Former New Orleans Hornets Chair Jac Sperling during the past year "has phoned people nationwide" about the prospect of "forming an investor group to bring hockey or basketball to the Seattle area," according to Geoff Baker of the SEATTLE TIMES. Sources indicated that N.Y.-based RLB Holdings Founder & Managing General Partner Ray Bartoszek also spent much of '14 "courting investors to lure an NHL team to a Tukwila site" owned by former Sonics minority Owner David Sabey. Sources said that Bartoszek is "close to finalizing and announcing his group of national and local investors." One "potential investor he approached" was Legendary Entertainment Chair & CEO Thomas Tull. Sources said that Sperling and Bartoszek "realize the NHL likely will come" to Seattle "first, given the NBA’s reluctance to expand." They added that both "remain open to adding an NBA team later." Sperling "has strong NBA ties, having agreed to run the Hornets franchise in his native New Orleans in 2010 at the league’s behest after it took over that team." Sperling "later brokered the 2012 sale of the Hornets -- now named the Pelicans -- to Tom Benson." Sperling was recently "reunited in Tampa Bay" with Lightning CEO Tod Leiweke. The two served as "co-advisers to Lightning owner Jeff Vinik" in his $1B "Channelside" development around the team’s Amalie Arena. Leiweke said that he "has not been approached to join any NHL or NBA ownership group" in Seattle (SEATTLE TIMES, 2/13).
