It appears as though the last hopes of a local owner swooping in and buying the Atlanta Thrashers are gone. According to Chris Vivlamore at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the final prospective owner has "probably, not completely" dropped out of the process, leaving True North Sports and Entertainment as the only group left willing to buy the team.
Atlanta Thrashers Sale: Talks Continue With Winnipeg Group As Local Buyers Drop Out
Of course, TNSE would move the Thrashers to Winnipeg.
Without a prospective local buyer willing to buy the team and keep them at Philips Arena, the Thrashers only have a minor glimmer of hope when it comes to staying in town. If the deal, for some reason, falls through between Atlanta Spirit Group and True North and nobody else is interested in buying the team, ASG will really have no choice but to hold on to the club and allow them to play in Atlanta next season.
But we all know that seems unlikely at this point. True North has waited for the chance to get a team in Winnipeg for years, and with such a good opportunity here, they’d be silly to let a potential deal skate away. Meanwhile, ASG has tried to sell the Thrashers for years, and they now have the best chance to do just that. All sides want to get a deal done, and really, it’s probably just a matter of time.
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