Not everyone can afford to own a sports team, but — thanks to Darren Thompson — owning a piece of the Toronto Maple Leafs may become a reality, reports thestar.com.
So far, Thompson says he has attracted 7,000 pledges with a value of $100 million, and that progress helped create a favourable impression after meetings with ownership representatives on Tuesday.
“We had some conversations with stakeholders and if we get into the ballpark of what a bid should be, then they will entertain our bid,†Thompson said.
The financial aspect of Thompson’s plan is to have one million Canadians pledge $1,000 each, which would get his plan a $1 billion sum needed to seriously enter the bidding process for the team.
With the proper backing from banks — Thomson said he will be discussing the feasibility of common shares as one possible way to represent so many potential “owners†— and other institutions, Thompson said he hopes to return to the stakeholders sometime after the Stanley Cup final in June with a legitimate bid.
Video after the jump.
Logo from Own The Leafs