Podcast Center
Video Center
Webcasts
Resource Center
Events
March 11, 2005 at 07:00 PM
NEW YORK (HedgeWorld.com)–Bain Capital Partners and sports advisory company Game Plan International have made an estimated US$3.5 billion offer to buy all 30 of the National Hockey League’s teams, according to published reports
The Toronto Star reported that the two firms made a pitch to NHL owners Tuesday in New York.
The NHL recently became the first major North American sports league to cancel an entire season after the league and the union representing players failed to agree on a new contract. The league owners had demanded imposition of a per-team salary cap and other concessions from the players.
While reports said it was unclear whether many of the owners gave the Bain Capital-Game Plan proposal serious consideration, the two Boston-based firms undoubtedly suspect that some team owners would be motivated sellers.
Going into the 2004-2005 season, the NHL had been nearing the point of meltdown, with teams in smaller markets unable to pay the soaring salaries commanded by the best players. The unlevel financial skating rink made it impossible for most of the small-market teams to compete on the ice against the wealthy teams in hockey hotbeds, with many of the franchises incurring mounting financial losses.
The NHL probably has a handful of teams that are financially strong–the New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings and a few others–with the rest in varying degrees of profitability and a number of the franchises losing large sums.
Before the lockout, Forbes magazine estimated the total value of the 30 franchises at US$4.9 billion, including the arenas, some of which stand on downtown real estate. The Detroit Red Wings had the highest value, at US$266 million, while the Edmonton Oilers, at the bottom, were valued at US$86 million. Last week Walt Disney Co. sold the Anaheim Mighty Ducks for US$75 million in a deal that included a US$15 million training facility.
According to the published reports, Bain and Game Plan officials said they had a formula to compensate each owner based on revenue and assets and size of each team’s market. One owner who attended the meeting was quoted by the Star as noting that since it was an all-or-nothing offer, all 30 owners would have to agree in some way.
