Gretzky Fights To Keep Finances Private
July 13, 2009 by Jeanne Dupuis
Filed under NHL, News, Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes bankruptcy case well underway, coach Wayne Gretzky is fighting to keep his personal finances private. The city of Glendale has filed a motion requesting that the Great One hand over his income tax returns but his lawyers have responded by saying that he is actually a resident of California, a 
state that has clear privacy protections in place. They also claim that his personal finances have nothing to do with the Coyotes’ bankruptcy case and I have to admit that, in the grand scheme of things, I can’t see why it would be so important for him to declare his income. I realize that they might want to look at how much he was paid for his coaching duties (he reportedly makes $7 million per year)but I’m sure it’s not the reason for the team’s demise.
This statement by his lawyers sum it up pretty well: “Mr. Gretzky is a public figure; in fact, he is one of the most recognizable sports figures in the history of the United States, and the most recognized hockey player in the history of the National Hockey League. Mr. Gretzky has a clear interest in maintaining the privacy of his financial records, and his privacy interest is one that outweighs (Glendale’s) need for disclosure of Mr. Gretzky’s personal tax records.”
They added, however, that he would be willing to appear for examination and to provide any “non-private, non-privileged documents.”
Unless the court thinks that Gretzky is involved with some sort of corruption, I really don’t see why they need to see his personal finances. It would be justified, however, if, in the course of their investigation, they uncovered evidence that suggests he and the team have done something untoward. So far, I haven’t really heard anything like that from a reputable source.
image: TSN
