Hockey back on in KC?

It's hard to put too much credence in reports like this, but it sounds like there may be another chance for a hockey team to move into the Sprint Center, which opens later this year.

According to the report, a smoky backroom deal during Penguin-gate last year guaranteed a hockey team to William Del Biaggio and AEG’s Tim Leiweke if they backed off of their pursuit of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

According to the report:

…sources said the league, which didn't want to lose a value market in Pittsburgh, asked the Kansas City investors to back off their chase of the Penguins while indicating to the group it would be next in line for an NHL franchise.

It is believed the commissioner and Leiweke, who was in England yesterday, had an informal arrangement that would have delivered the Predators to Del Biaggio and Kansas City had Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie not stepped in with a richer offer and plans to move the team to Hamilton. Del Biaggio has an agreement with AEG to own and operate an NHL team in the Sprint Center.

The (Canada) National Post previously reported that Balsillie’s deal to by the Predators for $238 million was dead and that Del Biaggio is now on deck for the franchise.

Like I said, it’s hard to get excited just yet. It’s a long way from Nashville to KC. But with this kind of thing it’s sometimes easier to have faith in backroom deals.

tagged: hockey, Kansas City, Pittsburgh Penguins, Sprint Center, Nashville Predators, sports, NHL