Reports: Senators exploring sale of team
Published
The Ottawa Senators have retained an investment bank to explore a sale of the NHL team, according to multiple reports.
Postmedia and sports business publication Sportico reported Tuesday that the Melnyk family has hired New York-based firm Galatioto Sports Partners to try to sell the franchise. Sportico added that the Senators’ board of directors had "already interviewed sell-side bankers" and "there is significant interest in the franchise."
Anna and Olivia Melnyk - daughters of the late Eugene Melnyk - took over the franchise after the Senators' owner passed away in March.
A Senators spokesperson told Postmedia and CTV News Ottawa that the organization has no comment, while NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told Postmedia that would not respond to the report.
In a story assessing NHL franchise values released on Tuesday, Sportico valued the Senators at $655 million (U.S.), up 21 per cent from last year.
A new downtown arena for the Senators took another step towards fruition in June, when the National Capital Commission announced the team was selected as the preferred bidder for the LeBreton Flats project and a memorandum with a group led by the team was signed for a "major event centre."
The Senators’ bid was chosen ahead of what the NCC said were “multiple” other expressions of interest for the land, which lies just west of Ottawa’s Centretown neighbourhood, close to the downtown core.