NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Nashville Predators owner Craig Leipold
thinks he's finally sold his NHL franchise, this time to a group of
local businessmen and one California venture capitalist that wants
to keep the team in Music City.
Leipold said Wednesday he has signed a letter of intent to sell
his team to the local group. The group of eight partners put down
$10 million as a deposit toward the purchase price of $193 million.
"I'm thrilled to death the team is staying here," Leipold
said.
The only partner from outside the Nashville area is William
"Boots" Del Biaggio III, who will have to sell his minority share
in the San Jose Sharks when this deal closes. Leipold said he is
excited to pass ownership to a group he knows is committed to
Nashville.
"We've certainly, as they say, put our money where our mouth is
today," said David Freeman, one of the partners and chief
executive officer of 36 Venture Capital LLC.
The bid was less than the $220 million offered by Canadian
billionaire Jim Balsillie when Leipold announced May 24 he had
signed a letter of intent to sell his team. But Leipold said
Balsillie ruined that deal by trying to move the Predators to
Canada before money changed hands.
Balsillie renewed an arena lease in Ontario, took season ticket
deposits in Hamilton using the Predators' logo and applied to the
NHL to relocate before applying for ownership.
"Jim Balsillie went his own direction with a rogue lawyer who
had no intention of honoring the process of being an NHL owner,"
Leipold said. "Obviously, we didn't go forward, so we began the
process to find a new owner."
The Predators told the NHL during the league's draft in late
June not to consider Balsillie's offer.
Leipold had been meeting with Freeman since the first letter of
intent was signed. Talks picked up after Leipold backed away from
Balsillie.
Del Biaggio previously offered $190 million for the team, and
has an agreement with the Sprint Center in Kansas City to own any
NHL team relocating there. He will be a minority owner in this
deal, and Freeman said there are no circumstances where Del Biaggio
could become majority owner.
This deal will end Del Biaggio's deal with AEG to bring a team
to Kansas City, but he said in a conference call that he will push
the NHL to consider putting a team there.
"I'm committed to Nashville," Del Biaggio said.
Leipold helped bring Del Biaggio into the local group, and Del
Biaggio said he committed a week ago. He wouldn't comment on how
much bigger his share will be than with the Sharks, but said he
will have more say on business and hockey operations.
"I've been lucky enough to be in the NHL for a long time now,
so I understand it. I'll be able to help the group as they will be able to help me with the local Nashville people," Del Biaggio said.
His involvement helps reduce the amount of debt the group will
have. Leipold said the debt would be
among the lowest in the NHL.
When asked if Del Biaggio's involvement meant the team's future
in Nashville remained in doubt, Freeman said there was no assurance
if hockey does not succeed in Tennessee.
"Our belief, as kind of the local group, is that given a second
chance Nashville will support this team and that there will be a
tremendous overall show of support. We have obviously agreed to
write Craig some pretty large checks to back up that belief,"
Freeman said.
The biggest challenge in keeping the team in Nashville?
"Simply buy tickets and show up at games. That's really it,"
Freeman said.
They hope to finalize their application later this month and
plan to present the deal to the NHL board of governors for approval
at a scheduled meeting in mid-September. That would allow the new
owners to take over before the season opener Oct. 4.
"Anything can happen, but having said that, clearly we've gone
through the most difficult part of the process right now," Leipold
said of completing this sale.
Leipold has been trying to sell his franchise because he said he
has lost $70 million since being awarded the team in June 1997. He
said he never thought about trying to retain a minority ownership
share.
He believes this group and its local ties to businesses will
help the Predators succeed in boosting corporate support from 35
percent. That is nearly half what other NHL teams enjoy.
The group also includes Herb Fritch, CEO of HealthSpring Inc.
Freeman said the remaining five Nashvillians will be unveiled in
two weeks.
The team still must average 14,000 in paid attendance this
season to keep the arena lease in effect after the upcoming season.
Freeman said they have no intention of breaking the lease but
emphasized the Predators must average enough in ticket sales to
collect under the NHL's revenue-sharing plan.
A 15-hour rally July 19 helped sell 726 season tickets, which
Leipold called the biggest sales day in the franchise's short
history.
Del Biaggio said there is no owner in the NHL who can survive
losing up to $15 million a year as Leipold has done recently.
"Success to us will mean not just being able to survive
financially, but we want the club to win," Freeman said.