esum19

Report: Leipold won't sell to Balsillie

TSN.ca Staff

6/28/2007 8:55:25 AM

Jim Balsillie's bid to purchase the Nashville Predators and relocate them to Southern Ontario appears unlikely now that current Predators owner Craig Leipold has found a new buyer.

According to the National Post, Leipold informed Balsillie earlier this week that he would not accept his $238-million US offer for the NHL club. Instead, Leipold is preparing to sell the franchise to California businessman William DelBiaggio, who is expected to move the team to Kansas City instead.

FULL STORY

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L E C A V A L I E R!!

nossagog

What a soap opera. let me get this straight. Liepold, in a brain cramp of compassion for a sports team owner, decides to pass on Balsille's offer to purchase the team because he doesn't want the team to relocate to Hamilton. Isn't he nice, take a $50million cut to prevent that. But wait, the person he has decided to now sell to is none other than California businessman William DelBiaggio. Billy boy has an aggreement with with the group that has the management rights to the new, and very empty, arena in Kansas City to bring an NHL team to the city. Now I'm pretty sure that the NHL is not going to allow him to own and operate TWO NHL teams, so what could Liepold possible be thinking will keep DelBaiggio from moving the team to KC? So he has basically taken a $50million cut to let the team go to KC instead of Hamilton.

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Penguins Fan living in Sabreland

panoo

This has Bettman written all over it. The thought of Balsille owning an NHL team scares him to death. As long as Bettman is commissioner of the NHL, Balsille will never own an NHL team. Plus the fact that Bettman doesn't want any more teams in Canada, heaven forbid if that would ever happen.

nossagog

Jeez, I guess I can see Bettman's point, why would you put another team in Canada where they will be supported and make money. If he did, there would be less of a need for him.

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Penguins Fan living in Sabreland

panoo

SOOOOOOOOOOO TRUE!!!!!

Adsfan

Bettman and Leipold show what is wrong with America. Rich, stupid people who ruin everything for the rest of us mere citizens. Bettman is still trying to make basketball the #1 sport. He should try that with hockey instead.