Billionaire Dan Friedkin expresses interest in buying Rockets
FOX 26 Sports
HOUSTON (FOX 26) - Houston billionaire Dan Friedkin, owner and CEO of Gulf States Toyota and the president and CEO of the Friedkin Group, acknowledged in a statement released to FOX 26 Sports that he is interested in buying the Houston Rockets franchise.
“I’ve expressed interest in exploring the purchase of the Houston Rockets,” Friedkin said in a statement released by his company.
“Les Alexander has done an outstanding job building a high caliber organization with a winning tradition. Over the years we have enjoyed a close partnership with the Rockets and Les through Toyota’s naming rights of the arena.
“As a Rockets fan and Houstonian it would be exciting and a privilege to build on the storied legacy of NBA basketball in this city.”
Friedkin’s Gulf States Toyota has the exclusive rights to deliver Toyota vehicles in Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Mississippi.
Forbes lists Friedkin’s net worth at $3.1 billion.
Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta expressed interest in buying the Rockets franchise when the team was put on the market, but has said nothing since.
Forbes lists Fertitta’s net worth at $3 billion.
Rockets owner Leslie Alexander decided last month to seek a buyer for his franchise.
Team CEO Tad Brown said at the time he would handle the process for the transaction, and that the team would have no comment on anything related to the sale of the Rockets.