In January, ownership of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes made it known that the team could be had for the right price. Evidently, that price was somewhere in the neighborhood of half a billion dollars.
According to Scott Soshnick of Bloomberg, Chuck Greenberg is close to buying the Hurricanes for $500 million.
BREAKING: Former @Rangers CEO Chuck Greenberg close to ~ $500M deal to buy @NHL's @NHLCanes, who'll stay in Carolina, sources say #sportsbiz
— Scott Soshnick (@soshnick) July 13, 2017
That’s certainly great news for the fans in Carolina.
Many non-traditional hockey markets have struggled to support their teams. The Atlanta Thrashers became the new Winnipeg Jets in 2011. The old Jets, the Arizona Coyotes, have long dealt with uncertainty as it regards their future in the desert.
Carolina ranked last in the NHL in attendance in the 2016-17 season, both in terms of total numbers and percentages. But as two conference championships and a Stanley Cup win in 2006 will attest, it is possible to have a championship caliber team in Carolina.