The Fenway Sports Group is owned by billionaire John Henry, and the company is now set on purchasing the Pittsburgh Penguins. While Ron Burkle and Mario Lemieux have been the team’s majority owners since 1999, it now seems that a potential sale is about to turn real, especially after the Red Sox president Sam Kennedy confirmed that a deal is actually in the works.

The Acquisition of the Pittsburgh Penguins Has to Be Approved by the NHL and the Fenway Sports Group Board

After the Fenway Sports Group board approves the buying of the Pittsburgh Penguins, it would become subject to the approval of the NHL’s Board of Governors, who must approve every potential sale. John Henry’s Fenway Sports Group currently owns teams like the Boston Red Sox of MLB, Roush Fenway Racing of NASCAR, and Liverpool of England’s Premier League. The company also owns real estate like Fenway Park, and even LeBron James has a stake in the company.

Crosby and Malkin Led the Pittsburgh Penguins to Three Stanley Cups In 2009, 2016 and 2017

After winning two Stanley Cups in 1991 and 1992, the Pittsburgh Penguins started losing track, and by 1999 were on the verge of bankruptcy. Back then, Mario Lemieux and Ronald Burkle led a group that purchased the team and secured a new arena in Pittsburgh. After that, the Penguins bounced back to success, especially after the arrival of Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby. The duo led the Penguins to three more Stanley Cups in 2009, 2016, and 2017.

According to sources, if a sale goes through, Lemieux will retain a minority stake in the team. Currently, the Penguins are the NHL’s 15th most valuable team, having a value of $845 million. While Lemieux and Burkle have explored the option of selling the Penguins in the past, it now seems much more likely that a deal will happen.

The last NHL team sale happened when Alex Meruelo took over as majority owner of the Arizona Coyotes in 2019. To prevent new owners from relocating a team immediately after acquiring it, the NHL has a standard agreement preventing such action for seven years from taking over.

On January 11, 2021, the Philadelphia Eagles fired Doug Pederson, ending a five-year partnership that culminated with the winning of the city’s first and only Super Bowl.

Despite the team’s poor performances, which resulted in a 4-11-1 season finish, Pederson was expected to retain his position as head coach. After a series of meetings with franchise owner Jeffery Lurie, the latter became unconvinced of Pederson’s short and long-term plans for how to address the plethora of issues facing the team.

What Prompted the Release of the Eagle’s Head Coach

During a video news conference, Lurie explained that his first allegiance is what will be best for the Philadelphia Eagles and the fans for the next few years. He divulged that his decision wasn’t based on whether Doug Pederson deserved to be let go. In fact, he admitted that the coach didn’t deserve to lose his job but that the team’s offensive regression was something that couldn’t be ignored, especially in a season during which the NFL set a record for points scored.

Lurie didn’t commit to Carson Wentz returning next season. Instead, he suggested that the new coaching team will work with the star quarterback to get him back on the right track. He also highlighted the importance of the player during his first four seasons at the Eagles while admitting that the fifth was unsatisfactory for a myriad of reasons.

Who Is Doug Pederson

Before becoming a football coach, Doug Pederson was a quarterback who played in the NFL for 13 years, mostly for the Green Bay Packers. During his pro career, he served as a backup for Dan Marino on the Miami Dolphins and Brett Favre on the Packers, winning Super Bowl XXXI. The Eagles were Pederson’s first head coaching position, a role that earned him an NFL ring, making him one of four individuals to win the Super Bowl both as a player and a coach.

While their partnership ended with a poor season, it is the winning of Super Bowl LII that the city, franchise, players, and fans will forever remember.