I guess everything depends on the contract between Vanderbeek and Brick City. I don’t how you make someone else sell their majority shares of a $200+ million team (or for that matter, agree in a contract to have that clause in there).

Brick City wants out – fine- their goal was to revitalize the city. I guess to them, there goal is set (I disagree..I went to the team store and walked around during the summer, it’s getting better but it takes years. But that’s my opinion). I guess JVB feels differently and wants to be committed long term (good).

I would love to know the dispute they had a few years back where the NHL had to get involved and put a band-aid on it (turns out it’s a band-aid over a gunshot wound), and if this has anything to do with.

I think it is posturing by Brick City. They probably leaked the news to Bloomberg to help get the word out to prospective buyers. The phrase that jumps out to me in the release is:

subject to certain terms and conditions

This is so vague and could mean anything.

The only way I see a ‘forced’ sale is if someone came in and offered a huge amount more than the team was worth. There might be a clause that forces VBK to sell his shares, but even if that was the case it would have to be a huge amount.

If that happens, fine. That would mean someone was buying the team who had a boatload of cash to throw around and obviously believes in the franchise and the arena.

Why would Vanderbeek sign a contract that allows minority owners to convince owners to do that? Brick City needs to mind their business. Literally.

I’ve studied sports marketing, economics, management, and I just can’t figure out why Brick City cares this much. There must be some major financial incentive for them to get Vanderbeek to sell the whole franchise.