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Vincent Viola

Born:February 12, 1956Status:Owner (Florida Panthers)
Hometown:Brooklyn, New YorkKnown For:Founder of Virtu Financial

Vincent “Vinnie” Viola (born 1956) is the owner of the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League. He is an American billionaire businessman and U.S. Army veteran. He is the former chairman of the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), and the founder and chairman of Virtu Financial. He is also the owner of St. Elias Stables and co-owner, with fellow Brooklynite Anthony Bonomo, of the 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming.

Vincent Viola Florida Panthers
Vincent Viola of the Florida Panthers (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Panthers Under Ownership

Viola purchased the Florida Panthers in 2013 for $250 million. In his first seven seasons, the Panthers made the playoffs just once. They made it in each of the next four seasons, winning the Presidents’ Trophy for the 2021-22 season but were eliminated in the second round of the postseason in that campaign.

In 2020, the Panthers were given a valuation of $295 million, the second-lowest valuation in the league.

Deeper Dive

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