Post by wagner3 on Feb 24, 2009 15:33:44 GMT -5
CALGARY -- Less than a year after inquiring about joining the Flames ownership group, Calgary billionaire Brett Wilson has a handshake agreement in place to buy shares of the Nashville Predators.
Informed by Flames president Ken King last spring that none of the team's owners had plans to sell their interests, Wilson turned to Predators majority owner David Freeman, striking a deal to purchase their third pro sports franchise together.
CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC
"We shook hands on the deal - we just haven't got it papered," Wilson told Sun Media yesterday, cautiously optimistic the lengthy approval process is a mere formality.
"The league still has to approve some of the nuances of what we're doing and the other owners have to be happy with the deal being cut with me. All of those things are nearly finished but none of them are finished enough. I've anticipated we'd get to this stage but when I go to pull the pin on the wire transfer or write the cheque, then I'll get excited. Until then we're not done. But I'd still bet on me."
27% STAKE
Freeman has made a bid to a bankruptcy trustee to buy the 27% stake in the club formerly held by admitted fraudster William (Boots) Del Biaggio, but Wilson insists his share in the team would be "nominal." And while he is the lead investor of the group that recently paid $97 million to buy second-division English soccer club Derby County, the 51-year-old entrepreneur insists he has no desire to run any of his sports teams - or run them out of town.
"If I can add something from a marketing or finance perspective that's great, but as I said to a British tabloid, the coach will never be calling me for my advice on what to do in the second half of any game," said Wilson.
www.edmontonsun.com/Sports/Hockey/2009/02/24/8506861-sun.html
it appears to be a 5% stake...small stake...
The Predators are negotiating with Calgary-based investor Brett Wilson about buying a small share of the franchise, a team spokesman confirmed on Tuesday.
A source close to the negotiations said Wilson’s prospective share would likely be less than five percent of the team and that it has nothing to do with Boots Del Biaggio’s approximate 26 percent share in the team, which is still being contested in bankruptcy court.
None of the Preds’ current owners would be displaced if Wilson came aboard.
Wilson and Predators majority owner David Freeman are already involved as co-owners in two sports franchises – the Double-A West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx baseball team and the First Division English soccer team Derby County.
An agreement with Wilson would require NHL approval, but the deal could be completed in the next several weeks, the source said.
Del Biaggio's approximately 26 percent of the team is being contested in bankruptcy court, and the Predators' current owners have made a bid for his shares. Earlier this month, Del Biaggio pleaded guilty to securities fraud in California after admitting he misused millions he obtained from various investors.
www.tennessean.com/article/20090224/SPORTS02/90224056
Informed by Flames president Ken King last spring that none of the team's owners had plans to sell their interests, Wilson turned to Predators majority owner David Freeman, striking a deal to purchase their third pro sports franchise together.
CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC
"We shook hands on the deal - we just haven't got it papered," Wilson told Sun Media yesterday, cautiously optimistic the lengthy approval process is a mere formality.
"The league still has to approve some of the nuances of what we're doing and the other owners have to be happy with the deal being cut with me. All of those things are nearly finished but none of them are finished enough. I've anticipated we'd get to this stage but when I go to pull the pin on the wire transfer or write the cheque, then I'll get excited. Until then we're not done. But I'd still bet on me."
27% STAKE
Freeman has made a bid to a bankruptcy trustee to buy the 27% stake in the club formerly held by admitted fraudster William (Boots) Del Biaggio, but Wilson insists his share in the team would be "nominal." And while he is the lead investor of the group that recently paid $97 million to buy second-division English soccer club Derby County, the 51-year-old entrepreneur insists he has no desire to run any of his sports teams - or run them out of town.
"If I can add something from a marketing or finance perspective that's great, but as I said to a British tabloid, the coach will never be calling me for my advice on what to do in the second half of any game," said Wilson.
www.edmontonsun.com/Sports/Hockey/2009/02/24/8506861-sun.html
it appears to be a 5% stake...small stake...
The Predators are negotiating with Calgary-based investor Brett Wilson about buying a small share of the franchise, a team spokesman confirmed on Tuesday.
A source close to the negotiations said Wilson’s prospective share would likely be less than five percent of the team and that it has nothing to do with Boots Del Biaggio’s approximate 26 percent share in the team, which is still being contested in bankruptcy court.
None of the Preds’ current owners would be displaced if Wilson came aboard.
Wilson and Predators majority owner David Freeman are already involved as co-owners in two sports franchises – the Double-A West Tennessee Diamond Jaxx baseball team and the First Division English soccer team Derby County.
An agreement with Wilson would require NHL approval, but the deal could be completed in the next several weeks, the source said.
Del Biaggio's approximately 26 percent of the team is being contested in bankruptcy court, and the Predators' current owners have made a bid for his shares. Earlier this month, Del Biaggio pleaded guilty to securities fraud in California after admitting he misused millions he obtained from various investors.
www.tennessean.com/article/20090224/SPORTS02/90224056