News Article: Lightning working on sale for value close to $2 Billion

[Lightning1995]

Majority stake doesn't mean the same thing as a controlling stake, unless there's some kind of NHL rule.

We know that he's selling only part of his share of the ownership of the team.

We're getting a bunch of sports guys (including us) talking about business, and that's not our area of focus.


Owning the majority of the team (over 50%) is good, because there can't be any hostile takeover. The thing is, you're essentially leasing a team from the NHL. They have to approve owners and transactions.

There also may be a clause in the deal that allows them to only sell back to Vinik. (I guess a sub-lease in this case)

No one is buying a majority share of anything material without control. MAYBE Vinik stays on as a manager and face of the franchise, best case. But he will not have final say and he could get replaced as manager if the controlling partner wants to

 

[Felonious Python]

No one is buying a majority share of anything material without control. MAYBE Vinik stays on as a manager and face of the franchise, best case. But he will not have final say and he could get replaced as manager if the controlling partner wants to

The majority share would also be the controlling share, but I don't think the controlling share has to be +50%. If Vinik owned 40%, and everyone else owned 5%, he'd still be the controlling owner.

 

[Todd1a]

I think Vinik knows where jbb has this team heading and is selling while he can get top value.

Yes JBB has this team heading to the dumpster draft lottery sooner or later we all see it with his moves

 

[Bartleby]

I think Vinik knows where jbb has this team heading and is selling while he can get top value.

While there is probably an element of selling at or near the top involved, where this team is heading is where every team that has ever been great eventually has to get to before it can become great again. It has nothing to do with JBB.

 

[ThunderRoad]

The majority share would also be the controlling share, but I don't think the controlling share has to be +50%. If Vinik owned 40%, and everyone else owned 5%, he'd still be the controlling owner.

The bigger the ownership group becomes the more arduous decisions can become, like having a board of directors that requires voting on measures, delays in getting agreements, etc. None of this is beneficial, it's more of a question of how big of an issue it becomes with the "too many cooks in the kitchen" standpoint.

Perhaps Vinik is having some issues with his investments and costs are getting more difficult to absorb so he is in need of bringing in more funds and thus growing the ownership group. Obviously he's doing it for a reason and financially driven, but team would be better off if this wasn't being pursued.

 

[ThunderRoad]

I think Vinik knows where jbb has this team heading and is selling while he can get top value.

He can replace him if he felt that strongly about BriseBois' job performance. It seems quite possible that message might have already been given since he did some course correcting this off-season by offloading Sergachev and Jeannot's contracts and bringing back McDonagh for the defensive responsibility role. Obviously the message was to get better defensively, whether he came to that conclusion on his own or was pointed in that direction.

 

[Todd1a]

The bigger the ownership group becomes the more arduous decisions can become, like having a board of directors that requires voting on measures, delays in getting agreements, etc. None of this is beneficial, it's more of a question of how big of an issue it becomes with the "too many cooks in the kitchen" standpoint.

Perhaps Vinik is having some issues with his investments and costs are getting more difficult to absorb so he is in need of bringing in more funds and thus growing the ownership group. Obviously he's doing it for a reason and financially driven, but team would be better off if this wasn't being pursued.

Yes this could be a big problem because normally vinik would have no problems paying heavy bonus money to players! With a board of directors group this definitely will slow down everything

 

[Outl4w]

While there is probably an element of selling at or near the top involved, where this team is heading is where every team that has ever been great eventually has to get to before it can become great again. It has nothing to do with JBB.

What moves has jbb made in the last two years that puts this team loaded with high end talent closer to a Stanley cup? I'll wait. He has one move extending Hagel. Everything.else has been a bust or unproven . You see gma signing top 6 forwards for 3.5 million or less and he is busy overpaying washed up vets like jeannot, sheary, atkinson, and dehann.

 

[OurlordAndSaviorKuch]

Well I hope the new owner isn't someone like Elon Musk who renames the team to Tampa Bay X and f***s everything up throughout the organization.

I hate you for speaking this.

Maybe Vinik is using the proceeds to buy the Rays eh? LMAO

 

[These Are The Days]

I hate you for speaking this.

Maybe Vinik is using the proceeds to buy the Rays eh? LMAO

After 3 Cups and 2 Super Bowls, I will die in peace if the Rays win a World Series

 

[Lightning1995]

The majority share would also be the controlling share, but I don't think the controlling share has to be +50%. If Vinik owned 40%, and everyone else owned 5%, he'd still be the controlling owner.

True, but the story reads like he’s turning over the keys gradually

 

[Point21]

NFL’s Bucs Rejected Record $6 Billion-Plus to Sell Team

Looks like Tampa is a place of interest all of a sudden

 

[T REX]

Sell high...most of the time a company/business knows before anyone on the outside what is coming down the pipe.

Yes, financials are poured over...but sometimes you have a gut feeling...time to get out.

Financials look really good right now. The long term outlook on the team is poor. Not sure anyone would argue that point. Right now, he is getting top dollar.

Again, what were the terms of the divorce. This can't be a coincidence.

 

[Todd1a]

Sell high...most of the time a company/business knows before anyone on the outside what is coming down the pipe.

Yes, financials are poured over...but sometimes you have a gut feeling...time to get out.

Financials look really good right now. The long term outlook on the team is poor. Not sure anyone would argue that point. Right now, he is getting top dollar.

Again, what were the terms of the divorce. This can't be a coincidence.

You have to have the right people to rebuild quickly the rangers rebuilt fast the redwings didn’t. I definitely don’t think JBB is the right GM for a long term rebuild when it’s time .

But a fast rebuild 2-3 years can be done if you hit in drafts , trades and free agency nothing JBB has shown me though tells me he can do that

 

[Bartleby]

What moves has jbb made in the last two years that puts this team loaded with high end talent closer to a Stanley cup? I'll wait. He has one move extending Hagel. Everything.else has been a bust or unproven . You see gma signing top 6 forwards for 3.5 million or less and he is busy overpaying washed up vets like jeannot, sheary, atkinson, and dehann.

He's made the kinds of desperate moves that teams with 2 Stanley Cups and another Finals appearance make when trying to stay at the top but don't have any cap room or prospects left because those resources were used getting to the top. You only get so long in that position - especially in a hard and flat cap world- and there is nothing that JBB or any other GM can do to change that fact. 1970s Canadiens-like dynasties don't exist anymore and only people such as yourself with no historical perspective believe otherwise.

 

[These Are The Days]

NFL’s Bucs Rejected Record $6 Billion-Plus to Sell Team

Looks like Tampa is a place of interest all of a sudden

Crazy. I only just found out the Rays were in talks to be sold within the last year too. God that would have been nice after 17 years of "Moneyball" and the only guy who managed more than 8 years career was Kevin Kiermaier and Longoria being traded in the prime of his career for Matt f***ing Duffy

 

[Night Shift]

Anyone know anything about the new owner? Ownz ownz

[YT]

 

[JTBF81]

You have to have the right people to rebuild quickly the rangers rebuilt fast the redwings didn’t. I definitely don’t think JBB is the right GM for a long term rebuild when it’s time .

But a fast rebuild 2-3 years can be done if you hit in drafts , trades and free agency nothing JBB has shown me though tells me he can do that

Except many of his draft picks are still TBD whether they work out, and using quite a few to get to the top reduces the number of lottery tickets he had to work with. You mean the trades for Goodrow, Coleman and Hagel that have all worked.out well, or getting back McD for a reasonable cost, or realizing he had made a bad trade and getting better than expected value back on Jeannot given the circumstances, or maybe getting good value and clearing cap space with Serg to then get the best free agent out there this summer? You mean those moves that don't give you any confidence? Or are we still blaming everything on a cap signing for a 3rd liner that costs 2.3% of the cap and was a year too much term, and the afore mentioned Jeannot trade that was a big swing and miss to be sure, but also salvaged aside from the 1st. Just checking when you say nothing he's done in those areas inspires confidence he could lead them to a successful rebuild or re-tool. He was also an integral part of the Yzerman tenure, and last I checked, he has his name on the Cup twice as a GM without Yzerman, Yzerman with 0 as a GM still.

 

[Felonious Python]

HFBolts conclusion: The team was unsellable with Jeannot on the roster.

 

[ThunderRoad]

HFBolts conclusion: The team was unsellable with Jeannot on the roster.

That's gotta be a blow to the self-esteem.

 

[Night Shift]

Anyway, Not expecting the new owner to be Vinik since those are some big shoes to fill. However, as a long as he cares and puts effort into keeping us competitive that'll be enough for me.

You would think someone investing 2B into a hockey team is really into the sport and thus committed to excellence growing our market.

 

[Todd1a]

Anyway, Not expecting the new owner to be Vinik since those are some big shoes to fill. However, as a long as he cares and puts effort into keeping us competitive that'll be enough for me.

You would think someone investing 2B into a hockey team is really into the sport and thus committed to excellence growing our market.

Well one thing is for sure if your buying a team for 2 billion then they got a lot of money

 

[Bear of Bad News]

Break it up, you two.

 

[Todd1a]

Except many of his draft picks are still TBD whether they work out, and using quite a few to get to the top reduces the number of lottery tickets he had to work with. You mean the trades for Goodrow, Coleman and Hagel that have all worked.out well, or getting back McD for a reasonable cost, or realizing he had made a bad trade and getting better than expected value back on Jeannot given the circumstances, or maybe getting good value and clearing cap space with Serg to then get the best free agent out there this summer? You mean those moves that don't give you any confidence? Or are we still blaming everything on a cap signing for a 3rd liner that costs 2.3% of the cap and was a year too much term, and the afore mentioned Jeannot trade that was a big swing and miss to be sure, but also salvaged aside from the 1st. Just checking when you say nothing he's done in those areas inspires confidence he could lead them to a successful rebuild or re-tool. He was also an integral part of the Yzerman tenure, and last I checked, he has his name on the Cup twice as a GM without Yzerman, Yzerman with 0 as a GM still.

His drafts have been horrible since he took over GM in 2019 ! Name me a top 6 forward and a top 4 defenseman he drafted in the last 5 years I’ll wait !

 

[JTBF81]

His drafts have been horrible since he took over GM in 2019 ! Name me a top 6 forward and a top 4 defenseman he drafted in the last 5 years I’ll wait !

With what picks? They have Howard and Gauthier progressing fine; Duke and Goncalves have plenty of potential as well, and Finley, if he can rebound and stay healthy still.has a shot. Crozier has already seen NHL.time, and Schmidt is also doing fine as a prospect. Huuhtanen could end up being another late round steal, and most picks from '21 or '22 and beyond are still too early to tell anyway, especially with Tampa's developmental pace. That's just a small sampling, and who knows what other recent draft picks could still work out.

They didn't really need to draft any top 4 dmen given who they had/have, so the focus wasn't really on drafting anyone like that with any of the few early round picks he's had. He did the right thing by using those early round picks to acquire players to go for championships and improve the team while the window is open, and for the most part, he has been very successful. Because of this strategy, JBB has only drafted 5 players in the 1st or 2nd round in his 6 drafts as GM (one.of which was.tben traded for Coleman).

Sure, the prospect pool is not that deep, but that's what happens when your team promotes it's high quality talent, becomes highly successful, no longer drafts high 1st round picks, and leverages many of the later 1sts to go for the ultimate prize. JBB has made some mistakes, but his level of successful moves and overall success as GM far outweighs them. Considering he was also Yzerman's top assistant and #1 numbers guy, I'd argue he also had a large amount of input when Tampa was actually re-building/building g a championship team as well. He recognized the team needed a re-tool this offseason as well, and he did what he felt was needed to improve them in those areas in order to give them the best chance to win another title. There is little reason to have little to no confidence in his ability to lead the team (as of now) based on the areas you mentioned.