Penguins fans sound off on potential ownership change

The news traveled faster than a Sidney Crosby slap shot.

By game time Tuesday, fans at PPG Paints Arena to watch the Penguins host the Buffalo Sabres had already heard.

Fenway Sports Group, which owns the Boston Red Sox and Fenway Park, is in advanced negotiations to purchase the Penguins.

“If they do what they did for the Red Sox, they will put a lot into the Penguins,” said James Strayer, 48, of New Hampshire, who is friends with Penguins goaltender Casey DeSmith. “They kept the nostalgia of Fenway but made the team better.”

Strayer, who with his son Jackson Strayer, 19, and Brenna Bober, 18, visited his father Jackson Strayer in Hollidaysburg, attended the Steelers-Lions game on Sunday and then met DeSmith before the game.

“We know Mario isn’t going to want to own the team forever,” James Strayer said.

Multiple sources said Mario Lemieux will remain a minority owner.

Standing in line before the game were Leo Bake, 28, and Jules Bake, 26, of Millvale. Leo Bake is from Boston and was happy with the sale. Jules Bake, not so much.

“This is my city and my team,” Jules Bake said. “I don’t want anything to change. I don’t want the team to be sold. It breaks my heart. “

Randi Pattison, 44, of Northern Cambria, said “the team will still have great players and hockey will still be hockey.”

Her daughter, Lindsey Pattison, 14, was attending her first Penguins game. She said she will always be a Penguins fan no matter who owns the team.

Josh Litzinger, 39, of New Jersey said a sale would signify the end of an era. He drives five-plus hours 20 times a season to attend games.

“I am a little melancholy,” Litzinger said. “I felt as long as Mario owned the team, things would be really good. Mario resonated with fans. I live closer to Philadelphia, but I have always been a Mario fan. I have friends from Philly who have never seen a Stanley Cup championship, and I have seen five.”

Litzinger said the new ownership has done a lot for European soccer and having new owners might reinvigorate the Penguins.

Nehemiah Jackson, 20, of Columbus, Ohio, who is a junior at California University of Pennsylvania, said change isn’t always a good thing. He was attending his first game and said he was skeptical because no one knows what the new ownership will do.

The connection to European soccer is a positive, said Jackson, a soccer player at Cal (Pa.).

“I am not sure how I feel about this,” said Justin Spaid, 38, of Ross. “I do know that LeBron (James) has connections, so that can’t be a bad thing.”

James, the NBA superstar, is a partner with Fenway Sports Group.

Spaid was at the game with his co-worker, Neil Kitzmiller, 30, of Monroeville. He said this time feels different than the rumors of a sale in 2006. He said the Penguins are a winning franchise with a solid and loyal fan base, which probably got James’ attention.

“Now, if someone can focus on buying the Pirates,” Spaid said.

Now, that news would definitely travel fast.