Four groups submit bids to buy Ottawa Senators: reports

Four groups submitted bids to buy the Ottawa Senators by Monday's deadline, with at least one offer of at least $1 billion U.S., multiple reports said.

Four groups submitted bids to buy the Ottawa Senators by Monday's deadline, with at least one offer of $1 billion U.S., multiple reports said.

Of the half-a-dozen groups that had expressed serious interest in the franchise, four of them submitted bids by Monday's 5 p.m. deadline, according to reports by Postmedia and Sportico.

Postmedia reported that three of the bids came from Toronto-area businessmen: Michael Andlauer, Jeffrey and Michael Kimel, and Steve Apostolopoulos. Los Angeles-based entrepreneur Neko Sparks also submitted a bid.

The bids will now be combed over by New York-based Galatioto Sports Partners, which is running the sale for the family of late owner Eugene Melnyk. The owners must be approved by the NHL's board of governors.

The sale of the team has attracted interest and some high-powered celebrity names.

The Sparks group has offered a share of the franchise to Indigenous groups if they are successful, CTV News confirmed Monday. Rapper and entrepreneur Snoop Dogg, who is part of the Sparks bid, posted a video on social media Monday in which he gave "a shout out to the First Nations of Canada."

Rapper the Weeknd is also reportedly part of the Kimels' bid.