In Minneapolis, Nick Halter noted Minnesota United Owner Bill McGuire has "picked up several new investors" for his club, joining the Twins Owners the Pohlad family and T'Wolves & Lynx Owner Glen Taylor. McGuire said both the Pohlads and Taylor "remain committed" to the club. The three new investors include commercial real estate firm Mithun Enterprises Owner Matt Mithun, Selhurst Media Ventures Principal Ben Grossman and Minneapolis-based investment firm Winslow Capital CEO Justin Kelly (BIZJOURNALS.com, 12/15). Grossman had a stint as an SBD staff writer in the late '90s (THE DAILY).
ZEN MASTER SETTLING IN? BLEACHER REPORT's Kevin Ding noted as much as Knicks President Phil Jackson's "return to his original franchise has been questioned from every angle, he has found a level of comfort with his new job and environs." Sources said that Jackson "fully intends to finish the two years after this season on his Knicks contract." And despite all the attention on his opt-out clause in '17, he "might even want to do a new deal that starts" in '19. If Jackson sticks around for '19 and beyond, the power of F Kristaps Porzingis and the "momentum being built now make it reasonable to imagine some future date when Jackson could even regain the upper hand" on Cavaliers F LeBron James (BLEACHERREPORT.com, 12/15).
THUMBS UP: In Ottawa, Bruce Garrioch notes Senators Owner Eugene Melnyk has "given the green light to an outdoor game" against the Canadiens on Dec. 19, 2017 and NHL officials "visited Lansdowne Live earlier this month." Negotiations are "taking place between the NHL and officials from the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group." Though Melnyk "must sign off on the game, it's up to the NHL to finalize the details with officials from OSEG, the city and possibly the federal government because under ideal circumstances Parliament Hill will play some kind of role" (OTTAWA CITIZEN , 12/16).
