Bobby Brett Talks With Nicholas Group

Bobby Brett, brother of Hall of Famer George Brett, spoke this week with a representative of an investment group pursuing the Angels and Mighty Ducks. While the brothers would be interested in making a minority investment and operating the teams, Bobby Brett said Wednesday such discussion would be pointless until--and unless--Broadcom Corp. co-founders Henry T. Nicholas III and Henry Samueli can find majority investors for a purchase that will likely exceed $400 million.

Bobby Brett represents family interests in minor league hockey and soccer teams in Spokane, Wash., and minor league baseball teams in Spokane, El Paso, Texas, and Adelanto, Calif. The Bretts could front an investment group and provide experience in sports management, although Bobby Brett said a majority investor might have his own management team in mind: “Usually the person that puts up the big money controls all that.”

After four months of negotiating to buy Disney’s sports teams, Nicholas said Oct. 1 that he and Samueli would limit any involvement to minority investment. Disney has been approached by other potential buyers.