DeVos transferring ownership of Magic
Brian Schmitz | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted October 20, 2005
Rich DeVos attended Wednesday night's preseason game and acknowledged that his days as majority owner of the Orlando Magic are ending.
DeVos confirmed to the Orlando Sentinel that ownership of the team will be transferred to his children and that Bob Vander Weide, his son-in-law and team president, will represent the Magic as their owner.
The family wanted the paperwork on the transfer to be completed this month, but it likely will take until the end of the year.
"We have to start preparing for the next stage in life," DeVos said before the Magic beat Maccabi Tel Aviv 93-79 at TD Waterhouse Centre.
Club sources indicate that DeVos will still have about a 30 percent stake in the team. The second generation -- sons Dick, Doug and Dan and daughter, Cheri -- will have the controlling interest.
Vander Weide, married to Cheri, told the Sentinel last season that the family was interested in looking for minority partners.
Rich DeVos, who turns 80 in March, has not been involved in the day-to-day operations for years, but is kept abreast of significant developments.
"They'll call the old man to tell them what they want to do and I'll probably go along with it," DeVos laughed.
Although the Magic are trying to get a new arena built, or renovate the 16-year-old building, Vander Weide has said he wants the team to be in Orlando "another 20, 25 years."
DeVos looked fit, but conceded that trouble with his left knee is causing him to lose his balance on occasion. His team is having physical issues as well.
Guard Keyon Dooling sat out against Maccabi with a sore tendon in his right foot, an injury he sustained Tuesday night in Miami. Dooling wore a protective boot as a precaution, but doesn't feel it is serious. Forward Grant Hill left in the first quarter after aggravating an abdominal muscle he strained in training camp. He and Dooling will have MRIs today.
Point guard Steve Francis and shooting guard DeShawn Stevenson were back in the lineup after sitting out against the Heat. The Magic received an unexpected surprise when center Kelvin Cato -- who said he wouldn't play until Saturday night -- made an appearance against Maccabi. It was the first action for Cato since last season. He has been recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.
Maccabi, a perennial Euroleague powerhouse from Israel, obviously viewed the game as more than an exhibition. It beat the Toronto Raptors 105-103 on Sunday and raced to a 20-10 lead over the Magic. Despite the loss of Hill, Orlando rallied, turning up its defense behind Bo Outlaw and Terence Morris. Francis led the Magic with 20 points and eight assists. Dwight Howard added 14 points.
Hoffentlich bleiben die Magic solange in Orlando bis Shaq sie dann endgültig kauft.