Guillaume Latendresse Ends Intelcom Talks Over Phoenix de Sherbrooke
guillaume latendresse and Intelcom are no longer discussing a possible transaction involving the Phoenix de Sherbrooke. The sale talks that had drawn interest from a buyer group now stop short of a deal, and the club remains with its current owners.
Phoenix de Sherbrooke sale talks
Intelcom had been the majority buyer interested in acquiring all of the team’s shares. The company’s president and chief executive officer is Jean-Sébastien Joly, while Latendresse was part of the buyer side linked to the club.
The Phoenix de Sherbrooke’s current ownership group includes Jocelyn Thibault, Denis Bourque and shareholder Mario Beaudoin. They are not closing the door to future interested buyers, and they say there is no urgency to sell.
8 M$ and the refusal
A bid of 8 M$ reportedly was refused for the sale of the Phoenix de Sherbrooke by the LHJMQ and the team’s owners. The ownership group is also targeting a certain amount for the team, which keeps any deal tied to a price they are willing to accept.
The club was founded in 2012 after the departure of the Castors, the former Faucons de Sherbrooke. Last season, the Phoenix averaged more than 3,000 spectators per game, a sign that the team still has a sizeable audience as its sale process stays open to future bidders.
Latendresse in Halifax
This development came this week-end in Halifax, where the talks around Latendresse and Intelcom had been moving. A group that included Martin Brodeur was also interested in owning a LHJMQ club, adding to the competition for possible team ownership in the league.
For now, the Phoenix stay with their current shareholders while the search for a buyer continues on the owners’ terms. The next step will be whether another group meets the price the club wants, after the 8 M$ offer was turned away.
