The Haslam family has been involved in many ventures, including politics and business. Patriarch Jim Haslam created the convenience store and gas station chain Pilot Corporation. His children would become heavily involved in the family business and various other pursuits. Perhaps most famously, sports.
Oldest son Jimmy Haslam and his wife, Dee, own the NFL team Cleveland Brown and MLS team Columbus Crew. Jimmy has also been a minority owner of the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers. Younger son Bill Haslam owns the minor league baseball team Tennessee Smokies.
He's also reportedly in the process of becoming an NHL team owner.
Bill Haslam is purchasing a majority stake of the Nashville Predators
The Tennesseean and ESPN report that Bill Haslam will acquire the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League. Eventually, at least. Haslam is apparently gradually buying the team over three years.
But the deal is not necessarily done. For it to happen, matters such as review and approval by the NHL would need to go through officially. It seems to be expected that approval would be granted at this point.
Historically, ownership transfer of the Predators has come with some drama. The franchise was originally primarily owned by telemarketing and footwear magnate Craig Leipold.
Later, Leipold nearly sold the team to tech figure Jim Balsillie. Balsillie evidently had designs on moving the franchise to Hamilton, Ontario. But the point became moot when the deal fell through. Marking one of possibly as many as five times Balsillie has sought to acquire an NHL team.
A venture capitalist named William Del Baggio later wanted to make a go for the Predators.
Reportedly hoping to move the franchise to Kansas City, Missouri. Del Baggio previously unsuccessfully tried to acquire the Pittsburgh Penguins. Eventually, a group of local season ticket holders purchased a majority stake in the team. At the same time, Del Baggio became a minority owner.
The Predators stayed in Nashville. Leipold quickly returned to the ranks of NHL owners when he bought the Minnesota Wild.
But Del Baggio soon found himself in serious legal trouble, selling his take. Leadership disputes among the remaining owners would become high-profile.
The Nashville Predators have so far never won a Stanely Cup championship. However, they did come remarkably close in 2017. The team is affiliated with the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL and the Florida Everblades of the ECHL.
Haslam is a former governor and mayor
Bill Haslam was educated at the Webb School of Knoxville before graduating from Emory University in Georgia. Later, he rose to become a top official of Saks Fifth Avenue and Harold's.
In 2003, Haslam was elected as mayor of Knoxville. He would be re-elected in a dominant fashion in 2007.
In 2010, Democratic incumbent Governor Phil Bredesen was term-limited from running again. Haslam entered the race for the Republican gubernatorial nomination and won. He would win the general election by a landslide, followed by and landslide re-election in 2014.
