Quebecor submits application for National Hockey League franchise

One prospective ownership group from Seattle will reportedly not submit a bid.

When contacted by TFP earlier today, a spokesperson from GTA Sports declined to comment, only to say “no comment at this time”.

Bettman also indicated at the time that an expansion fee would be at least $500 million and that Las Vegas, Seattle and Quebec City had expressed the most serious interest.

Quebecor, which had already said that it planned to apply to bring back the Nordiques franchise, confirmed on Twitter that it met the NHL’s Monday deadline for potential team owners to submit their bids. “Applicant is Black Knight Sports and Entertainment LLC”, Foley said in a text today to News 3’s Amber Dixon.

The National Hockey League is familiar with Quebecor through its television deal with TVA allowing it to broadcast National Hockey League games in French. So it would be a new franchise, though naming the team the Nordiques appears to be the plan. A state-of-the-art arena in Las Vegas is under construction and is expected to be ready to house a team by the 2016-17 season.

Quebecor President Pierre Karl Peladeau looks over as Quebec City Mayor Regis Labeaume announces the city is going to proceed and build an arena Sunday, March 25, 2012 in Quebec City, Que.

Each expansion bid costs US$10 million.

Quebec City, meanwhile, has the financial heft of Quebecor and an arena set to open in September with a capacity of over 18,000.

Could Their Return Be A Few Years Away…??? There’s also the francophone situation, which isn’t as much of a concern – but has been known to affect the marketability of a team in Quebec City in the past.

A group led by billionaire Bill Foley has secured down payments for more than 13,000 season tickets.

There are 16 teams in the Eastern Conference and 14 in the West, which would seem to make Las Vegas and potentially Seattle or Portland, Ore., favourites for expansion.