Tweet from Luke......
BREAKING Carolina Hurricanes sale to Thomas Dundon scheduled to close later this morning. Press conference with Gary Bettman tomorrow.
Kind of amazing someone spends so much to buy a business they don't know much about .
What else are you going to do with a billion dollars?
If you want to own a major league sports team for one of the big 4 sports, a small market NHL team is as good a price point as you are going to find.
Its a bummer that he lives in the Dallas area, it would have been great to have a local owner up there in a suite most of the time. As I stated earlier, one of the most interesting things to me will be how Dundon views Waddell's 'empty building is ok' approach. We are what, less than 2 months away from when the Canes are going to be sending out season tix invoices for next season and asking for season tix holders to purchase playoff sheets for the first 2 rounds? How quickly will Dundon be involved and is he going to be willing to offer/ask for changes in these types of decisions (season tix prices/plans, playoff ticket prices, etc.)?
While there might not be much he changes for THIS season, the Canes are going to be asking for commitments for NEXT season not too long from now. That will be one of his first chances to alter the landscape of how this team does business.
It's official. Tom Dundon owns 61% of the Carolina Hurricanes, a higher percentage that previously reported.
https://www.nhl.com/hurricanes/news/tom-dundon-becomes-majority-owner-of-hurricanes/c-294863198
Presser at noon tomorrow with Bettman, Karmanos, Francis and Waddell.
LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!
Improving the experience for both the team and the fan will be one of Dundon's first priorities. And he's willing to spend "whatever it takes."
Dundon in the Dallas News:
https://www.dallasnews.com/business...as-billionaire-close-deal-buy-nhls-hurricanes
Per NHL Network yesterday, the terms of the ownership change include a "no move" condition for 7 years. That doesn't mean that after 7 years the NHL will allow the team to be moved, but it does mean that we know for sure it won't be for the next 7 years. That is more than long enough to re-energize this market under Dundon's direction.
One of Luke's columns today. We might see noticeable changes to the fan experience tonight?
http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/spt-columns-blogs/luke-decock/article194260614.html