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$10.1 billion net worth NBA franchise owner Tilman Fertitta rumored to be eyeing NHL expansion team in Houston
An NHL expansion could be on the horizon in the near future. After the league added in the Vegas Golden Knights and the Seattle Kraken, another potential expansion could be on the cards. While fans in Arizona have held out hope that they could see a team return to The Valley, it sounds as though a Phoenix-based team is unlikely.
According to a report from Bally Sports' Andy Strickland, owners will be meeting to approve an NHL expansion. In addition, the two leading cities are Houston and Atlanta, with Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta eager to bring a team to the Houston area.
Fertitta, who has a net worth of $10.1 billion, took ownership of the Houston Rockets back in 2017, purchasing the team for $2.2 billion. Since then, he has also made it clear that he has his sights set on a WNBA team once the league begins to discuss its next expansion.
From the sounds of things, Fertitta could face some stiff competition, however, with Atlanta believed to be the frontrunner for a potential NHL expansion team. While the NHL has struggled to establish a footing in the state in the past, this time, it sounds as though there is optimism that Vernon Krause can change that.
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman talks about NHL expansion
Amid growth in the last few seasons, the idea of an NHL expansion is one that commissioner Gary Bettman hasn't been contemplating.
In June, he spoke about the situation, saying that the league doesn't feel a sense of urgency. While speaking to Sports Business Journal, Bettman compared the league's stance on an expansion in 2024 to previous expansions.
While in the past, the league has been dead-set on expanding, this time it sounds as though nothing has been set in stone. Although he said things could change, as of June, Bettman seemed indifferent:
"This isn’t like we did a few years ago, when we said, ‘OK, if you want a team, we’re going to expand. We’ll have a beauty pageant. File your application by date X.’ We listen, we meet, we think about the expressions of interest.
"But at the present time, we’re not contemplating doing anything. ... We don’t see an urgency to do it right this moment."
As Bettman explained, when contemplating the situation, the league looks at the potential market, ownership groups, and arena location - something that Atlanta seems to check all the boxes for.
Given that, it will be interesting to see how things play out at the upcoming owners' meeting.
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