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Arctos was co-founded by private equity veteran Ian Charles and former MSG CEO David “Doc” O’Connor. The firm had about $2.9 billion in assets under management as of October, and has already made more than a dozen investments. They include about 17% of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings, and in Fenway Sports Group, the parent of the Boston Red Sox, Liverpool FC and the Pittsburgh Penguins. The group is also nearing agreements to invest in the NHL’s Minnesota Wild and Tampa Bay Lightning.
“Our organization would do anything to help the Raptors as they would do for us,” Dubas said in a statement provided to The Athletic. The Lightning’s Griggs and MLSE’s Deline got the ball rolling quickly, in part, thanks to their own longstanding relationship. Griggs, an Aurora, Ont., native and former junior and university hockey player, worked for the Raptors from 1994 to 1999. In his Amalie Arena office hangs a framed picture of Tim Horton in a Leafs jersey, a parting gift from his MLSE coworkers when he left to join the Minnesota Wild in 1999. Griggs’ father Dennis was a close friend of Horton and played a hand in helping him start his chain of coffee shops. Horton himself taught Griggs to skate.
The Bucks are inching closer to adding several minority owners with Green Bay Packers superstar quarterback Aaron Rodgers and former Bucks star Junior Bridgeman among those who have had discussions with Bucks co-owners Marc Lasry and Wes Edens. Craig Leipold, the Minnesota Wild owner from Racine, has been speculated as another possible minority owner although that isn’t likely to happen.
The Minnesota Wild were not the only local professional sports team pining the last few years for realignment -- a request that was finally granted officially on Thursday. In a conversation with 1500ESPN.com, Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor acknowledged he would like to see his team in the Eastern Conference. "It makes sense," he said. But Taylor was quick to point out Memphis and New Orleans, two other Western Conference teams headquartered in the Central time zone, also want change.In other words, Taylor -- who has as much intimate knowledge as anyone from his years as the chairman of the NBA's board of governors -- said it's not happening for any of the three franchises anytime soon. He didn't say whether San Antonio, Houston, Dallas or Oklahoma City also would push for such a switch. They play in the Central time zone, too.
Crayton said when she speaks to NBA teams about Wright, she can tell that perceptions about Wright's well-being cannot be changed. There aren't any known NBA players with MS, though Crayton said she wouldn't be surprised if there was somebody who was playing with the disease and concealing it. She thinks the stereotypes about MS could keep athletes from being open about it. In November, NHL goalie Josh Harding of the Minnesota Wild revealed he has MS. Crayton said she's encouraged Wright to get in contact with Harding. "It's really just about the label," Crayton said.
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Coleman also is proposing moving the Minnesota Timberwolves to St. Paul and having the NBA team share Xcel Energy Center with the NHL's Minnesota Wild. His proposal would fund a $75 million retrofit of Xcel Energy Center while relieving Minneapolis of existing Target Center debt and building a practice facility for both teams.
Invest $75 million in the Xcel Center so it could accommodate both the Minnesota Wild and the Timberwolves, including a $35 million hockey practice facility, a soft resurrection of a dead hockey-facility plan known as "The Pond"
NBA Commissioner David Stern says the league is proceeding with its plan to buy the New Orleans Hornets from majority owner George Shinn and minority owner Gary Chouest. Stern confirms that the league has recruited New Orleans native Jac Sperling to be the NBA's administrator of the team. Sperling is a sports attorney and the vice chairman of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.
Sperling, a sports attorney who is also vice chairman of the NHL's Minnesota Wild, was born and raised in New Orleans. He was appointed by NBA Commissioner David Stern. "I grew up here. [Stern] asked me to help," Sperling said. "Read into that what you want, but I think the commissioner, he's been very positive about this city going back to when the team was awarded in 2002, [then moving the team back from Oklahoma City] after Katrina ... and also the awarding of the 2008 All-Star game. "We're in a difficult spot, yes, but I think his selection of me is a further indication of what is in his mind. He wants to try to make this asset more attractive so perhaps a local buyer will step up."
The NBA is poised to assume total ownership of the New Orleans Hornets in the next few days, and published reports have someone with local ties overseeing the transition and eventual sale of the club. Jac Sperling, vice chairman of the NHL's Minnesota Wild, is a New Orleans-born attorney who has in the past negotiated the sale of professional sports teams and guided the Wild into one of hockey's most successful franchises, according to a report at SI.com.
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As the NBA moves toward buying the New Orleans Hornets, a league source has identified a potential administrator to run the team on an interim basis -- Jac Sperling, vice chairman of the Minnesota Wild. Sperling would be charged by the NBA with running the Hornets while overseeing their sale to a permanent buyer. The league has said it wants to keep the franchise in New Orleans, but the team can opt out of its lease if it averages less than 14,213 fans over a span of 13 home games from Dec. 1 to Jan. 17, according to the New Orleans Times -Picayune. The 13-5 Hornets were averaging 13,826 with four more games to go before the deadline.
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