Coyotes put in letter of intent to purchase 41 acres of land for new arena in Mesa

[Church Hill]

Save the Coyotes, keep hockey in Arizona.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

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.

Personally, I don't doubt that hockey can work in Arizona. What I am mightily skeptical of is that the Arizona Coyotes as a brand can work there after decades of incompetence and untrustworthy behavior.

 

[Recipe Unlimited]

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.

If your benchmark for what teams should exist is that they should have perfect attendance no matter how bad the team is, then the NHL would only have like 10 teams. That's a very simple view on the league, and you're missing a lot of nuance here.

 

[Dr Pepper]

If your benchmark for what teams should exist is that they should have perfect attendance no matter how bad the team is, then the NHL would only have like 10 teams. That's a very simple view on the league, and you're missing a lot of nuance here.

The "benchmark" should be at least some level of sustained success, either on the ice or financially.

Or both, if you're lucky.

Since their introduction to Arizona, the Coyotes have provided very little of either, and it's been almost thirty years.

There's been success found in California, Texas, Colorado, Tennessee, Florida, Carolina, and most recently Vegas.

Every area has seen profitable stretches and most markets have also boasted at least one championship if not more.....but Arizona seems incapable of reaching that next level despite decades of what I guess you'd call perseverance. .

 

[Figgy44]

 

[ViD]

So the league will allow them to play in a 5k barn for 3-4 years while this arena is approved and built?

 

[Voight]

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.

It would be seen as Bettman waving the white flag which his ego won't allow him to do.

 

[Dr Pepper]

So the league will allow them to play in a 5k barn for 3-4 years while this arena is approved and built?

The fact that the league allowed even one season in that glorified rec center, proved to me that Bettman's truly committed to digging his heels in and preventing the Coyotes project from ever failing.

They're not going anywhere, regardless of how goofy things get.

 

[kook10]

Isn't Mesa too far east for a lot of fans? (in a hypothetical sense obvi)

 

[WarriorofTime]

Oooh, a letter of intent! Next comes the pinky promise.

LOI is not binding, but to act like it's not a major step shows incredible ignorance. The biggest thing is exclusivity. You don't enter into an LOI unless it's likely going to happen unless it falls through for some reason.

 

[Maple Leaf]

Move the team to a real hockey city

 

[ijuka]

So the league will allow them to play in a 5k barn for 3-4 years while this arena is approved and built?

It's Bettman's pet project, they will never get kicked out. And don't worry, Leafs and other successful teams will do the funding, so they won't even have to create a sustainable business.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

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

Honestly that guy shouldn't even be allowed to keep the franchise. Should be forced to sell regardless if it moves (high chance) or doesn't. Shouldn't reap the profits.

 

[Bandit]

LOI is not binding, but to act like it's not a major step shows incredible ignorance. The biggest thing is exclusivity. You don't enter into an LOI unless it's likely going to happen unless it falls through for some reason.

Yeah the Coyotes have made more "Major steps" to get a new rink in the last decade than I can count. Too bad they've all been steps off a cliff.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Yeah the Coyotes have made more "Major steps" to get a new rink in the last decade than I can count. Too bad they've all been steps off a cliff.

Sounds like you are making things up.

 

[Rob]

So the league will allow them to play in a 5k barn for 3-4 years while this arena is approved and built?

I would not be surprised in the least if the Coyotes are still playing at the Mullett arena 5 years from now while

 

[Bandit]

Sounds like you are making things up.

Yeah sure. All their previous plans to fix their arena situation have been wildly successful, which is why they now play their NHL games in a college rink.

 

[Figgy44]

Yeah sure. All their previous plans to fix their arena situation have been wildly successful, which is why they now play their NHL games in a college rink.

Didn't the report say they made more money there?

Report: Coyotes generating far more season-ticket revenue at small ASU arena

The Arizona Coyotes say they have already surpassed season-ticket revenue from their old arena in Glendale heading into a season when they will play in what is by far the smallest arena in the NHL, ESPN reported on Wednesday.

www.sportsnet.ca

 

[ItWasJustified]

If the NHL can make it in towns like Nashville, Tampa, and Raleigh, there should be no problem with Arizona.

Why?

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

I have signed a letter of intent to not ask for anything after I give my wife a back massage.

On a serious boat, hopefully it works out, but the time to get the land deal done, get someone to build the arena and whatnot might take too long to get things going.

 

[12ozPapa]

Just put the damn thing out of its misery already.

 

[MessierII]

Didn't the report say they made more money there?

Report: Coyotes generating far more season-ticket revenue at small ASU arena

The Arizona Coyotes say they have already surpassed season-ticket revenue from their old arena in Glendale heading into a season when they will play in what is by far the smallest arena in the NHL, ESPN reported on Wednesday.

www.sportsnet.ca

When your starting at -30/40 million making marginally more is still a disaster even if it’s 1-3% less of one.

 

[Shwan]

Didn't the report say they made more money there?

Report: Coyotes generating far more season-ticket revenue at small ASU arena

The Arizona Coyotes say they have already surpassed season-ticket revenue from their old arena in Glendale heading into a season when they will play in what is by far the smallest arena in the NHL, ESPN reported on Wednesday.

www.sportsnet.ca

Accounting 101: Revenue does not equal profit.

Yes they "made" more ticket revenue at Mullet, at the cost of catastrophic losses in just about every other category. In fact in January the CEO of the team already announced they were on track for another $10,000,000+ loss.

Coyotes’ Mullett Arena Bringing Hockey Buzz Despite Financial Haircut

This past December, the Coyotes won six of eight home games against such top-flight teams as the Boston Bruins, New York Islanders.

www.sportico.com

 

[StevenF1919]

Isn't Mesa too far east for a lot of fans? (in a hypothetical sense obvi)

The vast majority of the fanbase is in the East Valley. No confirmation on the location yet but there are rumours that the site is right off the 202 which would place it near Scottsdale and Tempe.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

This time, things will be different #817