Panthers announce new majority owners
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SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Panthers majority owner Alan Cohen is stepping down to allow two minority partners to run the NHL franchise.

The team introduced Cliff Viner and Stu Siegel as co-general partners at a news conference Monday.

An e-mail sent to fans said that Cohen will remain a limited partner with the team, which has not won a playoff series since 1996 or a playoff game since 1997. In the release, Cohen thanked Viner and Siegel, and said South Florida is a "great market and they deserve a winner."

The deal has not yet been approved by the league.

Cohen led a group of investors that bought the Panthers in 2001 from billionaire entrepreneur H. Wayne Huizenga.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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