from Eric Duhatschek of the Globe and Mail,
Even though the NHL is playing it down, Tuesday’s presentation by Quebecor and the Las Vegas group known as Black Knight Sports & Entertainment to the league’s executive committee is the most important event yet in the formal expansion process.
The two groups will make their respective pitches in advance of the quarterly board of governors meetings in New York – the third and final phase of the NHL’s decision to tentatively dip its toes into the expansion waters.
It is a make-it-or-break-it day for Quebecor, which is forging ahead with its plans despite the precipitous decline in the Canadian dollar and the fact that the cost for an expansion franchise could exceed a staggering $500-million (all figures U.S.).
The executive committee is composed of prudent and experienced NHL governors who carry a great deal of weight with the rest of the board. Their job will be to ask the applicants the hard questions about their business plans and revenue projections; if committee members like what they hear and recommend in favour of the two applications, then the NHL will almost certainly decide at some future meeting to expand for the first time since 2000.
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