Report: Predators nearing sale to former Tennessee governor Bill Haslam

Former Tennessee governor Bill Haslam is nearing a deal to purchase the Nashville Predators, according to a report from Sportico reporter Eben Novy-Williams.

Since 2007, the NHL franchise has been owned by Predators Holdings LLC, which mostly consists of local executives in the Nashville metropolitan area. In 2019, Herb Fritch took over as the chairman of the Predators ownership group.

The reported purchase of the team is unexpected as there was little indication that Predators Holdings LLC was interested in selling the franchise.

Haslam, 63, was the mayor of Knoxville, Tenn. before getting elected as governor of Tennessee in 2010 and re-elected in 2014. He's the younger brother of Cleveland Browns owner Jimmy Haslam. According to Forbes, Bill Haslam's net worth is estimated at $2.3B.

The price tag of the reported sale hasn't yet been revealed, but Forbes most recently estimated the Predators to be worth $600M, making it the 25th most valuable NHL franchise. Predators Holdings LLC purchased the team 15 years ago for $174M.

The Predators reached the Stanley Cup Final for the first time in franchise history in 2017, but lost in six games to the Pittsburgh Penguins. While the team has made the playoffs in each of the last five seasons, they have failed to advance past the second round.