NHL eyes year-end Texas expansion award, 2029-30 debut

The proposal carries a $2 billion expansion fee

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Aug 231 min read

What happened: Deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Houston is the priority market, with Austin as an alternative. Any franchise would require a new arena and approval from the NHL Board of Governors.

Why it matters: Friedkin’s Pursuit Sports has agreed to the expansion fee, contingent on those approvals. Adding a 33rd club would leave the league seeking another market to restore an even team count.

By the numbers: The wider investment is estimated at $3.5 billion, including the expansion fee and arena costs. The NHL opened a six-month evaluation process in June.

What to watch: Arena plans and the Board of Governors’ decision are the next hurdles.

Sources

The Hockey Writers 2026-08-23T18:32:52.325138+00:00

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