Coyotes put in letter of intent to purchase 41 acres of land for new arena in Mesa
- Thread starter MMC
- Start date
-
Work is still on-going to rebuild the site styling and features. Please report any issues you may experience so we can look into it. Click Here for Updates
hotcabbagesoup
"I'm going to get what I deserve" -RutgerMcgroarty
MikeyMike01
U.S.S. Wang
KCC
Registered User
- Aug 15, 2007
- 19,428
- 10,704
Being that it would be 100% privately funded is great to see. Big plus honestly. Also looks like they want to have multiple sites under contract so they have options. At the end of the day at least the owner is trying and this reaffirms how serious he is about keeping the team in Arizona. A far cry from the owner of the Oakland A's that's for sure. lol
613Leafer
Registered User
- May 26, 2008
- 13,031
- 3,979
What's a realistic timeline on this? Multiple years to get appropriate approvals/assessments done, and then multiple years to actually build the thing?
So a college arena for another ~4-5 years, if this works out efficiently?
So a college arena for another ~4-5 years, if this works out efficiently?
Kristopher Letang
RIP Nipsey
It’s never going to work in Arizona if it’s not in Scottsdale. You might as well put a team on the moon and hope that aliens are going to buy tickets to watch hockey games.
What an embarassement for the league lol Nuke it already.
What an embarassement for the league lol Nuke it already.
- Apr 27, 2005
- 36,050
- 35,844
If the NHL can make it in towns like Nashville, Tampa, and Raleigh, there should be no problem with Arizona.
The Coyotes need to figure out how to build a decent team. That's literally the only thing stopping them from becoming a passable franchise. They've been there for 26 years and have made it out of the first round 1 time. This team would be struggling to sell tickets in a lot of cities.
Being run by a bunch of idiots doesn't help.
The Coyotes need to figure out how to build a decent team. That's literally the only thing stopping them from becoming a passable franchise. They've been there for 26 years and have made it out of the first round 1 time. This team would be struggling to sell tickets in a lot of cities.
Being run by a bunch of idiots doesn't help.
Dr Pepper
Registered User
The Leafs have made it out of the first round only once since 2004, and they play in front of a packed house every single game - with a waiting list for season tickets.
Both teams run by a bunch of idiots at one time or another, you could say, but the support in Toronto has never really wavered. Can't say the same for the scattered faithful that remain in Arizona.
Fatass
Registered User
- Apr 17, 2017
- 24,476
- 16,217
Is it fair to compare Toronto (or any Canadian market) to Arizona for the interest in hockey? Hockey is number one (and by a lot) in Canada. In Arizona (and most US markets is it even in the top five? The Coyotes would go okay if they built a winning club.
Nuke it already? Is that message to someone else?
Dr Pepper
Registered User
I don't think there's a single NHL city in the US where hockey's the #1 sport, but some teams stilll manage to thrive down there regardless of on-ice performance.
- Apr 27, 2005
- 36,050
- 35,844
Obviously Toronto is not one of those cities lol. I don't even know why you'd bring up a top 5 hockey city as a comparison.
But we've seen plenty of other clubs run into attendance issues after struggling to find success. Heck, the Penguins were last in the league in attendance in 2003-04 before drafting Malkin and Crosby. Completely turned their franchise around.
Arizona hasn't been lucky enough to have a Crosby/Ovechkin/McDavid/Matthews/Kane/Bedard/Malkin fall into their laps or fall into their laps. They've never drafted higher than 3 despite years of mediocrity.
Last edited:
Skinnyjimmy08
WorldTraveler
- Mar 30, 2012
- 22,993
- 12,890
Jerzey Devil
Jerzey-Duz-It
Man I hope the Coyotes stay in AZ forever. Not only for the fans but for all of the people who are always demanding they relocate.
Trash Panda
Registered User
- May 12, 2021
- 2,588
- 4,673
While this is true, the list of teams who have had as little success over the last 26 years is very small. It takes some form of success to set the hook, and there just hasn’t been any.I don't think there's a single NHL city in the US where hockey's the #1 sport, but some teams stilll manage to thrive down there regardless of on-ice performance.
Phoenix is a huge market, that has been mismanaged from the start.
The only thing? Id say the bunch of idiots is another major reason. Not paying taxes or rent getting kicked out is majornreason why residents had no faith and voted against them getting new arena. Not to mention not even bothering to soend on campaign. And cheap ownership trying to pay less than salary floor by getting insurance covered injury guys.
- Nov 8, 2008
- 19,038
- 7,145
I don't think there's a single NHL city in the US where hockey's the #1 sport, but some teams stilll manage to thrive down there regardless of on-ice performance.
In new markets where the locals can't play hockey on frozen ponds or there's a lack of ice rinks, it's going to be a process to get new fans to consistently go to games, especially when the owners don't care about a winning product. Unless they are transplants from up north, there's no native hockey culture in some parts of the south. It has to be developed and grown.
The Coyotes are a poorly run team. When teams aren't competitive and always sell off talent and are min cap paying teams fans aren't going to show up for a perennial bottom 10 franchise in the south US. There's no exciting past or tradition for the Coyotes. It's just been a blip of making the first round and then bottom 14 finishes with no star power.
In Florida, Tampa has been very good for a majority of the 21 century and the current owners have grown the game to the locals. The Panthers under Viola are doing the same after a decade+ of cheap ass owners/President who dgaf about the fans.
Winning is the best way to get fans in the building in a newish market and having more of a hockey presence than just inside the arena.
Toronto has had generations of fans watch the team. They are like the Dallas Cowboys of the NHL. Team can be in last place or first, the fans will always show up.
- Oct 30, 2006
- 3,003
- 2,038
Oooh, a letter of intent! Next comes the pinky promise.
CantHaveTkachev
Cap Space > NHL players
Rabid Ranger
2 is better than one
As long as Bettman is alive and maybe even from beyond the grave he will do everything in his power to keep the Yotes in AZ. We'll also see a team back in Atlanta and likely in Houston as well. No Quebec City though.
