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$3.5 billion investment required for Austin or Houston NHL expansion team
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- $3.5 billion investment required for Austin or Houston NHL expansion team
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After beginning as a six-team league almost a century ago , the NHL has consistently been willing to expand its ranks to new cities and new fanbases when appropriate, with 12 teams added in 1974, three more added in 1979, and seven more added by the year 2000, when the league sat still at 30 overall.
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With two more franchises christened in 2017 and 2021, the Vegas Golden Knights and the Seattle Kraken , plus a move of the Arizona Coyotes to Utah to become the Utah Mammoth , the NHL has sat pretty at 32 teams ever since, the same number as the NFL and what the NBA will likely sit at in the next decade when they expand, but that doesn't mean they are finished growing.
Discussing the potential to add even more teams to the league, including at least one in Texas in either Houston or Austin, with other cities like Atlanta and Arizona also options, Pierre LeBrun reported that Gary Bettman is looking at a very big expansion fee to make such a deal happen, which is very good news for the future of professional hockey .
"(Gary) Bettman said they've agreed to a $3.5 billion expansion fee if they go ahead with expansion to Houston or Austin with the Friedkin family," LeBrun wrote. "All part of the terms sheet which has been agreed to. Bettman said the process will take six months to decide if it's a go or not."
In an official statement from Pursuit Sports, the Friedkin Family commented on the potential of adding a Texas team to the NHL, noting that they are excited to work with the Commissioner on the prospect moving forward.
"Pursuit Sports, our family's global sports ownership and operating platform, has reached an agreement with the NHL that provides us with the exclusive rights to bring an expansion NHL team to the State of Texas, with a primary focus on both Austin and Houston as potential markets."Each city brings unique attributes that would make a new team a huge success – both have the infrastructure, passionate fan bases, and economic strength needed to support a championship-caliber franchise for years to come."We have wanted for some time to bring an NHL team to Texas, and we are excited that the process has now begun. Selecting a new market for an NHL franchise is a special and important responsibility, and we are grateful to the league for their faith in us and their support. Working with Commissioner Bettman and the NHL, we will undertake a principled, disciplined, and methodical process to ensure we find the right long-term home for this new franchise."
With the 2026 Stanley Cup Final already considered a modern-day classic, NHL hype is at an all-time high heading into the 2026-27 season. With the NHL Draft rapidly approaching and a chance to ride that momentum through the summer, adding another team to a major city in Texas like Houston or Austin can only spell success for the sport moving forward.
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Related: NHL rumors: Blue Jackets could trade Kirill Marchenko this summer
Related: NHL news: Canadiens owner weighs in on Austin, Houston expansion possibilities
