Anschutz Entertainment Group on Thursday categorically denied a New York Post report that it is shopping the Kings hockey team for a sale. The Post reported late Wednesday that the Los Angeles sports and entertainment company is working with Morgan Stanley to sell the team, which is currently competing with the New York Rangers in the Stanley Cup finals. AEG Chief Executive Dan Beckerman said the Post report was based on “unsubstantiated rumors,” in a statement to the San Fernando Valley Business Journal’s sister paper in Los Angeles. “The Los Angeles Kings are not for sale, and there are no plans to sell the franchise today, tomorrow or anytime in the future,” Beckerman told the Los Angeles Business Journal. “These rumors were started by anonymous sources seeking to create chaos and mischief. We remain solely focused on one goal, winning the Stanley Cup, and we will not be distracted by such irresponsible reports.” In 2012, AEG owner and Denver billionaire Philip Anschutz tried to sell AEG in its entirety, but he took the company off the market last year after failing to attract bids in its desired range of about $10 billion. Along with the Kings, AEG owns Staples Center and other venues in the United States, England and elsewhere. It also owns several sports teams, including the Los Angeles Galaxy and a portion of the Lakers. The company is a subsidiary of Anschutz Corp. of Denver.
