Dr. Henry Samueli and his wife are purchasing NHL team, the Anaheim Mighty Ducks.
Purchase price and terms were not disclosed. The sale of the team requires approval by the National Hockey League Board of Governors.
“We are absolutely delighted that we were able to reach this important agreement with The Walt Disney Company,” said Dr. Samueli. “Since The Walt Disney Company created the team in 1992, the Mighty Ducks have become a wonderful asset to this community, with a terrific following, a history of winning and a strong nucleus of outstanding young prospects and talented veterans. Our acquisition of the team assures that the Mighty Ducks will remain in the hands of local ownership committed to keeping the team in Orange County and putting a consistent winner on the ice,” Samueli said.
“Our primary goal in creating the Mighty Ducks was to make another major professional sports franchise a large part of the spirit and fabric of the city of Anaheim and Orange County,” said Michael D. Eisner, CEO of The Walt Disney Company. “We are all proud of the team’s accomplishments, including its Western Conference Championship and its berth in the Stanley Cup Finals in the 2002-03 season. We are also pleased with the Ducks’ steadfast commitment to the community over the years. We are confident that Henry and Susan Samueli will bring continued success to the Ducks and we will remain among the biggest fans of the team going forward,” added Eisner.
Dr. Samueli is co-founder, Chairman of the Board and CTO of Irvine-based Broadcom Corporation, a global leader in broadband communications semiconductor chips. Samueli said he will continue to remain focused on his duties at Broadcom and leave the day-to-day management of the franchise to a strong leadership team.
“I believe in doing things right, and we fully intend to bring together the top talent and resources, both on and off the ice, to ensure that the Mighty Ducks team remains among the best managed, admired and most successful professional hockey franchises in North America,” Samueli said.
“Since Susan and I also own the management company that operates the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim, the Mighty Ducks’ home ice, acquiring the team was a natural next step, one that we are convinced will benefit both entities, especially the fans in Orange County,” added Samueli.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be able to grow the team in Anaheim and contribute to its future success,” Susan Samueli said.
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