9/10/2004
The Los Angeles Times reports that a group headed by Howard Baldwin, former owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Hartford Whalers, has offered to buy the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.
Baldwin, who owned the Penguins from 1992 to 1998, heads one of three groups discussing the purchase of the team from the Walt Disney Co. Texas businessman David McDavid.
Baldwin is believed to have offered $50 million, the figure Disney paid for the Ducks to join the NHL as an expansion franchise in 1992. A source said Baldwin's bid would be financed and might require Disney to defer payment of some of the purchase price. It is uncertain whether Disney would accept such an offer.
The team has been on the market for four years but has attracted only scant interest. Joe and Gavin Maloof, whose family owns the Sacramento Kings of the NBA, investigated buying the Ducks last fall.
Disney chief Michael Eisner - whose own tenure with the company ends in 2006 - has said that the Ducks would remain in Anaheim even if they were sold.
Baldwin, 62, founded the Whalers and was also part owner of the Minnesota North Stars.
