The Kilmer Group jointly with Bell Canada acquired the Toronto Argonauts Football Club of the Canadian Football League (CFL) from sports entrepreneur David Braley. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Founded in 1873, the Toronto Argonauts are North America’s oldest continuously operated professional football club and the oldest pro sports team of any kind on the continent that still operates with its original name.
The Kilmer Group, owned by Toronto businessman Larry Tanenbaum, has been helping to build Canadian businesses through long-term funding and leadership. This has included areas as diverse as heavy construction, building products, cable television, publishing, electronics manufacturing, food processing, sports, clinical research organizations, environmental rehabilitation, and infrastructure development.
Bell is Canada’s largest communications company, providing consumers and business customers with wireless, TV, Internet, home phone and business communications services. Bell Media is Canada’s premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, out of home, and digital media. Bell is wholly owned by Montréal’s BCE Inc.
The Kilmer Group was represented by Goodmans LLP with a team led by Dale Lastman that included John Connon and David Wallace (corporate/M&A), Andrew Wiseman (real estate) and Mitch Sherman and Michael Royal (tax).
Bell Canada was represented by an in-house team which was led by Martin Cossette, Vice-President, Legal and that included Genevieve Filion.
David Braley was represented by Ross & McBride LLP with a team led by John Lewis and which included Paul Pop (corporate/IP) and Sean Jackson (employment).