Balsillie Inquired About Sabres; Other Teams May Be Available
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Balsillie Still Looking
To Acquire NHL Team |
Research in Motion (RIM) co-CEO Jim Balsillie in December contacted Sabres Owner Tom Golisano about buying the team, and Golisano indicated that he "would be open to selling the club," but not if Balsillie intended to relocate it, according to a source cited by Rick Westhead of the TORONTO STAR. Several investment bankers said that "there's still a good chance" Balsillie, who tried to buy the Penguins in '06 and Predators in '07, will wind up with an NHL team. And as "concerns about the stalling U.S. economy continue to percolate, as many as half of the NHL's 30 teams ... could be available." Several sports bankers said that the Coyotes "headline the list of NHL teams that Balsillie may now be targeting." But the bankers added that "one obstacle to buying the Coyotes and moving them would be the team's lease" (TORONTO STAR, 5/6).
PREDATORS: In Nashville, John Glennon notes the Predators for the last 16 home games of the '07-08 season averaged 14,650 in paid attendance at the 17,113-seat Sommet Center, above the total season average of 13,429. The team next year needs to average at least 14,000 per game to qualify for the NHL's full revenue-sharing plan. But Predators Owner David Freeman said, "Our expectation is that we're shooting in the 15,000 to 16,000 range." Freeman and his ownership group took control of the franchise in November, and Predators President of Business Operations Ed Lang said, "Once the ownership change took place, we got more aggressive from a marketing standpoint. We did some more advertising through all forms of media and our sales organization was more aggressive. ... Once the new ownership came on board, I think you began to see people say, 'I want to be associated with the Predators again'" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 5/6).
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