TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik announced the sale of a portion of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Vinik Sports Group to a group of investors led by Doug Ostrover, co-founder and CEO of investment firm Blue Owl Capital, and Marc Lipschultz, Blue Owl's Co-CEO.
The sale will take effect immediately and was approved by the NHL's Board of Governors on Oct. 1, 2024, the team said in a news release. The deal is said to be $2 billion, according to a report from Sportsnet leading up to the sale.
Officials said Vinik will retain full control of the team and remain as the team's Governor for the next three years.
"In three years, control will transfer to Ostrover and Lipschultz. Vinik will then remain an active ownership partner as an Alternate Governor and Vinik Sports Group board member," officials stated in the release.
There will be no change in the day-to-day operations of the franchise and Vinik Sports Group as a result of the sale, according to the release.
“The Tampa Bay Lightning is one of the most respected and well-managed franchises across all of sports and that’s thanks to Jeff Vinik and his incredible team,” Ostrover stated. "Their commitment to excellence on-and-off the ice is one that we share."
According to Sportsnet, Vinik bought the Lightning in 2010 for a reported $170 million.
Since Vinik took over majority ownership of the Lightning, the Bolts have become one of the most successful NHL teams in recent history. Since 2015, the team has reportedly appeared in the conference finals six times and made four appearances in the Stanley Cup Finals. They won two of those back-to-back in 2020 and 2021.
