echl.com
I hadn't heard that the naming rights for the Greensboro Coliseum had been sold to First Horizon. Apparently it was annouced earlier this month...Zawyer Sports and Entertainment was granted an ECHL expansion franchise to begin playing in the 2025-26 season. They’ll play at the Greensboro Coliseum. They’ll be the 3rd ECHL team that Zawyer owns outright, along with the Jacksonville Icemen and Savannah Ghost Pirates. They are also non owner operations consultants for the ECHL Tahoe Knight Monsters, which are part owned by Tim Tebow, who is also an investor in Zawyer. They also own the Charlotte Checkers, having taken majority ownership in July.
Official Site of The ECHL | ECHL approves Expansion Membership for Greensboro
The ECHL Board of Governors has approved an Expansion Membership for Greensboro, North Carolina, to begin play in the 2025-26 Season as the League's 30th team.
Oak View Group took over operation of the complex too. They own and/or operate more than 50 arenas across the US and Canada including Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle and PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. They also operate the Crown Complex in Fayetteville.
Damn, it's a hockeygasm!
www.sportsbusinessjournal.com
So, a three year transitional period before Vinik hands control to the new majority group. That basically coincides with the basic window before they'll be forced to start over rebuilding an NHL roster. Kucherov will be out of contract, Guentzel, Point and Hedman will be well north of their primes and 90% of the rest of that roster will be made of pre-wrap by then. He's been a terrific owner for a franchise that sorely needed stable management. Good on him for taking care of his staff and for knowing he doesn't have the stomach to start all over again.This flew under the radar a bit. Jeff Vinik sold a majority interest in the Tampa Bay Lightning that values the club at $1.8 billion. He bought the team for $93 million in 2010. Yesterday, full time employees of the Vinik Sports Group were informed that they’re receiving a bonus of between $50,000 - 66,000. There are more than 300 employees.
Lightning owner giving employees $20M in bonuses after selling majority stake in team
Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik is paying out approximately $20M in bonuses to the organization’s more than 300 employees after selling a a majority of his equity in the team.
