Jim Balsillie - Hockey

Hockey

Further information: Potential National Hockey League expansion into Canada

Balsillie has been active in his efforts to buy a National Hockey League franchise with the overt intention of moving whichever franchise he buys to Hamilton, Ontario. He has so far bid on at least three teams: Balsillie walked away from an attempt to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins after he claimed the NHL had interfered with the process. The Nashville Predators rebuffed his offers because of his desire to move the team to Hamilton, while a third offer to buy the bankrupt Phoenix Coyotes, with the same precondition, has been rejected.

Balsillie has also had discussions with the Buffalo Sabres about purchasing that team. Initially, no offer was made, but an unnamed bidder who fit Balsillie's description submitted a $259,000,000 bid for the Sabres in February 2011, contingent on moving the team out of Buffalo. Sabres owners Tom Golisano and Larry Quinn rejected the bid, instead following through on an earlier, lower bid by Terrence Pegula, who is committed to keeping the team in Buffalo. The Sabres have been one of the largest opponents of a Hamilton NHL franchise, due to concerns that a Hamilton franchise would detract from their respective fanbases.