Menu
Franchises

Herb Fritch Officially Assumes Control Of Predators Ownership

Herb Fritch has "officially assumed control" of the Predators after his partners and the NHL "approved his appointment" as team Chair earlier this week, according to Nate Rau of the Nashville TENNESSEAN. Fritch owns the "largest portion of the hockey franchise" and joined the ownership group in '07 when original Predators Owner Craig Leipold was "considering selling the team to an out-of-town investor with plans to relocate" the team to Hamilton, Ont. Fritch's appointment was "long expected" and the Predators confirmed last April he would succeed outgoing Chair Tom Cigarran. The Predators are "hoping to continue a phase of financial growth and stability in both their business operations and on-ice performance" with Fritch at the helm. He is taking over a "booming business with 131 straight home game sellouts and even a season-ticket waiting list." Fritch said that owners have "not had to answer capital calls in order to cover operating deficits." While much of the Predators' overall financial standing is kept private, Fritch said the franchise is "very stable." He added, "Our balance sheet continues to get stronger." Rau notes the appointment of Fritch ensures that President & CEO Sean Henry and President of Hockey Operations & GM David Poile will "stay in their jobs" (Nashville TENNESSEAN, 1/11).

CHANGING OF THE GUARD: Cigarran said he will still have his "ownership position" and will be an "alternate governor" for the franchise. He said, "Herb will be the governor. I’ll still be a huge Predators fan, I’ll still go to the games when I’m in Nashville. But I won’t have to worry about the business." Cigarran added, "We are financially stable for the long run. Herb’s job is going to be to take it to the next level. We’re never satisfied. We can always do better, we can always do more" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 1/10).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 25, 2024

NFL meeting preview; MLB's opening week ad effort and remembering Peter Angelos.

Big Get Jay Wright, March Madness is upon us and ESPN locks up CFP

On this week’s pod, our Big Get is CBS Sports college basketball analyst Jay Wright. The NCAA Championship-winning coach shares his insight with SBJ’s Austin Karp on key hoops issues and why being well dressed is an important part of his success. Also on the show, Poynter Institute senior writer Tom Jones shares who he has up and who is down in sports media. Later, SBJ’s Ben Portnoy talks the latest on ESPN’s CFP extension and who CBS, TNT Sports and ESPN need to make deep runs in the men’s and women's NCAA basketball tournaments.

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2019/01/11/Franchises/Predators.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2019/01/11/Franchises/Predators.aspx

CLOSE