of the Islanders," according to John
Valenti in NEWSDAY. Valenti quotes sources as saying the
due date has "long since" passed on a payment of "as much
as" $20M by Spano to Pickett, and that NHL Commissioner Gary
Bettman has "ordered" Spano "not to touch" team assets until
the situation is resolved. Spano "denied" his access to the
daily operations of the team had been restricted by Bettman.
Spano: "It's true there are some outstanding issues between
John Pickett and myself. I won't comment on what those
issues are." Pickett: "There is nothing here that will have
an adverse affect on the Islanders" (NEWSDAY, 6/28).
MORE TROUBLE? Marquee Group CEO Bob Gutkowski "said he
has told his lawyers to sue Spano" and "claims Spano has
owed him" $20,000 for seven months, "since he worked as a
consultant" on the Islanders' $85M deal with SportsChannel.
Gutkowski: "I'm livid." Spano: "If Bob Gutkowski is worried
about twenty grand, well ... I don't know what to say about
that. ... If the Islanders owe him ... I'll make sure he
gets paid his $20,000" (NEWSDAY, 6/29).
