By Stephen Whyno Associated Press
June 24, 2026 - 1:01 pm
NEW YORK — The NHL is exploring imaginable enlargement successful Texas successful either Houston oregon Austin nether an statement with billionaire Dan Friedkin and his family, Commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday.
Bettman said the Board of Governors enforcement committee endorsed a word expanse agreed to with the Friedkins implicit the adjacent six months. The full concern required betwixt an enlargement interest and the outgo to physique a caller arena successful 1 of those cities would magnitude to $3.5 billion, according to Bettman, who said discussions implicit the past 2 years mostly revolved astir Houston earlier Austin joined the conversation.
“That’s portion of the process is to find what would beryllium best, some for the league and for Dan Friedkin and family,” Bettman said. “Both cities volition necessitate a caller arena. It whitethorn beryllium much feasible successful 1 spot than the other. And arsenic we excavation a small deeper and bash the owed diligence, we’ll fig retired which makes the astir sense.”
Friedkin is president and CEO of the Friedkin Group with a nett worthy of $6.4 billion, according to Forbes. The Houston-based consortium has investments successful the automotive industry, entertainment, hospitality and sports, including stakes successful European shot clubs Everton and AS Roma.
No committee ballot was taken. That would lone travel if the sides progressive determination guardant with an agreement.
While determination is nary warrant the NHL adds a 33rd team, the determination is simply a archetypal measurement toward becoming the largest nonrecreational sports league successful North America, surpassing the NFL. Bettman has said officials were listening to expressions of involvement from prospective owners successful places similar Houston and Atlanta but until present not yet engaged successful a ceremonial way toward expansion.
“There was an update connected Atlanta, determination was an update connected Arizona and determination was an update connected South Texas,” Bettman said. “But neither Arizona nor Atlanta are rather arsenic acold on successful the process arsenic the Friedkin opportunities.”
Montreal Canadiens proprietor Geoff Molson, who is connected the enforcement committee, called it an important determination and said, “It’s conscionable an exploration astatine this stage.”
In a connection released done Pursuit Sports, the Friedkin household said it had reached an statement with the NHL for exclusive rights to a franchise successful South Texas with a absorption connected Houston and Austin. It said it would beryllium methodical successful assessing the champion option.
“Each metropolis brings unsocial attributes that would marque a caller squad a immense occurrence — some person the infrastructure, passionate instrumentality bases and economical spot needed to enactment a championship-caliber franchise for years to come,” the household said. “We person wanted for immoderate clip to bring an NHL squad to Texas, and we are excited that the process has present begun.”
The league past expanded to 32 teams with the Seattle Kraken opening play successful 2021 aft the Vegas Golden Knights started successful the 2017-18 season. Before that, determination had been 30 teams since 2000, erstwhile Columbus and Minnesota entered.
The caller occurrence stories, combined with booming franchise values crossed sports, spurred speech of enlargement successful hockey circles, particularly due to the fact that enlargement fees could transcend $1 billion. Seattle paid $650 cardinal and Las Vegas $500 million.
From Florida to Texas to California and places successful between, the NHL has enjoyed beardown popularity crossed the Sun Belt and non-traditional hockey markets implicit the past 4 decades. Teams were added successful South Florida and Tampa successful Florida, San Jose and Anaheim successful California, Nashville, Tennessee, and Las Vegas, portion relocations enactment teams successful Dallas, Raleigh, North Carolina, Denver and elsewhere.
Teams successful those places person won the Stanley Cup the past 7 years successful a enactment and 13 times dating to Colorado’s title tally successful 1995-96.
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