Arizona (Phoenix) Coyotes 1996-2024

[CupofOil]

There was a time when that was the team with Jeremy Roenick and Keith Tkachuk, selling out playoffs games with a crazy whiteout atmosphere.

It was supposed to be different. Phoenix could have been another Dallas or Nashville. The way it all played out was a tragedy for the league and the sport.

Yeah, the early Coyotes teams in the basketball arena had some crazy atmospheres, it looked like a market that was ready to thrive then they moved to Glendale and it all went sideways after that then went to complete doo doo when they moved to Tempe.

I really feel for the fans and for those who lost their jobs but the way this franchise was handled from ownership to the league was an embarrassment and a real black eye for the NHL.

 

[Leonardo87]

Really sad to see a franchise fold like this. I watched the end last night and seeing tears on the fans faces was very emotional, but what got me was one of the flag twirlers with tears in her eyes.

With that said if you are going to come in here to troll or flame the fans, this thread is not for you. Be respectful!!! Thank you!

 

[Satans Hockey]

It won't ever happen but stuff like this is why I wish we had a promotion / regulation system where the teams were tied to cities and not leagues. Again, way better chance of us experiencing World War 3 before that happening though.

 

[Carbooja]

Who would of thought, Jets 1.0 fans and Coyotes fans united in grief over the same cursed franchise.

It's your turn now Utah!

 

[Melrose Munch]

You say this as if relocation is something we only see with the NHL.

Ask Montrealers about the Expos, or Rams fans in St. Louis.......hell, maybe you'll find some Grizzlies fans still sore about losing their team too.

I mean other than the Rams (and that had more of a case to happen, let's be honest) all those relocations happened 10-20 years ago. The NHL has not been able to go 10 years without one.

 

[Dr Pepper]

I mean other than the Rams (and that had more of a case to happen, let's be honest) all those relocations happened 10-20 years ago. The NHL has not been able to go 10 years without one.

Ok, I'll go recent, with the Oakland A's. Another fanbase made to suffer as a direct result of piss-poor management.

 

[John Price]

rip Coyotes

 

[Ezekial]

I feel bad for the fans but I am excited for the people of SLC, I think they will be a great hockey market. If they show even a fraction of the support they show the Jazz the NHL is going to be very happy.

I hope you Arizona fans find solace and enjoyment in something in the hockey world <3

 

[Melrose Munch]

Ok, I'll go recent, with the Oakland A's. Another fanbase made to suffer as a direct result of piss-poor management.

I'll give you that. And the MLB is having the same issues the NHL is now too.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

I mean other than the Rams (and that had more of a case to happen, let's be honest) all those relocations happened 10-20 years ago. The NHL has not been able to go 10 years without one.

Raiders moved from Oakland to Vegas like 4 years ago

 

[JianYang]

I guess the bright side is that another team will probably be back in that area whether that is expansion or relocation.

It's not a situation like Hartford where a team will never come back. Phoenix/Scottsdale remains an attractive market for It's potential, and it was working in Phoenix for a while already.... it's just too bad they were playing in a basketball arena.

Maybe this is a lesson that teams should not move too hastily. If the league took their time and ensured that the franchise had a shovel in the ground prior to moving there, we are probably not having this conversation.

 

[Melrose Munch]

Raiders moved from Oakland to Vegas like 4 years ago

Because of they had no money for a stadium, and let's be honest SLC to Phoenix is way more of a culture shock.

or Seattle with the Supersonics

I'm surprised the NBA....a global game now...hasn't expanded back there

They're planning to as soon as the Grizzlies situation is settled.

 

[CantHaveTkachev]

Because of they had no money for a stadium, and let's be honest SLC to Phoenix is way more of a culture shock.

the point being the NFL has seen 3 franchise locations in the past 9 years...this will be the first in the NHL in 13 years

it's very rare in the NHL

 

[Crazy Cizikas]

I feel so bad for their fans. Losing your team must suck.

 

[Satans Hockey]

I mean other than the Rams (and that had more of a case to happen, let's be honest) all those relocations happened 10-20 years ago. The NHL has not been able to go 10 years without one.

Ok, I'll go recent, with the Oakland A's. Another fanbase made to suffer as a direct result of piss-poor management.

Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas just happened in the past few years as well.

Oakland has essentially lost all of their teams, the Golden State Warriors are at least a bridge away to San Francisco so it's not that bad but the area that hosted all 3 teams is going to be completely gone once the A's move to Vegas too.

 

[Melrose Munch]

the point being the NFL has seen 3 franchise locations in the past 9 years...this will be the first in the NHL in 13 years

it's very rare in the NHL

The chargers literally moved up the highway. 99 percent of their fanbase still has access to them.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Wtf? i just read it, it was so tame....what are you on about?

Credit to their board's mods, most of the posts are gone

 

[Machinehead]

My favorite memory of them will be 2010.

The Rangers missed the playoffs and the Coyotes were on that weird run that year. I decided to cheer them on in the playoffs. They beat the Red Wings in game 1 on a goal by future Ranger Wojtek Wolski.

 

[StreetHawk]

I still wouldn't be too quick to blame "the market", seeing as how they're moving to a smaller one.

Incompetent ownership is what did the Coyotes in.......time and time again.

Has to be a bit on the market just in terms of it not being able to attract someone who saw the opportunity that the nhl believed was there and buy the team and build an arena.

Something about the situation there didn’t lend itself to be attractive enough for some billionaire good owner to want to buy the team.

Whether it was politics or that after Glendale there’s now 2 indoor arenas in the area the economics didn’t make sense for another one or whatever….

There’s a reason why the nhl had to settle for the likes of Leblanc, Barroway, and AM as owners.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Has to be a bit on the market just in terms of it not being able to attract someone who saw the opportunity that the nhl believed was there and buy the team and build an arena.

Something about the situation there didn’t lend itself to be attractive enough for some billionaire good owner to want to buy the team.

Whether it was politics or that after Glendale there’s now 2 indoor arenas in the area the economics didn’t make sense for another one or whatever….

There’s a reason why the nhl had to settle for the likes of Leblanc, Barroway, and AM as owners.

It is odd, given the sheer number of teams with both an NBA and NHL team that share the same arena, that the Coyotes simply couldn't work things out.

Kings, Stars, Avs, Caps, Wings, Leafs, Rangers, Bruins, Hawks, Flyers.....probably one or two others I'm not thinking of but still an ample list of co-habitants.

 

[Canadiens Ghost]

They'll have a club again in no time.

 

[StreetHawk]

It is odd, given the sheer number of teams with both an NBA and NHL team that share the same arena, that the Coyotes simply couldn't work things out.

Kings, Stars, Avs, Caps, Wings, Leafs, Rangers, Bruins, Hawks, Flyers.....probably one or two others I'm not thinking of but still an ample list of co-habitants.

All situations are unique. Footprint arena opened in 1992 as BB specific. Not an nhl arena long term.
Some of the markets above that you listed the owner owns both teams so that’s an easy share situation.
Flyers, bruins, Kings owners own their arena. Kings owner owns a minority share of the lakers. NBA teams seemed fine to be a tenant though the Sixers are looking to leave at the end of their lease and build their own arena.
Dallas, their old arena reunion arena I believe based on the terms of the arrangement with the mavs and later stars that the city got most of the revenues. So sharing one would increase their revenues.

Phx suns have the arena management agreement so they get most of the revenue. This sharing an arena with the coyotes would decrease their revenues from the arena.

This the only way suns would share with the coyotes is for the suns owner to buy the coyotes.

Advantage of being the first big sports team in the area. You secure the arena management agreement you control the competition.

 

[major frank burns]

15+ year reader, infrequent poster feel I have to chime in…



For years, a friend of mine from high school (the only person from HS I chose to stay in touch with) and I would get together whenever the NHL schedule was announced and pick a Kings game in Arizona to drive out to. He and I are VERY different politically and spiritually yet we would use the 5+ hours in the car each way to talk about our viewpoints, music, sports, and life in general which I think we both valued immensely.



We had the same schedule every year: Get to the hotel, swim, go to the game, get pizza, then in the morning go to Cabela’s then Waffle House(the closest Waffle House to us in Southern California) and drive home. We would always have an outdoorsy adventure on the way back: Joshua Tree, Salton Sea, Palm Springs Tramway, etc, and would get home an exhausted mess.



At the game though we always made friends with the Yotes fans around us. Even though we wore the jerseys of our team and cheered loudly we had no problems with anyone (except one person but that’s water under the bridge) and always left the game with nothing but respect for those fans, since they were as knowledgeable and deserving of a team as the people I met at games in Toronto, Boston, etc.



A few years back we stopped making the trip. He got married, had kids, and moved further away, I got married and bought a house and enjoy a very sedentary lifestyle with weekend pickup hockey I am addicted to, but every time he and I cross paths we always talk about making that trip just one more time. We could go to Vegas but neither of us are Vegas types (and they don’t have Waffle House).



Not even sure what compelled me to write this but since we are eulogizing the Coyotes I wanted to share since they were an important part of something that gave me a lot of joy and kept me close with someone that I wouldn’t have been nearly as tight with if it wasn’t for our one weekend.

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

Because of they had no money for a stadium, and let's be honest SLC to Phoenix is way more of a culture shock.

The Coyotes would still have a team if they had a new arena on the way. Not sure what your point is here.

 

[HockeyVirus]

Happy to not have to hear about Matthews going home anymore. That is about the only positive I have. Otherwise I feel bad for the fanbase and players who clearly loved it there.