Gretzky approached on majority stake purchase in MLSE

[SmokedPanda]

http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/article/1088847--gretzky-approached-on-majority-stake-purchase-in-mlse-reports?bn=1

go buck wild everyone

[TFCRegina]

http://www.thestar.com/sports/hockey/article/1088847--gretzky-approached-on-majority-stake-purchase-in-mlse-reports?bn=1

go buck wild everyone

So we can have a guy and his wife both with a gambling problem running our soccer club in a sport that is rife with match fixing allegations for the benefit of gamblers.

Hmm.

[Whoop]

How did his ownership involvement with the Phoenix Coyotes go?

[Brooker]

Wayne Gretzky has a gambling problem? I remember that whole controversy but they couldn't prove anything, right?

[Whoop]

His wife has the gambling problem not him. He was implicated by assocation. His wife and Rick Tocchet.

His agent has shot down the MLSE story.

[werewolf]

http://torontoist.com/attachments/toronto_boy/2006_6_16gretzky.jpg

[boban]

His wife has the gambling problem not him. He was implicated by assocation. His wife and Rick Tocchet.

His agent has shot down the MLSE story.
Not so on the late local news it wasn't.

[Shakes McQueen]

They want him as a figurehead for the potential ownership group. Woop-de-doo.

I mean, I guess it'd be cool to have him in a box at some Leafs home games, and giving a few press conferences, but this isn't really Earth-shattering stuff.

- Scott

[Whoop]

Not so on the late local news it wasn't.

Posted 2 minutes ago in a Globe article.



“Wayne is often approached about becoming involved in various hockey opportunities,” said Darren Blake, Gretzky’s agent. “At this point in time there is nothing happening involving the purchase of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Wayne has always said that whoever purchases the Maple Leafs is getting a great franchise in a great city.”

[UltraSuperMegaMo]

I've got no idea how much Gretzky is worth, but you need to a billionaire three or four times over to own the majority of something like MLSE. I wouldn't have though he had quite that much dosh.

[Whoop]

I figure he would just be a figurehead with a small part of it.

[boban]

Posted 2 minutes ago in a Globe article.
But that quote doesn't quash the fact that he was approached. His agent is just saying that now nothing is happening. Big difference.

[ensco]

These rumours have the whiff of a stalled process around them. Putting stuff out there like the Providence rumour, and this, is the sort of thing a seller does when he gets worried.

[menefreghista]

These rumours have the whiff of a stalled process around them. Putting stuff out there like the Providence rumour, and this, is the sort of thing a seller does when he gets worried.

The one thing about the Providence rumour is that unless the CRTC changes its rules, they wouldn't even be able to own the TV properties.

I think eventually one of two things happens:

-MLSE drops the price and one of Canada's leading media companies (Bell, Rogers, Shaw) buys the team.
-MLSE takes their shares off the market.

[Whoop]

The funny thing is as big as Wayne Gretzky is, its speculated his net worth is likely around $150 million, which is only 10% of the asking price.

[TFCin110]

Still trying to figure out how this is TFC/MLS News?

[Brooker]

Still trying to figure out how this is TFC/MLS News?

Really? MLSE, man. They own TFC. :)

[Beach_Red]

The funny thing is as big as Wayne Gretzky is, its speculated his net worth is likely around $150 million, which is only 10% of the asking price.


The really funny thing is why someone would think they need a famous figurehead for a hockey team in Toronto.

[SmokedPanda]

I've got no idea how much Gretzky is worth, but you need to a billionaire three or four times over to own the majority of something like MLSE. I wouldn't have though he had quite that much dosh.

The Coyotes still owe him a lot of money

[boban]

The really funny thing is why someone would think they need a famous figurehead for a hockey team in Toronto.
Csz the company is US. Wouldn't it seem to you more than a little sacrilegious that a US firm would own on of Canada's iconic hockey teams without some significant Canadian content?

[ACSertL]

The Coyotes still owe him a lot of money

I hear the figure was *only 8 million

*I wish I was owed 8 million.

[TorCanSoc]

Didn't he own a piece of the argos with Bruce McNaul?

[billyfly]

Good point made on radio why this is different than Gillette owning the Habs. Quebecers aren't so pro-Canadian.

[Shakes McQueen]

Csz the company is US. Wouldn't it seem to you more than a little sacrilegious that a US firm would own on of Canada's iconic hockey teams without some significant Canadian content?

Yeah, it's a public relations thing for the prospective ownership group.

- Scott

[billyfly]

John Shannon said the same thing. He supposedly broke the story first.

[Oblio2]

I dont give a flyin fuck who is in charge..stick Ghadaffis corpse in there for all I care, just let us win the fucking cup