As a hockey fan, you may have heard of the Kladno Hockey Club. This Czech professional ice hockey team was founded in 1928 and has been around for almost a century. While they might not be as well-known as some of the more popular NHL teams, they still hold their ground and have had some notable players throughout their history.
However, what many people don’t know is that the ownership of this club has been quite an interesting ride over the years. Let’s take a closer look at who has owned this beloved team.
First up on our list is Jaromir Jagr, one of the most iconic names in hockey history. He became part-owner of Kladno in 2011 after purchasing shares from then-owner Vladimir Stefl. Jagr grew up playing for Kladno before making his way to the NHL, so it only makes sense that he would want to invest in his hometown team.
Jagr’s ownership didn’t last long though as he decided to sell his shares just two years later due to financial difficulties within the club. But fear not, another famous face stepped up to take on ownership – none other than Tomas Plekanec.
Plekanec played for Kladno during the NHL lockout season in 2012-2013 and fell in love with the team all over again. The following year he purchased shares from Stefl and became co-owner with businessman Roman Stantien.
But wait! There’s more! In 2018, billionaire Daniel Kretinsky bought out both Plekanec and Stantien becoming sole owner of Kladno Hockey Club. Known for his investments in energy companies across Europe, it was quite surprising when he showed interest in owning a hockey team.
Regardless of who owns them now or who will own them next, one thing remains certain – fans will always support their beloved Kladno HC no matter what happens behind closed doors. And who knows, maybe one day you’ll see a Hollywood superstar buy out the team and take them to new heights – we can only dream!