NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman says the method to promote the Ottawa Senators is transferring ahead as “rapidly as attainable,” and the New York-based firm overseeing the sale is advising to “anticipate an excellent final result within the subsequent few weeks.”
Bettman supplied an replace on the sale of the Senators and Canadian Tire Centre throughout his media convention earlier than Recreation 1 of the Stanley Cup in Las Vegas.
The Senators introduced on November 4 that the membership was up on the market. Remaining bids have been as a consequence of New York-based Galatioto Sports activities Companions on Might 15, and studies say 4 teams have submitted bids for the membership.
“I do not know that anyone is out. I do know that they are attempting to maneuver ahead as rapidly as attainable to conclude the method,” Bettman stated Saturday night.
“The bidding was strong, the curiosity was nice and I am being suggested by GSP, New York-based Galatioto Sports activities Companions, that they anticipate an excellent final result within the subsequent few weeks. So, we’ll all have to sit down again and see.”
L.A. entrepreneur Neko Sparks has shaped a bunch to submit a bid, with Snoop Dogg, Olympic gold medallist Donovan Bailey, comic Russell Peters and a number of other stars from the CBC present Dragons’ Den.
Postmedia reported that three of the bids got here from Toronto-area businessmen: Michael Andlauer, who owns a minority stake within the Montreal Canadiens; Jeffrey and Michael Kimel, who have been previously concerned with the Pittsburgh Penguins and whose bid reportedly consists of Canadian singer-songwriter The Weeknd; and Steve Apostolopoulos, who not too long ago submitted an unsuccessful $6-billion bid to personal the NFL’s Washington Commanders.Â
Bettman additionally addressed the “hypothesis” in regards to the course of and the size of time it’s taking to promote the membership.
“I believe there are most likely two causes for that: One, I believe there must be a recognition that purchasing a billion greenback asset is not the identical as shopping for a brand new automotive; it takes slightly extra due diligence and work to do it,” Bettman stated.
“I additionally suppose most instances when a franchise is being offered you do not know about it till it will get to the top; I believe Eugene Melnyk’s premature passing type of started the clock working and I believe that is why, at the least in some quarters, there appears to be fatigue masking this however there should not be.
“The method, I believe, run by Mr. (Sal) Galatioto has been performed properly and proper.”
