Potential Duck Buyer to Visit

Howard Baldwin, former owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Hartford Whalers who is heading the group that is trying to buy the Mighty Ducks, will meet with Arrowhead Pond officials today to discuss his possible purchase of the team.

Baldwin offered $50 million to the Walt Disney Co. for the Ducks. According to a source, he met with Pond officials recently to discuss the arena situation, including the possibility that Broadcom Chairman Henry Samueli, whose company operates the arena for the city of Anaheim, might join the group trying to buy the Ducks. Those talks will continue in today’s meeting.

Michael Schulman, a spokesman for Samueli, declined to comment. Baldwin was unavailable for comment.

Samueli’s being involved would improve the profitability of the arena and ensure that the Ducks would remain in Anaheim.

The Ducks’ lease with the Pond has been cited as one of the reasons the arena has had difficulty making a profit. It diverts revenue to the team that would normally go to arena management. The lease has also hampered Pond officials in their efforts to lure an NBA team.

Various sources have indicated that Baldwin intends to keep the team in Anaheim, should he acquire the Ducks. His group has at least one local investor, Peter Guber, the chairman of Mandalay Entertainment Group.

Disney officials have been unable to sell the Ducks for more than three seasons. Efforts accelerated last summer, when Disney officials wanted team officials to cut the player payroll by 25%.