| Birth date | 1952 (age 74–75) |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Title | Owner of the Minnesota Wild Founder and former owner of Nashville Predators |
| Spouse | Helen Johnson-Leipold (m. 1987) |
Craig Leipold[1] is an American businessman who owns the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously owned the Nashville Predators.
Business career
Leipold is the founder of Ameritel, a business-to-business telemarketing firm in Neenah, Wisconsin. He formerly owned the Rainfair Company, which made protective footwear. He has also been a director of Gaylord Entertainment Company, owner of the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee.[2]
Sports team ownership
Leipold was first considered a potential owner or investor in the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Sacramento Kings. He attributed this interest to the fact that he knew basketball well. He became interested in ownership of a professional ice hockey franchise because there were more opportunities than in basketball.[3]
Leipold bought an expansion franchise from the NHL in 1997 for $80 million.[2] He sold the Nashville Predators due to rising operating costs and low fan attendance.[2] Leipold claimed more than $70 million in losses during his tenure as owner of the Predators. Initially, he had an agreement to sell the team to Jim Balsillie for $220 million,[4] but he withdrew from the agreement after Balsillie started season ticket advertising for a move of the team to Hamilton, Ontario. The Predators were instead sold to an investor group that included William J. "Boots" Del Biaggio. The final sale price was reported as $193 million.[2] Leipold has gone on record objecting to Balsillie becoming an NHL owner, saying he does not trust Balsillie.[5]
Leipold's purchase of the Minnesota Wild from founding owner Bob Naegele, Jr. was announced on January 10, 2008.[6] Leipold said, "It is a true privilege to become part of the organization and the hockey community in Minnesota."[citation needed] His company Minnesota Sports & Entertainment also owns the Wild's AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild (formerly the Houston Aeros).[7] The company also manages the Grand Casino Arena and the RiverCentre.[3] In November 2025, it was announced that a women's volleyball franchise would be added to Major League Volleyball and the team would be majority owned by Minnesota Sports & Entertainment.[7][8] The team will begin competing in 2027 in St. Paul at the Grand Casino Arena.[7][9][10]
Personal
Leipold is active in numerous civic and corporate organizations as well as several charities benefiting children. He co-chairs CollegeBound Saint Paul's Fund for the Future, which seeks to raise funding to support opening a college savings account for every baby born in Saint Paul, the headquarters of the Minnesota Wild. He has been named Nashville Sports Council "Sports Person of the Year" and "1999 Father of the Year" by the Nashville Father's Day Council and was named "Nashvillian of the Year" by Easterseals after the Predators' 1998–1999 season.[11] He and his wife, Helen Johnson-Leipold, maintain residences in Saint Paul and Racine, Wisconsin, and have five children. Helen is the daughter of Samuel Curtis Johnson, Jr. of the S. C. Johnson family[2] and is chairman and chief executive officer of Johnson Outdoors, Inc. and chairman of Johnson Financial Group.[12] Leipold is a prominent Republican who supported George W. Bush and Mitt Romney.[2] Grand Casino Arena, then known as the Xcel Energy Center, hosted the 2008 Republican National Convention.
References
- ^ Adams, Alan (2011). "100 People of Power and Influence". The Hockey News. 64: 18.
- ^ Collins, Bob (January 10, 2008). "Who is Craig Leipold". National Public Radio. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
- ^ "Owning a team 'a departure from conventional wisdom'". Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal. November 24, 2008. Archived 2012-09-19 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
- ^ "Canadian Billionaire To Buy Predators". News Channel 5. Archived from the original on February 5, 2012. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
- ^ "Craig Leipold unloads on Balsillie and Rodier, alleges attempts to undermine the Nashville Predators". Retrieved 2010-04-17.
- ^ "Wild sold for reported $250 million; new owner promises seamless transition". Twin Cities. 2008-01-10. Retrieved 2026-05-20.
- ^ Fedor, Liz (2025-12-29). "Craig Leipold's Path to Minnesota Twins Ownership". Twin Cities Business. Retrieved 2026-05-20.
- ^ "Major League Volleyball Adds Minnesota Franchise". Major League Volleyball. 2025-11-18. Retrieved 2026-05-26.
- ^ "Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold launching pro volleyball team in St. Paul for 2027". Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal. 2025-11-18. Retrieved 2026-05-26.
- ^ "Major League Volleyball announces Minnesota team will play at Grand Casino Arena in 2027 - CBS Minnesota". www.cbsnews.com. 2025-11-18. Retrieved 2026-05-26.
- ^ "Author: Craig Leipold". Thomas Nelson. Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2010-04-27.
- ^ Minnesota Wild Media Guide 2009–10. Minnesota Wild. 2009. p. 10.[dead link]