The yotes have a lot of bad options to choose from (including HRA). Until a new building is ready they will lose money everywhere.
I would immagine that they could get the requisite equipment into the Vet as the Roadrunners played there for years. Yes, it is not up to NHL standards but that is the best of the awful options.
They need to get the Tempe deal done or build something up by talking stick or this team is gone.
Another thing: Alex pay your f*ing bills! I am a season ticket holder and you get my money before you let me in the building. Be a real man and meet your obligations.
I don't believe Phelps or Glendale, nor any economic forecast that someone blew up a bodily orrifice.
I don't believe Gutierrez.
I kinda will partially believe Bettman.
As Craig opined, I believe Glendale will rue going up with the competition that will include a Tempe arena.
I think ASM will walk on Glendale.
I wonder if the Coyotes move for two years while a new arena is built if the math doesn't justify bringing Footprint or the Coliseum up to NHL standards?
I wonder if the ASU arena will be ready in late 2022, or did I misread that? ASU and the Coyotes have a good relationship.
I think there’s plenty of truth in the actions. Glendale is leveraging their final hand, while they don’t want to lose the Coyotes, despite what they say, they also don’t want to compete with another new arena in the greater PHX area, where GRA becomes a distant 3rd (at best) for non-hockey events.
COG and the Coyotes have had an adversarial relationship for a long time. Both parties have been inept and made multiple terrible decisions for the past decade. And now COG is making another….their actions lead to a lose-lose scenario that will not be in anyone’s best interest, especially Glendale residents.
I just don't see a long-term way forward between the two sides, so I understand why Glendale is doing what it is doing. But there have been so many mistakes made along the way. So many. The biggest was the initial marriage. So much could be different had the Coyotes kept pursuing the Los Arcos location.
I would actually be interested in going to game at the memorial coliseum, seems like it would be cavernous and loud, similar to Nassau for the Islanders. Sure it only holds just under 14,000 but that's not too far off from their average attendance anyways.
Head over to the State Fair this year and have a look inside the Coliseum. I'm a 65 yo native and have a ton of Roadrunners and concert memories there as a kid (I saw the Monkees live!), so the nostalgia is off the charts for me. I don't see the average fan putting up with the ancient Madhouse amenities, though. After AWA was built it hasn't had any significant updates or renovation, just enough to keep it in service for small events.
They'd have to forge one hell of a marketing scheme. The Islanders did it, but their situation differed in some respects. That was Long Island's only option and the team had a lot more, and more recent history there.
And, promise the long standing fans/STH one hell of an entire season long party of events when the new facility opens up.
Greg proposed an exorcism with pyrotechnics at GRA. Maybe a preemptive exorcism of the new facility, during said party, would help our chances for a championship. Never hurts to plan ahead a little.
In my little fantasy world, this would all be followed up by a championship, after Conor Garland has come back to play with The Yotes in the new facility alongside Josh Doan.
It so horrifyingly painful to be a fan of this team. I can’t imagine what it must be like to be the writer who’s only job is to cover them and who’s livelihood is connected to them. God bless you Craig.
And people need to be more impressed that you have Gary on speed dial!
The fans are being asked to endure a major rebuild that is still uncertain what that will look like. The call for ticket purchases continues unabated during this time. Now, on top of this is squabbling over Gila River Arena. How much are fans supposed to embrace before anything positive surfaces with the Coyotes?
Yea. It bothers me that now on YouTube you have the hockey rumor-mongers writing once again about Coyotes moving to Houston. It would really be nice to have that put behind us once and for all. For so many reasons. I know right now is a fire sale to rebuild and acquire assets, OK. But I can't believe these "rumors" would make players want to come and play for AZ.
I think it’s time again for the Westgate restaurant and business owners to start a campaign to recall the city manager — and the hockey-hating Glendale mayor while they’re at it.
This crap started in 2013 when they found a loophole in their contract with the Coyotes that started this slippery slope. Neither side is without blame here!
Now, let’s get to the important things. How about we start with finding a real NHL goalie?
I'm very curious to hear how those shop owners actually feel now. The last time I spoke to all of them about the prospect of the Coyotes leaving (I think it was 2018), they were anything but in lockstep with the city. The west side is experiencing growth once again, after a period of stagnation, but I would caution anyone who wants to buy fully into the city's rosy picture of the future.
I don't know how many other folks in our little community here are Glendale residents. I may be the only one. So y'all and yinz guys are going to hear me vent about city government for a bit.
I love Glendale. I love the fact that it is diverse (at least for Maricopa County), that you can drive two miles and go from urban to rural, and that it feels more like my hometown of Pittsburgh than anywhere else I have been in the Valley. If I do end up buying a house, I want to stay in Glendale.
But this city government does more to shoot itself in the foot than any other local government I've ever experienced. They turned down an expansion of the light rail line that could have attracted businesses with better paying jobs. They think they are going to attract high-value concerts to that arena when there will be a newer, shinier arena in Tempe with 50,000 college students just waiting to spend mom and dad's money. They are willfully ignoring the increasingly bad homelessness problem, and especially the increasing number of senior citizens and people with disabilities who are homeless. They are constantly raising water and sewer rates to "upgrade systems," but there are still issues with the water and sewage system. They will send out multiple code enforcement officers because someone has taken too long to spread gravel in their yard, but they will all of the owners who have let vacant strip malls fall to ruins. And they keep getting elected!
Jerry Weiers has been mayor for 8 years. Won re-election handily. The most recently any new council member was elected was 2015. When you look at their city budget, you can see their priorities are all out of whack. In short, they are dysfunctional, and they will continue to be dysfunctional until the voters in this city actually start paying attention and hold them accountable with their votes.
Thank you for listening to my speech. Now on the Coyotes...
Sigh. I feel like every time something good happens for them, something horrible has to happen to take away from it. It feels like maybe they finally have something brewing on the hockey side of the house...Armstrong seems to have a plan, and they seem committed to seeing it through. Now they don't have a place to play after this season. Last year, they had some momentum going and looked like they would make the playoffs...and Kuemper and Raanta both get hurt. I could go on, but it is late and I have a deadline on a proposal tomorrow. Sigh.
When the inevitable more to Tempe comes, I will probably give up my season tickets, for the same reason people in the East Valley have with Glendale. It's too long a drive, and I anticipate there will be a substantial increase in price. It makes me sad, but such is life.
My mailing address is Glendale, but I live in Phoenix. If we decide to go with the move maybe we can carpool. Plus we may actually try public transportation. We'll see.
I feel like this is one overly dramatic bluff by Glendale. Partial truth on both sides, likely, and I don't doubt the franchise owes some money, but...
I find it a little dubious that this big, definitive, public finger-pointing and rebuke of the Coyotes comes after Glendale didn't get the long-term commitment they wanted and talks with Tempe are starting to move forward. And the fact that Glendale city council member Bart Turner messaged a link to Lauren Kuby, a Tempe city council member involved in the discussions seems a little too blatant for my taste.
Past economic impact surveys have shown that the amount of events - at high or full capacity, which is unlikely - required to replace the Coyotes impact is extremely unlikely, if at all possible. I don't see them pulling two dozen or more additional packed events out of their butts anytime soon. Either Glendale is incredibly short-sighted or this is legitimately just a reckless bluff to try to coerce the team to commit to a new deal before a Tempe option fully materializes.
Yes, I have significant doubts about Glendale's ability to fill those dates. At the same time, you understand why they have to explore the possibility, right? The Coyotes have made it plain that they intend to leave. Glendale must have a plan in place if/when that occurs.
I do. I get exploring the possibility - and I hope they figure that out for the sake of the business owners in Westgate - I just feel like this isn't them exploring a possibility, it feels too much like a kneejerk attempt to close doors on the team after they couldn't get them to commit to staying long-term.
This. I am a big Yotes fan, but Glendale is in a bad place too. If I were them I would look at what many in this thread have mentioned (competition would be tough against the other Valley venues, especially with a brand new Tempe arena) and come to the conclusion that something needs to be done. In fact, probably better to try and build momentum for holding events in GRA -without- the Tempe arena available. And I have to imagine people would be far more tolerant of travel times or other hassles for one-off (and probably later in the evening) events like concerts than committing to 41 early evening start times.
After Glendale fails with their grandiose concert event expectations, I fear that the new usage for Gila River Arena will be as a large Bass Pro Shop like what happened to the old Memphis Grizzlies Arena:
If the Coyotes have to play at the coliseum next year, I guarantee I'll go to every home game. I only went to a handful of games in Glendale, because of the commute, but at the coliseum, I'll attend every home game.
This is sad. The thought of the coyotes leaving AZ makes me sick, and I'm a fan that lives in MN. Glendale was never going to work, but I'm confident that getting an arena in the East valley would be monumental for this franchise and its fans. I'm so sick of being ragged on for being a Yotes fan, but I understand it. Every year there's new drama, and more uncertainty but, for better or worse, I love this team and remain loyal. If this all ends in relocation... ugh I get sick just thinking about it.
Craig, thank you for being the only reliable thing for this franchise. I'm hopeful that we can find a permanent home in the desert. I look forward to making my annual trips to AZ to catch more games.
I hope so, too, Anthony. Thanks for the kind words. It is not easy be a Coyotes fan, or a Coyotes writer, but I do love my job, and I do love covering the NHL.
I like the idea of the veterans memorial Coliseum for a few yrs.... Hey if the SJ sharks can play at the old cow palace(with wooden seats) 40 miles from their home now for the first two yrs of their existence, The coyotes can certainly do the Vet for a few yrs a few miles from a new home!! We all don't like changes, but changes is inevitable for the Yotes! I live on the west side, but I will still support my yotes through thick and thin where ever they be in the valley! Seeing all these comments shows me we have a strong fan base and we can survive this mess and move forward once the new Arena is built leaving the Glendale city counsel and Gila river Arena in the dust!!!
I learned to love hockey watching the WHL’s San Francisco Seals in the Cow Palace in the 1960s, and that place didn’t have what you’d call modern conveniences either. In fact, it was located near SFO and very close to Candlestick Park.
Craig, it would be great if you could do a follow-up piece on what it really would take to get the Madhouse on McDowell hockey ready. I went to a few Roadrunners games and even an NHL exhibition there between, I think, the Kings and Canadians in the early ‘90s.
I believe the state fair is moving to Rawhide on the Gila River Indian Community for a year or two, so perhaps the Veterans Coliseum could get be available to get some work done in advance of the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. You know it’s going to take a few years for a new arena to get past the red tape and actually up and running.
No place will take them if they continue to not pay their bills, noticed the forgiven debt as well. Merulo won’t sell if he gets the gambling license.
Where will they play-if anything he will build a temporary rink in Vegas and host it at the Sahara. Probably will make more $ paying himself for a couple of years.
A shame the baseball/nhl season overlaps just enough or we could have rehashed the Lightning playing out of the St. Pete Thunderdome all those years at Chase Field. The $99 season tickets for the upper deck was a nice option for a broke college student at the time.
Tongue was in cheek in that one, but he does own a casino in Reno!
They will spend two years in quebec (if the leafs were in the west the Yotes can be a central team in Quebec) where they will leave and immediately win their first cup while back in the east valley.
Ok seriously central team that needs a home will play in KC for a year or two while it gets done if he doesn’t sell.
I'll say this much: as many re-location rumors may be spread on the internet, it's incredibly un-likely to happen. I'm sure the league could look into the team temporarily playing home games elsewhere (à la the NBA having the Toronto Raptors temporarily play in Tampa during the pandemic), but they're not going to move the team permanently. The main reason the league would re-locate a team is due to bad/non-existent ownership (that's what happened with the Jets, because ownership clearly didn't care for the Thrashers and only cared about the Hawks); the Coyotes have a dedicated owner now in Alex Meruelo.
Anyway, frankly, it's seemed to me like Glendale hasn't wanted the Coyotes for 7 years now, ever since they tried to worm their way out of the IceArizona agreement in 2015 on a *mere technicality* (if I recall correctly, per Craig's reporting at the time, it was because one of IceArizona's consulting lawyers briefly did a bit of work for the City of Glendale previously, which Glendale used as an excuse to declare a conflict of interest, or something along those lines). To me, it seemed more like Glendale signed the agreement without realizing any of the long-term costs and then panicked and tried to back out of it in bad faith. So good riddance to the City of Glendale.
That whole situation in 2015 was farcical. I had five legal experts telling me on the record that the Coyotes had the better case, and yet they did not pursue it for fear of the fallout. The relationship was damaged irreparably from that point onward anyway.
TBH the NHL has had MULTIPLE opportunities to move us and they never did. Alex won't sell the team otherwise he'll lose his gambling license in AZ so the Yotes aren't going anywhere except Tempe.
The yotes have a lot of bad options to choose from (including HRA). Until a new building is ready they will lose money everywhere.
I would immagine that they could get the requisite equipment into the Vet as the Roadrunners played there for years. Yes, it is not up to NHL standards but that is the best of the awful options.
They need to get the Tempe deal done or build something up by talking stick or this team is gone.
Another thing: Alex pay your f*ing bills! I am a season ticket holder and you get my money before you let me in the building. Be a real man and meet your obligations.
Definitely not good optics.
Closed on a mansion recently so was a little lite the last few months. You know how it go.....
I don't believe any of them.
I don't believe Phelps or Glendale, nor any economic forecast that someone blew up a bodily orrifice.
I don't believe Gutierrez.
I kinda will partially believe Bettman.
As Craig opined, I believe Glendale will rue going up with the competition that will include a Tempe arena.
I think ASM will walk on Glendale.
I wonder if the Coyotes move for two years while a new arena is built if the math doesn't justify bringing Footprint or the Coliseum up to NHL standards?
I wonder if the ASU arena will be ready in late 2022, or did I misread that? ASU and the Coyotes have a good relationship.
I wonder if Craig was secretly on vacation?
I was supposed to take a long weekend off. Somebody found out.
We love you CM…Thanks again.
I think there’s plenty of truth in the actions. Glendale is leveraging their final hand, while they don’t want to lose the Coyotes, despite what they say, they also don’t want to compete with another new arena in the greater PHX area, where GRA becomes a distant 3rd (at best) for non-hockey events.
COG and the Coyotes have had an adversarial relationship for a long time. Both parties have been inept and made multiple terrible decisions for the past decade. And now COG is making another….their actions lead to a lose-lose scenario that will not be in anyone’s best interest, especially Glendale residents.
I just don't see a long-term way forward between the two sides, so I understand why Glendale is doing what it is doing. But there have been so many mistakes made along the way. So many. The biggest was the initial marriage. So much could be different had the Coyotes kept pursuing the Los Arcos location.
That was exactly my opinion. The truth is somewhere in between what Glendale is saying and what the Coyotes are saying.
I would actually be interested in going to game at the memorial coliseum, seems like it would be cavernous and loud, similar to Nassau for the Islanders. Sure it only holds just under 14,000 but that's not too far off from their average attendance anyways.
If it came to that, and a lot must happen for it to come to that, the Coyotes would do well to study the Islanders' blueprint.
On and off the ice no doubt....
Would love to emulate the Islanders
Head over to the State Fair this year and have a look inside the Coliseum. I'm a 65 yo native and have a ton of Roadrunners and concert memories there as a kid (I saw the Monkees live!), so the nostalgia is off the charts for me. I don't see the average fan putting up with the ancient Madhouse amenities, though. After AWA was built it hasn't had any significant updates or renovation, just enough to keep it in service for small events.
They'd have to forge one hell of a marketing scheme. The Islanders did it, but their situation differed in some respects. That was Long Island's only option and the team had a lot more, and more recent history there.
We can just play at Doaners arena at his house in that air conditioning commercial.
22-23 in Veterans Memorial Coliseum would be pretty cool if they just embraced the old aesthetics and went throw back every home night.
I'm down with this.
And, promise the long standing fans/STH one hell of an entire season long party of events when the new facility opens up.
Greg proposed an exorcism with pyrotechnics at GRA. Maybe a preemptive exorcism of the new facility, during said party, would help our chances for a championship. Never hurts to plan ahead a little.
In my little fantasy world, this would all be followed up by a championship, after Conor Garland has come back to play with The Yotes in the new facility alongside Josh Doan.
City of Glendale has overplayed their hand. There's only so many Dokken & Slaughter concerts to go around...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2L1-TgfKb4
It so horrifyingly painful to be a fan of this team. I can’t imagine what it must be like to be the writer who’s only job is to cover them and who’s livelihood is connected to them. God bless you Craig.
And people need to be more impressed that you have Gary on speed dial!
I will admit that at times, it does take an emotional toll on this household.
That was my 1st thought after reading it.
The fans are being asked to endure a major rebuild that is still uncertain what that will look like. The call for ticket purchases continues unabated during this time. Now, on top of this is squabbling over Gila River Arena. How much are fans supposed to embrace before anything positive surfaces with the Coyotes?
I dunno how to answer that, Harold. I really don't. That is up to each fan to decide.
Yea. It bothers me that now on YouTube you have the hockey rumor-mongers writing once again about Coyotes moving to Houston. It would really be nice to have that put behind us once and for all. For so many reasons. I know right now is a fire sale to rebuild and acquire assets, OK. But I can't believe these "rumors" would make players want to come and play for AZ.
The rebuild actually goes well with a declining on-ice product for a few years. That part of the timing does not bother me.
I think it’s time again for the Westgate restaurant and business owners to start a campaign to recall the city manager — and the hockey-hating Glendale mayor while they’re at it.
This crap started in 2013 when they found a loophole in their contract with the Coyotes that started this slippery slope. Neither side is without blame here!
Now, let’s get to the important things. How about we start with finding a real NHL goalie?
I'm very curious to hear how those shop owners actually feel now. The last time I spoke to all of them about the prospect of the Coyotes leaving (I think it was 2018), they were anything but in lockstep with the city. The west side is experiencing growth once again, after a period of stagnation, but I would caution anyone who wants to buy fully into the city's rosy picture of the future.
I don't know how many other folks in our little community here are Glendale residents. I may be the only one. So y'all and yinz guys are going to hear me vent about city government for a bit.
I love Glendale. I love the fact that it is diverse (at least for Maricopa County), that you can drive two miles and go from urban to rural, and that it feels more like my hometown of Pittsburgh than anywhere else I have been in the Valley. If I do end up buying a house, I want to stay in Glendale.
But this city government does more to shoot itself in the foot than any other local government I've ever experienced. They turned down an expansion of the light rail line that could have attracted businesses with better paying jobs. They think they are going to attract high-value concerts to that arena when there will be a newer, shinier arena in Tempe with 50,000 college students just waiting to spend mom and dad's money. They are willfully ignoring the increasingly bad homelessness problem, and especially the increasing number of senior citizens and people with disabilities who are homeless. They are constantly raising water and sewer rates to "upgrade systems," but there are still issues with the water and sewage system. They will send out multiple code enforcement officers because someone has taken too long to spread gravel in their yard, but they will all of the owners who have let vacant strip malls fall to ruins. And they keep getting elected!
Jerry Weiers has been mayor for 8 years. Won re-election handily. The most recently any new council member was elected was 2015. When you look at their city budget, you can see their priorities are all out of whack. In short, they are dysfunctional, and they will continue to be dysfunctional until the voters in this city actually start paying attention and hold them accountable with their votes.
Thank you for listening to my speech. Now on the Coyotes...
Sigh. I feel like every time something good happens for them, something horrible has to happen to take away from it. It feels like maybe they finally have something brewing on the hockey side of the house...Armstrong seems to have a plan, and they seem committed to seeing it through. Now they don't have a place to play after this season. Last year, they had some momentum going and looked like they would make the playoffs...and Kuemper and Raanta both get hurt. I could go on, but it is late and I have a deadline on a proposal tomorrow. Sigh.
When the inevitable more to Tempe comes, I will probably give up my season tickets, for the same reason people in the East Valley have with Glendale. It's too long a drive, and I anticipate there will be a substantial increase in price. It makes me sad, but such is life.
My mailing address is Glendale, but I live in Phoenix. If we decide to go with the move maybe we can carpool. Plus we may actually try public transportation. We'll see.
There you go. Solving problems.
I feel like this is one overly dramatic bluff by Glendale. Partial truth on both sides, likely, and I don't doubt the franchise owes some money, but...
I find it a little dubious that this big, definitive, public finger-pointing and rebuke of the Coyotes comes after Glendale didn't get the long-term commitment they wanted and talks with Tempe are starting to move forward. And the fact that Glendale city council member Bart Turner messaged a link to Lauren Kuby, a Tempe city council member involved in the discussions seems a little too blatant for my taste.
Past economic impact surveys have shown that the amount of events - at high or full capacity, which is unlikely - required to replace the Coyotes impact is extremely unlikely, if at all possible. I don't see them pulling two dozen or more additional packed events out of their butts anytime soon. Either Glendale is incredibly short-sighted or this is legitimately just a reckless bluff to try to coerce the team to commit to a new deal before a Tempe option fully materializes.
Yes, I have significant doubts about Glendale's ability to fill those dates. At the same time, you understand why they have to explore the possibility, right? The Coyotes have made it plain that they intend to leave. Glendale must have a plan in place if/when that occurs.
I do. I get exploring the possibility - and I hope they figure that out for the sake of the business owners in Westgate - I just feel like this isn't them exploring a possibility, it feels too much like a kneejerk attempt to close doors on the team after they couldn't get them to commit to staying long-term.
This. I am a big Yotes fan, but Glendale is in a bad place too. If I were them I would look at what many in this thread have mentioned (competition would be tough against the other Valley venues, especially with a brand new Tempe arena) and come to the conclusion that something needs to be done. In fact, probably better to try and build momentum for holding events in GRA -without- the Tempe arena available. And I have to imagine people would be far more tolerant of travel times or other hassles for one-off (and probably later in the evening) events like concerts than committing to 41 early evening start times.
After Glendale fails with their grandiose concert event expectations, I fear that the new usage for Gila River Arena will be as a large Bass Pro Shop like what happened to the old Memphis Grizzlies Arena:
https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2014/11/05/stadium-what-7-best-repurposed-stadiums
I'm hoping for a cool REI like the one they have in Denver.
If the Coyotes have to play at the coliseum next year, I guarantee I'll go to every home game. I only went to a handful of games in Glendale, because of the commute, but at the coliseum, I'll attend every home game.
It wouldn't be until 2022-23. Let's see how it plays out first.
Calgon take me away…….
Are you a lavender & honey guy?
I think more: I don’t drink but think I may as well pick it up to prep for the ride…..
This is sad. The thought of the coyotes leaving AZ makes me sick, and I'm a fan that lives in MN. Glendale was never going to work, but I'm confident that getting an arena in the East valley would be monumental for this franchise and its fans. I'm so sick of being ragged on for being a Yotes fan, but I understand it. Every year there's new drama, and more uncertainty but, for better or worse, I love this team and remain loyal. If this all ends in relocation... ugh I get sick just thinking about it.
Craig, thank you for being the only reliable thing for this franchise. I'm hopeful that we can find a permanent home in the desert. I look forward to making my annual trips to AZ to catch more games.
I hope so, too, Anthony. Thanks for the kind words. It is not easy be a Coyotes fan, or a Coyotes writer, but I do love my job, and I do love covering the NHL.
I like the idea of the veterans memorial Coliseum for a few yrs.... Hey if the SJ sharks can play at the old cow palace(with wooden seats) 40 miles from their home now for the first two yrs of their existence, The coyotes can certainly do the Vet for a few yrs a few miles from a new home!! We all don't like changes, but changes is inevitable for the Yotes! I live on the west side, but I will still support my yotes through thick and thin where ever they be in the valley! Seeing all these comments shows me we have a strong fan base and we can survive this mess and move forward once the new Arena is built leaving the Glendale city counsel and Gila river Arena in the dust!!!
Good stuff, Larry. You are a legend.
You rang, Craig??
Oh… that other guy. :)
I learned to love hockey watching the WHL’s San Francisco Seals in the Cow Palace in the 1960s, and that place didn’t have what you’d call modern conveniences either. In fact, it was located near SFO and very close to Candlestick Park.
Craig, it would be great if you could do a follow-up piece on what it really would take to get the Madhouse on McDowell hockey ready. I went to a few Roadrunners games and even an NHL exhibition there between, I think, the Kings and Canadians in the early ‘90s.
I believe the state fair is moving to Rawhide on the Gila River Indian Community for a year or two, so perhaps the Veterans Coliseum could get be available to get some work done in advance of the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. You know it’s going to take a few years for a new arena to get past the red tape and actually up and running.
We'll become the new Islanders!
No place will take them if they continue to not pay their bills, noticed the forgiven debt as well. Merulo won’t sell if he gets the gambling license.
Where will they play-if anything he will build a temporary rink in Vegas and host it at the Sahara. Probably will make more $ paying himself for a couple of years.
A shame the baseball/nhl season overlaps just enough or we could have rehashed the Lightning playing out of the St. Pete Thunderdome all those years at Chase Field. The $99 season tickets for the upper deck was a nice option for a broke college student at the time.
He couldn't take the team to Vegas. The NHL would not allow it.
I agree with you on the bills part. It does not excite potential partners when you don't pay your bills.
Tongue was in cheek in that one, but he does own a casino in Reno!
They will spend two years in quebec (if the leafs were in the west the Yotes can be a central team in Quebec) where they will leave and immediately win their first cup while back in the east valley.
Ok seriously central team that needs a home will play in KC for a year or two while it gets done if he doesn’t sell.
I'll say this much: as many re-location rumors may be spread on the internet, it's incredibly un-likely to happen. I'm sure the league could look into the team temporarily playing home games elsewhere (à la the NBA having the Toronto Raptors temporarily play in Tampa during the pandemic), but they're not going to move the team permanently. The main reason the league would re-locate a team is due to bad/non-existent ownership (that's what happened with the Jets, because ownership clearly didn't care for the Thrashers and only cared about the Hawks); the Coyotes have a dedicated owner now in Alex Meruelo.
Anyway, frankly, it's seemed to me like Glendale hasn't wanted the Coyotes for 7 years now, ever since they tried to worm their way out of the IceArizona agreement in 2015 on a *mere technicality* (if I recall correctly, per Craig's reporting at the time, it was because one of IceArizona's consulting lawyers briefly did a bit of work for the City of Glendale previously, which Glendale used as an excuse to declare a conflict of interest, or something along those lines). To me, it seemed more like Glendale signed the agreement without realizing any of the long-term costs and then panicked and tried to back out of it in bad faith. So good riddance to the City of Glendale.
That whole situation in 2015 was farcical. I had five legal experts telling me on the record that the Coyotes had the better case, and yet they did not pursue it for fear of the fallout. The relationship was damaged irreparably from that point onward anyway.
TBH the NHL has had MULTIPLE opportunities to move us and they never did. Alex won't sell the team otherwise he'll lose his gambling license in AZ so the Yotes aren't going anywhere except Tempe.