NHL let Preds owner bypass scrutiny

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A potential investor in the Nashville Predators says troubled financier William J. "Boots" Del Biaggio III told him the NHL allowed Del Biaggio to bypass some of the league's strict financial background checks for prospective owners. Doug Bergeron, a California-based Canadian investor and entrepreneur and president of DGB Investments, was among those to whom Del Biaggio tried to market a share of the Predators. Bergeron said Del Biaggio told him in December that National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman's office had given special permission for Del Biaggio to buy a share of the team without being subjected to all the scrutiny the league usually gives to prospective owners. Del Biaggio told him the commissioner's office did not require him to show audited financial statements before it approved him.

Tennessean

Colin Wilson, Predators staff, AP Colin Wilson, Predators staff, AP
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July 18, 2008  07:42 AM ET

Shouldn't the NHL Board of Governors do an investigation of Bettman find out why this guy was given special treatment? I smell a kick-back here. Little Lord Fontleroy gives this felon a free pass, and then shuts out Jim Balsilie, who is a legitamite businessman and has more money than God. Perhaps Bettman is a little anti-Canadian?

July 18, 2008  08:02 AM ET

Bettman is a control freak, he learned this from his previous boss, David Stern. Balsillie should have kept his trap shut, bought the team, then attempted to re-locate. Bettman and the other owners (the Leafs and Sabres particularly) got a little nervous when Balsillie guaranteed his move to Hamilton. Bettman, therefore, struck back against him and influenced the other owners to back his blocking of Balsillie's bid. They rushed to give this fraud-master the Preds, now they are stuck with the messy details. Looks good on Gary and his cronies.

July 18, 2008  08:30 AM ET

And is this supposed to be a surprise to anyone? The Preds are Buttman's brain child and he won't let anyone with any credibility, ability and cash interfere with this troubled franchise. Come h*ell or high water, Buttman's going to see to it that his beloved Preds stay in honkytonk town!

July 18, 2008  09:23 AM ET

I guess "Boots" and Bettman make strange bedfellows. Thank God Mario did not let this Del Baggio character in on the Pens.

To quote Spiny...Bettman S*cks!

July 18, 2008  10:09 AM ET

I smell a law suit from the Canadian businessman who tried to buy the team, and for more money, against the league.

July 18, 2008  11:44 AM ET

If it looks like dung and smells like dung and tastes like dung you will probably find Bettstein's fingerprints on it.

July 18, 2008  12:52 PM ET

Is there anybody more inept than Bettman at running things? I think he's more inept than George Bush.

July 18, 2008  01:03 PM ET

Sorry BGM, Bettman is just screwing up a league, Bush is screwing up the whle country.

July 18, 2008  03:30 PM ET

Hey Gary will you take a personal check ?

July 18, 2008  10:49 PM ET

Bettman needs to join the army and the front lines.

July 18, 2008  10:50 PM ET

He'd probably screw that up too. He'd probably kill a dozen friendlies before someone blows him up.:)

July 18, 2008  11:34 PM ET

Bettman is just upset because Balsilie wouldn't offer him a R.I.M. job.

July 19, 2008  10:30 AM ET

Apparently the boots guy was bragging that he convinced Bettmans office to skip the stringent requirements to buy a portion of the Predators. Legit cash the midget does not like.

 
July 24, 2008  01:14 AM ET

Hey Gary, you need to resign as NHL commissioner, you don't like having another Canadian Team, Hamilton, is a perfect fit for the Preds, that city would sell out every game and it would not affect Toronto and Buffalo's fan base. Southern Ontario is the 4th or 5th largest Sports Market in North America. Hamilton has an arena and the residents would not have to travel far to see a live NHL game. Come on get with the program. Nashville does not sell out all it's games. If not Hamilton how about Quebec or Winnepeg they would not have lost their teams if a salary cap was implemented in the mid 90's/ Nashville is not a hockey town, it's more into Basketball and Football. If you don't want a team in Canada, then give Portland a chance they have the Rose Garden. It would create a great rivalry with Vancouver. Too bad Seattle has not chosen to renovate the Key Arena or build a new arena, now that the Sonics are gone, that would be another great city to have an NHL team. Kansas City can wait let a city that has not had a team get a chance.

Hyoer Brad

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