Rumor: The Jacobs Famly (Delaware North) wants to buy the Sabres but it gets complcated

Fenway

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This rumor has been percolating in Boston for a few weeks and spawns from the Celtics being up for sale. Delaware North simply can't afford the Celtics who could be sold for $5 BILLION :eek3:

The six children of Jeremy Jacobs now own the Bruins and Delaware North owns TD Garden. The family feels they can build a new arena downtown to replace the flawed KeyBank Center.

But for this to work you need a third team and the Penguins are the perfect fit as Terry Pegula has strong Pennslynaia connections and the Penguins are currently owned by the Red Sox.

Fenway Sports Group then winds up with the Bruins/TD Garden and can overpay for the Celtics and prevent another arena from being built.

The one thing nobody outside of the Jacobs family knows is the health of Jeremy.

Pegula and the Jacobs Family most likely don't exchange holiday cards as giving the concessions for the new Bills stadium to Jerry Jones was unexpected.
 

Jim Bob

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Calling b.s. Pegula just said he wants to leave the Bill's/Sabres in his kids hands
If this rumor is that the Jacobs family wants this to happen, then it isn't BS.

The challenge would be the getting Pegula another NHL franchise, like the Penguins.

The other challenge with that is that I am not sure the NFL would be OK with that. I thought they had a rule that an NFL owner could not own a major four sports franchise outside of the same market as their NFL team. But, that might be wrong.
 

Fenway

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This seems like a stretch.

Can't afford the Celtics but can afford to purchase a franchise that would need deep playoff runs to break even financially and wants to build a new arena on top of that.
Remember we are talking about a franchise swap

Delaware North has built a goldmine in Boston but if a new Celtics owner decides to build a new arena all bets are off. Everyone assumes a new Celtics arena would be built 3 miles away next to the Encore Casino which in 5 years has become extremely successful. They DON'T advertise as they don't have to.
 

truthbluth

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Feb 2, 2011
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If this rumor is that the Jacobs family wants this to happen, then it isn't BS.

The challenge would be the getting Pegula another NHL franchise, like the Penguins.

The other challenge with that is that I am not sure the NFL would be OK with that. I thought they had a rule that an NFL owner could not own a major four sports franchise outside of the same market as their NFL team. But, that might be wrong.
I believe that used to be the case, but it changed quite a few years ago.
 

Jim Bob

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I believe that used to be the case, but it changed quite a few years ago.

It looks like that rule to allow cross-ownership came in in 2018, but it does limit it to the home market or a market without an NFL team. I haven't seen that that has changed yet.

With Pittsburgh having the Steelers, Pegula might not be able to buy the Penguins.

Maybe he will have to buy the Leafs.

:sarcasm:
 

Fenway

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If this rumor is that the Jacobs family wants this to happen, then it isn't BS.

The challenge would be the getting Pegula another NHL franchise, like the Penguins.

The other challenge with that is that I am not sure the NFL would be OK with that. I thought they had a rule that an NFL owner could not own a major four sports franchise outside of the same market as their NFL team. But, that might be wrong.
The NFL had a problem with that and then


Delaware North would be a good custodian of the Sabres given their WNY roots.

I was shocked at how badly Pegula's team meeting in Montreal backfired. I feel terrible for all Sabres fans.
 

My Cozen Dylan

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Well if true, holt s***.

But the league shouldn’t let Pegula anywhere near another franchise if he actually departs this organization. I’m sure there’s another billionaire somewhere that wants the Pens.
 

old kummelweck

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This seems like a stretch.

Can't afford the Celtics but can afford to purchase a franchise that would need deep playoff runs to break even financially and wants to build a new arena on top of that.
Buy low doesn't make sense? You buy them and you move them to a city that wants a team and will build an arena on tax payers dime.

But yeah, seems like a stretch. I live in bean town and haven't heard anything about this.
 

joshjull

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Buy low doesn't make sense? You buy them and you move them to a city that wants a team and will build an arena on tax payers dime.

But yeah, seems like a stretch. I live in bean town and haven't heard anything about this.
I think the premise is based on the idea they want to save the Sabres for Buffalo. Since they have Buffalo roots and Delaware North’s HQ is in the City of Buffalo. I also don’t imagine Bettman would let the Sabres leave.

That said, I don’t put much stock in this rumor either. Thats a lot of franchises changing hands to make this happen.


Maybe they are looking to be a minority investor with the Sabres and the rumor spiraled from there.
 
Last edited:

May Day 10

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It makes sense, seeing the Pennsylvania driller guy owns Buffalo, the Fenway Group owns Pittsburgh, and the Buffalo family concessions business owns Boston.

But that is a whole lot of moving parts, negotiation, legal hurdles, etc. I doubt its a thing.
 
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tsujimoto74

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May 28, 2012
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Well if true, holt s***.

But the league shouldn’t let Pegula anywhere near another franchise if he actually departs this organization. I’m sure there’s another billionaire somewhere that wants the Pens.

I think the league should let Pegula buy all the other teams in our division. The Sabres would never lose again.
 

MOGlLNY

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Jan 5, 2008
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@Fenway

Does this rumor include Delaware North selling the Bruins?
What I’m getting out of this, is this:

Jacobs family get Sabres and want to build a new arena they can own and not split a tenant with.

Fenway sports entertainment buy the Celtics. Then the bruins and TD garden and pay the Jacobs family out the ass for TD and the B’s. FSE now owns all the teams in Boston proper and don’t have to split profit with the Jacob’s to use TD.

Pegula being from Pennsylvania gets the Penguins who are owned by Fenway Sports.
 

slip

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Why would the Jacobs family divest themselves of the money making Bruins for the money losing Sabres just to build a money losing venue in downtown Buffalo? This deal would involve the Fenway group to fork over 5 billion for the Celtics, and other 500 million to buy the Bruins after selling the Penguins to a cash poor Pegula, who must fork over another 5oo million to buy the Penguins, as he leaves tens of millions in investments in downtown Buffalo disconnected from his empire.

Maybe a Jacobs family member splintering off from the group to buy the Sabres outright could work if Pegula is finally fed up and willing to take his urealized capital gains from the Sabres and plow that into the Bills stadium.
 

MOGlLNY

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Jan 5, 2008
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Why would the Jacobs family divest themselves of the money making Bruins for the money losing Sabres just to build a money losing venue in downtown Buffalo? This deal would involve the Fenway group to fork over 5 billion for the Celtics, and other 500 million to buy the Bruins after selling the Penguins to a cash poor Pegula, who must fork over another 5oo million to buy the Penguins, as he leaves tens of millions in investments in downtown Buffalo disconnected from his empire.

Maybe a Jacobs family member splintering off from the group to buy the Sabres outright could work if Pegula is finally fed up and willing to take his urealized capital gains from the Sabres and plow that into the Bills stadium.
Jacobs would get paid out the nose for solo use of TD Garden and the opportunity to own all the Boston sports teams. Probably over market value enough to fund most of building a new arena.

I don’t think this would happen as it’s way too complicated but ya
 

Terrier

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Remember we are talking about a franchise swap

Delaware North has built a goldmine in Boston but if a new Celtics owner decides to build a new arena all bets are off. Everyone assumes a new Celtics arena would be built 3 miles away next to the Encore Casino which in 5 years has become extremely successful. They DON'T advertise as they don't have to.


Full disclosure, I have yet to visit Encore Everett. Is there room for an NBA arena and a Revolution ground?
 

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