The National Hockey League (NHL) has engaged in discussions with a group spearheaded by billionaire Dan Friedkin. The focus of these talks is Friedkin’s interest in establishing an expansion NHL team in Houston. This was confirmed by Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly on Thursday night in a statement to the Associated Press.
Dan Friedkin, whose financial status is estimated at $6.4 billion by Forbes, recently acquired a significant 98.8 percent stake in Everton, a prominent English Premier League football club. Based in Houston, the Friedkin Group, with Dan’s son Ryan involved, holds diverse investments spanning across automotive, entertainment, hospitality, and sports sectors.
Inquiries directed to the Friedkin Group for comments have not yet been addressed. ESPN has reported that Friedkin is emerging as a primary candidate for an NHL franchise should the league decide to grow beyond its current 32 teams.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman has consistently stated that the league is not currently engaged in a formal process of expansion. However, it’s noted that multiple groups in Atlanta have also shown interest in potentially reviving hockey in the capital of Georgia for a third time.
In September, Commissioner Bettman indicated to The AP that any NHL expansion would be approached in a highly selective manner.
Bettman stated, “If an interested party meets all criteria and wishes to proceed, I will then present it to the executive committee to gauge their interest. We are not going to repeat past practices of announcing widespread interest and inviting applications by a set date for consideration. Any expansion would be a singular, one-off decision, if pursued at all.”
The topic of expansion was not addressed during Commissioner Bettman’s press conference on Wednesday, which summarized the annual general managers spring meeting in Florida.
Just over a year ago, Ryan Smith’s group publicly expressed interest in securing an expansion team for Utah. Subsequently, the Smith Entertainment Group purchased the Arizona Coyotes from previous owner Alex Meruelo and relocated the team to Salt Lake City. For the current season, they are known as the Utah Hockey Club.
The NHL’s recent successful expansions into Las Vegas and Seattle, which involved escalating expansion fees potentially nearing $1 billion for future teams, have fueled discussions about further expansion to 33 and eventually 34 teams. Prior to the Vegas Golden Knights’ entry in 2017, the league had not expanded since 2000, when the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild joined.
Reportedly, Friedkin, who accumulated his wealth through Toyota distribution in Texas, was also considering a bid for the NBA’s Boston Celtics before the team was sold on Thursday.
Tristan Blackwood