Report: Former Tennessee governor Bill Haslam to purchase Predators

Outgoing Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam answers questions during an interview Tuesday, Dec. 18 , 2018 in Nashville, Tenn. Haslam said he plans to take a short vacation with his wife to decide if he'll run for an open U.S. Senate seat after he leaves office Jan. 19. (Mark Humphrey/AP)

Former Tennessee governor Bill Haslam is finalizing a deal to purchase the Nashville Predators , Sportico’s Eben Novy-Williams reported on Thursday.

It is unclear what the selling price of the franchise is, but Sportico estimates the team is worth $680 million.

Haslam served as the Republican governor of Tennessee from 2011 to 2019. In 2015, Haslam was considered the wealthiest elected official at the time, with an estimated net worth of $2 billion. Forbes now estimates his net worth to be $2.3 billion.

Haslam has experience in team ownership, as he serves as co-owner of a minor-league baseball team — the Tennessee Smokies. Haslam’s brother and sister-in-law, Jimmy and Susan Haslam, are also owners of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns.

The Predators are currently owned by Predators Holding LLC, a privately-owned company which also oversees the management at Bridgestone Arena. The franchise was purchased for $193 million in 2007.

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