Houston Rockets Rumors: Why Tilman Fertitta is a perfect fit to own team

The Houston Rockets dropped a bombshell of a presser just a few hours ago in regard to the team being for sale and one of the city’s most prominent businessmen has expressed his desire to purchase the team.

All of this news coming out about the Houston Rockets is somewhat tough to process.  After nearly a quarter of a century of ownership of the team, Leslie Alexander has decided to put the team up for sale.  This news does actually come as a surprise as owners don’t sale valuable assets like these two often.  The club to own a professional sports franchise is an exclusive and only a few are allowed in at a time.

I had envisioned that Alexander would retain his ownership indefinitely and then pass the controlling rights over to his family but that’s simply not the case.  He’s looking to cash out now and pursue some of the endeavors he has likely had to put on hold, certainly involving his family.  He truly has been a first-class act here in the city of Houston, being the only owner bringing the city two professional championships back in 1994-95.

But now the page has been turned and the search for a new owner will begin.  And here’s certainly the latest wrinkle to a developing story.

According to Mark Berman of FOX 26 (KRIV), 60-year-old billionaire businessman Tilman Fertitta has expressed interest in buying the franchise:

This should likely come as no surprise as the billionaire magnate — and member of the Forbes 400 — is one of the Houston Rockets most visible and prominent fans court side.  Fertitta rarely misses a game and seems like he’d be extremely hands-on if he were given the opportunity.

With the start of just one Landry’s restaurant some nearly 40 years ago, he has turned his personal business into a money-making machine and has now morphed into a billion dollar moneymaker behemoth as Landry’s, Inc.  I’m sure you’ve dined at one of his franchised businesses or spent your cash at the Golden Nugget casinos, all owned by him.  I’m also positive that you’ve seen his reality show on CNBC titled “Billion Dollar Buyer.”  The uniqueness of his fortune is that he’s the only shareholder of business so he has total control of the direction of his company.

He’s also the chairman of the University of Houston Board of Regents, most notably spearheading projects to get TDECU Stadium built and the rebuilding of the Hofheinz Pavilion — to be called to the Fertitta Center, his namesake — puttting UH on the map in terms of top-notch facilities for their sports programs.  It also doesn’t hurt he’s an alumni, a native, and a prominent face in the H-Town business scene.

According to the latest data from Forbes, Fertitta’s net worth $3.1 billion which certainly means he could afford the team on his own accord.  Will he do so?  That remains to be seen as he may be seeking a partnership of an ownership group to spread the cost around so it doesn’t hit his wallet.  But just by the way he runs his business, I’d imagine he’d take the slight risk, make the investment on his own and I’m sure he’ll have dividends paying him to no end.

He truly is the best candidate for ownership because he’s in-tune with what the fans want and would certainly ensure that the team remains in Houston.  He’s in the business of entertaining clients so this post has his name written all over it.   Will we now get a NHL team if he takes over the reins?  It’s possible because he thinks outside of the box and this is the type of blood we need to infuse into the organization.  In my opinion, he checks all of the boxes.

Will he be granted the opportunity? We’ll have to see as Houston Rockets president Tad Brown will be in charge of the search and transition.  If Fertitta took over, you’d likely see continuity at the top with a few adjustments in places with his own people.

Next: ROCKETS FOR SALE: Three questions to ask about the process

But it’d certainly be a win-win with him at the helm.  And without any reservation or purpose of evasion, I wholeheartedly support Fertitta to take over as the owner of a budding franchise.  We’ll have to see how this shakes out.

Go Rockets!