Canucks: Rumours Around Aquilini Ownership Refuse to Fade
While the team isn’t officially on the market, the Aquilini family continues to seek a minority investor.
A struggling hockey team and speculation about a shifting ownership group are a perfect recipe for fueling ongoing rumours about a potential sale — even when no sale is actually happening.
Insider reports suggest that Francesco, Roberto, and Luigi Aquilini — the current owners of the Vancouver Canucks — are actively seeking a minority partner willing to invest around $500 million. This move is believed to be aimed at buying out their brother Paolo’s share of the team.
Just last month, the Aquilinis issued a statement asserting that the team is not for sale. But that doesn’t preclude them from pursuing new minority investors — a distinction that continues to stir speculation.
The Canucks and Rogers Arena are deeply entangled in a web of investments accumulated by the Aquilini family over the past 20 years. Attempting to separate and sell off either the team or the arena would be a logistical and financial challenge. Furthermore, Francesco Aquilini is said to be especially devoted to owning the team, making the idea of him giving it up highly unlikely.
Yet the speculation refuses to die down.
When three unrelated sources — from the NHL, social media, and an unusual intersection of winemaking and real estate — start mentioning potential investors, and when some of those names are linked to major global brands in alcohol, shipping, or hospitality, people naturally start paying attention.
The likely truth? These whispers probably stem from preliminary outreach or due diligence during the search for a minority partner. Beyond that, most talk is likely just hopeful speculation.
Still, the persistence of these rumours tells us something: many fans want to believe them.
Despite a tough decade, last season’s flicker of promise, and ongoing frustrations, there’s still deep loyalty and hope surrounding the Canucks. Fans don’t just hope each year will be the turnaround — they need it to be.
This longing is often tied to the dream of new ownership. The Aquilinis have been involved with the team since 2004 and in full control since 2006 — 21 years in all, second only to the Griffiths family, who owned the team for 23 years.
The Griffiths era had its own highs and lows. Frank Griffiths bought the Canucks in 1974, later handing the reins to his son Arthur, who oversaw a dramatic expansion of the family’s sports empire and the construction of Rogers Arena. But with mounting costs and a weak Canadian dollar, Arthur ran into financial troubles. That led to Seattle billionaire John McCaw stepping in as a silent partner — though by 1997, he took over completely after buying out Griffiths. McCaw never truly wanted to own the teams, and by 2004 he sold them to the Aquilinis, in a move that surprised his original suitors, Tom Gaglardi and Ryan Beedie. Francesco Aquilini had been part of their group before leaving to strike his own deal.
Under the Aquilinis, the Canucks saw early success, peaking in 2011. But the last decade has seen a steady decline. Fans remember the glory days — and they yearn for a return, perhaps under different leadership.
Could the Aquilinis actually sell? It’s unlikely. Rogers Arena and its surrounding properties remain financially valuable assets. The arena continues to generate profits through concerts and events. The team, even in down years, remains a valuable — albeit expensive — enterprise. Its soaring valuation fits well with Luigi Aquilini’s approach: “There’s no money in the sell, only in the buy.” The family prefers to hold onto assets and watch them appreciate.
This isn’t a case like Arthur Griffiths’ financial struggles. The Aquilinis aren’t short on cash — they’re just unpopular with many fans.
So, for now, the rumours will persist, fueled by frustration and longing. Unless the team’s current leadership can somehow revive the glory of 2011, fans will keep dreaming of a new beginning.
