Pittsburgh Penguins May Soon Be Under New Ownership

It’s possible that the Pens may soon have a new owner. According to the Wall Street Journal, Fenway Sports Group LLC, the company that owns the Boston Red Sox, is in advanced talks to buy the Pittsburgh Penguins. The WSJ report said a deal “could be finalized later this week, assuming the talks don’t fall apart.” The group also owns the Red Sox’s Low-A affiliate and part of the Red Sox’s Triple-A affiliate, and 80 percent of the sports television network NESN. John W. Henry is the principal owner of Fenway Sports Group, owning 40 percent. Other partners in Fenway Sports Group include billionaire brothers Ted and Bill Alfond, LeBron James, and James’ business manager Maverick Carter. They also own Roush Fenway Racing. The current ownership group of the Penguins includes Mario Lemieux, John Surma and Debra Cafaro. They bought the franchise and helped it recover from bankruptcy, turning it into one of the most successful sport franchises in the National Hockey League. Sources say Lemieux will retain a minority stake and upper management, including David Morehouse, will stay.