Senators Could Be First NHL Team With Black Owner

The Ottawa Senators have drawn takeover interest from another investor in the entertainment industry — who could make NHL history. 

Los Angeles-based actor, producer, and tech entrepreneur Neko Sparks is reportedly planning to submit a bid to purchase the Senators — the 24th-most-valuable NHL franchise at $800 million, per Forbes. A deal would make Sparks the first Black owner in NHL history. 

• The Senators could be sold for as much as $950 million, per the Athletic. 
• A bid for the team would include a group of 13-15 investors. 
• The consortium would be from the U.S. and Canada.
• About 75% of the purchasing group would be people of color.

In November 2022, the Senators were made available after the family of the team’s late owner Eugene Melnyk hired Galatioto Sports Partners to explore a sale of the franchise. 

Melnyk purchased the Senators for $92 million in 2003 to save them from bankruptcy. 

GSP was expected to find the Senators’ next owner by mid-January, but the sale has been delayed roughly two weeks after the investment firm announced it wasn’t ready to open a due diligence website for potential buyers to look at the team’s financials.

Teams

| by Abigail Gentrup

Ottawa Senators Sale Hits Speed Bump

The due diligence website with the team’s financials isn’t ready to open.

January 4, 2023

The group reportedly wants to vet potential bidders before the website’s launch.

Star Attraction

Actor and Wrexham AFC co-owner Ryan Reynolds is reportedly “very interested” in owning the Senators and keeping them in Ottawa, though the Vancouver native has voiced his need for a consortium of investors to complete a deal.