Bill Ballard, a Canadian businessman and rock concert promoter, gained a substantial stake in his father Harold Ballard's holding company in 1966. That holding company controlled the publically traded Maple Leafs Gardens Ltd., which, in turned owned the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Following the death of his father on April 11, 1990, he battled for the control of his father's holding company. He lost the battle to Steve Stavro, who eventually gained control of the holding company. Molson Breweries of Canada was entitled to two substantial stakes in the holding company. In 1980, it had provided Harold Ballard money for his investments and had an option to buy 19.9 percent of the holding company shares. In 1989, it had provided Harold Ballard money that he needed to buy back the shares he had given to his children, Harold Ballard, Jr. and Mary Elizabeth Flynn in 1966.

The brewery already owned the Montréal Canadiens and as NHL rules prohibited two franchises to be owned by the same company, it used the opportunity to cash in. It considered acquiring all the shares, but ended up only exercising its stock option, with aim to sell the shares. Stavro was given the right to pay the estate's debts the brewery, which subsequently sold the rest of its shares to Stavro.

Having loset the battle over his father's holding company, Bill Ballard settled the case by selling his stake in the holding company to the estate in September 1991.