Bruce McNall
| Bruce McNall | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born |
Bruce Patrick McNall April 17, 1950 Arcadia, California, United States |
| Residence | Tarzana, Los Angeles, California |
| Nationality | United States |
| Education | University of California, Los Angeles, |
| Occupation | sports teams owner, racehorse owner, film producer |
| Known for | Owned the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL) |
| Board member of | Los Angeles Kings, Toronto Argonauts |
Bruce Patrick McNall (born April 17, 1950) is a former Thoroughbred racehorse owner, and a sports executive who once owned the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL).
McNall claimed to have made his initial fortune as a coin collector, though Metropolitan Museum of Art director Thomas Hoving claimed he smuggled art antiquities as the partner of Robert E. Hecht In the 1980s McNall produced several Hollywood movies, including The Manhattan Project and Weekend at Bernie's.
McNall bought a 25 percent stake in the Kings from Jerry Buss in 1986, and bought an additional 24 percent in 1987 to become the team's largest shareholder. He was named team president that September, and purchased Buss' remaining shares in March 1988. He then shocked the sports world on August 9, 1988 when he acquired the NHL's biggest star, Wayne Gretzky, along with Marty McSorley and Mike Krushelnyski, from the Edmonton Oilers for Jimmy Carson, Martin Gelinas, three first-round draft choices and US$15 million. McNall raised Gretzky's annual salary from less than $1 million to $3 million, which, in turn, triggered a dramatic rise in NHL salaries throughout the 1990s.
In 1992, McNall was elected chairman of the NHL Board of Governors—the league's second-highest post.
In 1991, McNall, Gretzky and actor/comedian John Candy purchased the CFL's Toronto Argonauts. Prior to the 1991 season, McNall enticed Raghib "Rocket" Ismail away from the National Football League by signing him to a four-year contract for a then-unheard-of $18.2 million. Although Ismail led the Argonauts to the 1991 Grey Cup championship, he returned to the U.S. after two seasons in Toronto.
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