According to sources at the Miami Herald, Florida Panther majority owner Alan Cohen is looking to step down as majority owner of the Florida Panthers. He had tried to sell the Panthers earlier this summer to Sports Properties Acquisition Group which fell through due to NHL ownership requirements. Now he is looking to sell some of his stake in the team to current minority partners Cliff Viner and Stuart Siegel.
Is A Change In Florida Panther Ownership Coming?
Cohen has been majority owner of the Panthers since 2001 and has reportedly lost over $100 million during that time. Our Florida Panther blog, Litter Box Cats, has this to say about Cohen’s term as owner:
My take? A change at the top can't hurt. I've never had it in for Cohen, though I do understand fully the frustrations of those who have called for his head on a platter the better part of a decade. "AC" doesn't play the game, doesn't run the scouting staff, doesn't trade or draft assets, and doesn't pick his friends very well. Of course, all of that is to be led with the word "presumably".
Got to give the guy some credit, for if nothing else he's pumped a whole lot of coin into keeping the ship afloat, even if it turned out to be polishing the telemotor when the hole in the stern should have garnered the lion's share of attention.
The NHL has to be happy that the ownership change will take place in house for the Panthers rather than having to try and find new owners for another team.
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