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Philip Anschutz wasn't a “desperate seller” and bidders for his AEG sports and entertainment giant didn't meet his price, a leading sports-business consultant said. Marc Ganis, president of SportsCorp. in Chicago, said he wasn't surprised that Anschutz called off the sale of AEG on Thursday. It was said that Anschutz was looking to sell AEG for $7 billion or more. AEG: A look back “Phil Anschutz is not a desperate seller,” Ganis said in an interview. “He is an incredibly smart and savvy businessman and the prospective buyers did not meet the number he was willing to accept.” Ganis said Anschutz's desire to sell AEG was primarily driven by financial issues with his holdings in commercial and residential real estate, which had been battered by the recent financial crisis and recession.

  Join Times hockey writers Lisa Dillman and Helene Elliott at 1 p.m. today for a live video chat about the Ducks, Kings and the NHL. You will be able to submit questions for Dillman and Elliott during the chat. The Kings have been playing much better over the last couple of weeks, thanks in large part to the outstanding play of Jeff Carter. As Dillman wrote about Carter this week , "The continuing education of Jeff Carter , whose 17 goals are tied for third in the NHL, knows no bounds.

Billionaire Philip Anschutz will be taking a more active role at his sports and entertainment powerhouse AEG without his longtime chief executive, Tim Leiweke. Anschutz announced Thursday that he was halting the planned sale of AEG and that Leiweke will be leaving by “mutual agreement.” AEG: A look back “We appreciate the role Tim has played in the development of AEG, and thank him for the many contributions he has made to the company,” Anschutz said in a statement.

Denny Hamlin dropped his plan to appeal a $25,000 fine that was levied by NASCAR after Hamlin complained about the Sprint Cup Series' new "Gen 6" race car. "After a lot of thought I have decided not to appeal the fine," Hamlin, who drives the No. 11 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, said Thursday on Twitter. "Dragging myself, my team and NASCAR through the mud for the next 2 weeks would not be good for anyone," even though "I firmly believe I am in the right on this issue," Hamlin tweeted.

AEG founder Philip Anschutz said in an exclusive interview with the Los Angeles Times that he pulled his sports and entertainment conglomerate off the market after having a change of heart and deciding to become actively "reengaged" in managing the company. Anschutz wouldn't directly address how many bids he received for AEG or what prices were offered. But he hinted strongly that the bids fell short of the $8 billion to $10 billion that he reportedly was seeking. "We were very clear from the start," Anschutz said in an hourlong interview in a conference room high atop L.A. Live.

SAN JOSE -- It's no stretch to say Kings captain Dustin Brown will be the player most affected on a personal level by the departure of AEG Chief Executive Tim Leiweke.   Brown's name was in play shortly before the trade deadline last season, creating more than a few anxious moments for his family. The Kings captain told The Times last season that Leiweke stepped in and told Brown's wife, Nicole, that he was not being traded.   “I think it was a real possibility,” Brown said after Thursday's morning skate.

Philip Anschutz, the billionaire chairman of AEG, announced Thursday that the sale of the behemoth entertainment company would be halted. Anschutz Entertainment Group Inc. owns L.A. Live, Staples Center and the Los Angeles Kings, among other holdings. AEG: A look back Here is the full text of the statement the company released Thursday: "The Anschutz Company announced today that it will retain ownership of Anschutz Entertainment Group, Inc. and terminate the sales process for AEG. Philip F. Anschutz, as Chairman of AEG, will resume a more active role in the Company, with a particular focus on the Company's world-wide strategy and operations.

In a city reeling from earthquakes, riots and a deep recession, Tim Leiweke emerged as a powerful force in Los Angeles. He made his mark in 1999, opening Staples Center in a moribund section of downtown. Then the L.A. Live complex, which changed the downtown skyline for the first time in a decade. Leiweke's departure Thursday as head of entertainment giant Anschutz Entertainment Group sent ripples through not only L.A.'s business community but also its civic and political circles.

Philip Anschutz and the no-longer-for-sale AEG have been key players in sports and entertainment in Los Angeles. Here are some highlights: -- Oct. 1995: Denver-based billionaire Philip Anschutz and Southern California developer Ed Roski Jr. buy the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League. -- May 1997: Anschutz and Roski announce a plan to revamp the L.A. Memorial Coliseum and bring a professional football team to the city by 2000. -- March 1998: Work begins on Staples Center, Anschutz and Roski's new downtown arena.

Billionaire Philip Anschutz tapped longtime finance man Dan Beckerman to take the helm of AEG after the sale of the company was halted Thursday.  Beckerman will now serve as chief executive and president of Anschutz Entertainment Group Inc., replacing Tim Leiweke, who is leaving the company. AEG: A look back But who is Beckerman? Here's a rundown: -- Beckerman joined AEG in 1997 as chief financial officer of the Los Angeles Kings. -- Before he joined AEG, Beckerman was vice president of finance for the Los Angeles Clippers for two seasons.