| Born: | Jan 1, 1952 | Status: | Owner (Minnesota Wild) |
| Hometown: | USA | Known For: | Founder of Ameritel |
Craig Leipold (born January 1, 1952) is the founder of Ameritel, a business-to-business marketing firm. In the past, he’s owned the Rainfair Company, the Grand Ole Opry and was a director of Gaylord Entertainment Company.
Leipold was also the previous owner of the Nashville Predators. He purchased the expansion team in 1997 for $80 million before selling the team for $193 million in 2007.
Wild Under Ownership
After selling the Predators, Leipold didn’t wait long to get back into the NHL. A month after the Nashville sale was finalized, reports came out that he was going to buy the Minnesota Wild. The club is worth $500 million (2020).
Under Leipold, the Wild have only won two playoff series – not in the same season. They have won one division title in their franchise history, coming just as Leipold took over in the 2007-08 season. It’s hasn’t been a good stretch thus far for the Wild.
Leipold also owns the AHL’s Iowa Wild and manages the Xcel Energy Center.
Deeper Dive
Staff History
- Nashville Predators (Franchise Owner) 1997-2008
- Minnesota Wild (Franchise Owner) 2008-current
- Houston Aeros, AHL (Franchise Owner) 2008-2013
- Iowa Wild, AHL (Franchise Owner) 2013-current