I'd say market value would be about $500m. Toronto, NYR, and Montreal are worth $1-1.3b.
If the price was that much it would be basically buying something that someone else wouldn't be able to have...which happens in business a lot. Any other team it would literally sink them. This would do nothing for these organizations and many others Mcdavid as much of a great talent he is in Canada you have to take into account that NYR, Toronto, MTL are the biggest public relation cities in the world. A great quote from a successful business man in relation to when something is already successful and people are buying that product/service (if it has total market share) you can't sell something everyone's buying already - that relates to these cities.
Hockey is big in these cities and its cultural- so you take into account the richness of these organizations, plus p.r. and history they can make Mcdavid more of a household name but not
significantly more. How many times your wife or gf knows of a guy just because you live in a hockey mad city - almost all the time. Mcdavid would do nothing for a Canadian market value wise either. People buy jerseys in Edmonton and mcdavid will sell more than anyone on the Oilers now, but those same people would still be buying jerseys. Mcdavid certainly revitalizes the fan base and it has been at a stalemate, so less season tickets cancelled, more renewed and purchased but this is more based on a stagnant product - - - if the team is doing well merchandise and tickets are sold regardless.
It would mean nothing in non traditional organizations - a Carolina, Tampa, Nashville, Florida, Arizona franchise would be absolutely abysmal. This on the opposite side of the hockey spectrum. you have to remember outside of the border how many people know the name Mcdavid outside hockey fans. He's not like a Lebron, or Tiger, or people that non sports fans know the name, and would create a brand.
For teams in the middle "bubble teams" so to speak. Outside of history there are teams that have no history of winning at all like St. Louis, and Buffalo, so they have history, but not success. For the business side of things it would be very beneficial (this is taking into account they win, and are more relevant - we can't forget what Kane and Toews did for Chicago) if they did this cause eventually they would get there money back. Big names and winning are synonymous with one another Jordan - Bulls, gretzky - oilers, ect.
Team that has brief history, and no history of winning, your not going to change your fortunes. Minnesota wild, (yea yea north stars) but its a different fan base now, same as Winnipeg they both have the happy to have a franchise outlook and they cheer there teams on no matter what.
Every other team would be stupid to consider paying such a steep price.
I guess what I am saying is does a team make Mcdavid a brand or does the name Mcdavid make the team a brand. Big teams with rich history of success, and a culture don't need to make a brand.
Remember when pittsburgh got Lemieux he made them a brand, Crosby revitalized the brand by creating a sentimentalism and he had his own brand already (but he's a very small exception) . Lemieux made the brand based on winning.
Same as Gretzky here. Hockey is different than any other sport in NFL (Manziel, Manning, Luck) they almost have brands before they even play a game, hockey
has guys who are marketable Stamkos, Tavares but it says more about there pocket book and making them richer by sponsors, and endorsements then it does about the sport.
Part of it is culture, hockey fans are about the stars but we care about the individual team as a whole. NBA sells individuals, and so does mlB, nfl sells individuals (yet fans know about the unknown players that make a team) Hockey brands its game on players, and yet if your an Oiler fan you respect a Tavares, Stamkos, ect but you would never buy a jersey. Other sports (take nfl out again) unless your a diehard and even those guys its not uncommon to see a games room with a Jordan jersey, and Larry bird one, and a magic one, ect.