As a New Jersey Devils fan, what's most disappointing about Bloomberg News' scoop that owner Jeffrey Vanderbeek is seeking to sell the team isn't that the franchise is for sale but that Vanderbeek is selling it.
First, the news, via Bloomberg:
The New Jersey Devils may be sold by owner Jeffrey Vanderbeek, a former member of the executive committee at Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc., according to a person familiar with the potential sale.
Vanderbeek has hired investment bank Moag & Co. in Baltimore to oversee the sale of the National Hockey League club, and has sent out letters to prospective buyers soliciting interest, said the person, who has seen the letter and requested anonymity because the team hasn't given him permission to discuss it.
In an e-mail, Vanderbeek said he was traveling and wouldn't be available to talk until later today.
Now, a caveat: Both Devils beat writer Tom Gulitti and TSN's Darren Dreger are pessimistic about the report, with Dreger reporting that "league source are refuting" the news.
So barring clarification that renders the Bloomberg news irrelevant, let's say this: Vanderbeek selling, in this season from hell, is a nightmare.
This isn't to say he's been an ideal owner. This is to say that, as a Devils fan, he's one of us: a season-ticket holder for 15 years before purchasing a majority interest in the team in 2004. He barnstormed the state to talk with fans, has been accessible at home games and has been as personable as an executive as the franchise has traditionally been disconnecting in its marketing. He's like our Ted Leonsis, minus the blogging and with an Aaron Broten jersey.
This also brings up some uncomfortable memories for fans that, we figured, were buried in the swamp the franchise left for a downtown arena in Newark. Like, for example, winning the franchise's first Stanley Cup at the same time relocation to Nashville seemed inevitable.
Which is to say we've done this dance before, but figured the song ended with Vanderbeek. In hindsight, the writing's been on the wall through reports like Mike Colligan's ominous reporting on the team's finances in the wake of the Ilya Kovalchuk signing and, of course, the reports that retaining Kovalchuk was to sweeten the pot for New Jersey Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov to buy the Devils.
At the time, Vanderbeek told the Globe & Mail that he was "in it for the long haul and had no plans to sell," according the paper.
So now the questions swirl. About the future of Zach Parise. About the franchise's stability. About Vanderbeek, as we await his first comments on the matter. And if the team is for sale, about how many Facebook friends it will take to buy it.
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UPDATE: Per Tom Gulitti of Fire & Ice, Vanderbeek has released a statement:
"As Managing Member of the New Jersey Devils, it is not my desire to sell the team. ... My partner, Brick City, and I have different visions for the franchise. While Brick City has a right, under our partnership agreement, to explore a sale and Moag and Co. has been retained to assist in these effort, I anticipate maintaining a controlling interest."
Which means it's this guy who wants out.
UPDATE (10:30 p.m.) Michael Gilfillan of Brick City Hockey releases a statement:
"Brick City has exercised its contractual rights under its partnership agreement with Jeff Vanderbeek to cause a sale of the entire team and arena rights, subject to certain terms and conditions.
"We are at the beginning stage of this process and Moag and Company has been retained to assist in those efforts.
"Our goal was to use professional sports as a catalyst for economic development in Newark by constructing a state of the art arena for the teams as well as for concerts and family shows.
"Brick City feels we have accomplished that objective with our partner Jeff Vanderbeek.
"The arena and the teams playing here have also attracted more people to come back to the city in an ongoing effort to restore pride, sports, arts, culture and business to this beautiful city.”
"...cause a sale of the entire team and arena rights." Hmmm.
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