Coyotes Tempe arena project rejected by public referendum - will remain at Mullett Arena for 2023-24

[Whalers Fan]

As I have said before, if it has to be Quebec City, fine. Can keep them in the Central for a few years. I think people are to hung up on not having another team in the ETZ.

More likely that the league would go back to unbalanced conferences for awhile -- 17 in the EC, 15 in the WC.

 

[Voight]

NHL would be the biggest joke in all of sports if this were to happen.

They already are the biggest joke seeing as they are letting one of their franchises play in a 5000 seat arena.

 

[patnyrnyg]

More likely that the league would go back to unbalanced conferences for awhile -- 17 in the EC, 15 in the WC.

Could do that, too. Can't wait for the whining about how it is not fair for play-offs! They would have to tweak the scheduling formula, as well.

Good luck convincing the rest of Central division to play divisional games in Quebec. Not going to hapen, period.

What will they do, forfeit? They would have to go to Quebec City twice per year. They already go to Montreal and Ottawa, can tie it into that trip. Quebec-Montreal-Ottawa-Quebec.

 

[Royale With Cheese]

So if the Coyotes did relocate, would their fans switch to Knights fans? Seems like the next closest NHL team, maybe I'm wrong.

It's always interesting to see what fans do.

When the Jets 1.0 left for Phoenix, I followed the team until the Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg. Other people I know - most of them actually - didn't follow anyone after the first Jets left.

I suspect that's what happens with Yotes fans, either follow the team that relocates or just stop watching.

 

[Voight]

So, a full NHL season less events? Now, if what Mike Jones says is true about teams expecting a piece of all revenue in the building, it is a different story. T-mobile can easily take on an NHL team without sacrificing other events.


Have anything that is less than 5 1/2 years old?

Report: NHL, Rockets Owner Tilman Fertitta to Talk League's Viability in Houston

Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman reportedly met recently to discuss the viability of an NHL franchise in Houston...

bleacherreport.com

They met last month.

He just tired to buy the Redskins so hes clearly in the market for another sports team. In this case, it would be easy for him to do given the Coyotes situation and the fact that he controls the arena they'd play in.

 

[TopG]

Good luck convincing the rest of Central division to play divisional games in Quebec. Not going to hapen, period.

That doesn’t even make sense. It can easily be part of a road trip too to the other cities close in proximity

 

[57special]

Hamilton would go crazy for an NHL team, soooo many hockey fans

We did back in the 80's, when we were 60% of the size, and the surrounding areas had a much smaller population. We sold out 10,000 season's tickets in 48 hours. Even back then it was a no brainer, but the Sabres wouldn't let it happen.

It's long overdue.

As someone who grew up in Quebec, and still visits family there every year... Quebec City doesn't have a fraction of the grass roots support and money available that southern Ontario does. Quebec, on the whole is a declining province in terms of hockey, money, and overall population, compared to Ontario.

A Quebec team would depend on government involvement, and that can, and will, change with the wind.

 

[bossram]

It's not find a buyer I'm Houston, the only way these things work is if the team owner owns the arena. The rockets owner has to want to spend the money on the team and to this point he has made it clear he is not spending what the league wants for ownership. It's not as simple as you say

So you agree they don't actually have a contingency.

 

[MMC]

 

[patnyrnyg]

Report: NHL, Rockets Owner Tilman Fertitta to Talk League's Viability in Houston

Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman reportedly met recently to discuss the viability of an NHL franchise in Houston...

bleacherreport.com

They met last month.

He just tired to buy the Redskins so hes clearly in the market for another sports team. In this case, it would be easy for him to do given the Coyotes situation and the fact that he controls the arena they'd play in

So, meeting last month means he is still interested in owning the team? Being interested in purchasing an NFL team in a very strong market is much different than buying a weak NHL team and introducing them to a market that already has 3 pro sports teams and in a state where college sports are a huge competitor.

 

[Sol]

Muchhhh better for a hockey team. However the beer sale at the arena will be pretty weak lol.

 

[Forge]

They need to be called the "SLC Punks"

 

[Brookbank]

It's not find a buyer I'm Houston, the only way these things work is if the team owner owns the arena. The rockets owner has to want to spend the money on the team and to this point he has made it clear he is not spending what the league wants for ownership. It's not as simple as you say

But the NHL will probably make concessions to a Houston project. They will blow off prospective locations that want to fit the bill and court locations that aren't willing to go all-in, if its a city that they decided they want. I could totally see this happening in Houston.

Also. Why is Hamilton such a no-go zone because the Leafs wont allow it. But Dallas will supposedly be totally fine with Houston ? Another glaring contradiction that shows the bias for US teams. The NHL decides on cities it wants and then makes up reasons why other cities wont work.

Oh of course we cant have Hamilton. Dilution bruh. But Houston wants a team? Coming right up....

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

It's always interesting to see what fans do.

When the Jets 1.0 left for Phoenix, I followed the team until the Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg. Other people I know - most of them actually - didn't follow anyone after the first Jets left.

I suspect that's what happens with Yotes fans, either follow the team that relocates or just stop watching.

Interesting.

If the Leafs folded (and honestly maybe they should because they are an emotionally abusive team to their fans)

I'd instantly become an Ottawa Senators fan.

The NHL sucks but I still can't help myself, it's just so good when it's good, despite its flaws.

 

[Kranix]

Salt Lake City Salt Licks

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Good stuff , let them die.

Sucks for the fan but enough is enough

 

[Brookbank]

They met last month.

He just tired to buy the Redskins so hes clearly in the market for another sports team. In this case, it would be easy for him to do given the Coyotes situation and the fact that he controls the arena they'd play in.

And why is the dilution this would cause to the Dallas Stars seemingly a total non issue while it is trotted out as an instant deal breaker for other locations? Like Hamilton and Quebec

 

[Gil Gunderson]

Vivint Arena currently seats 14,000 for hockey. Is that viable long-term?

 

[SI90]

Who’s ready for some Mormon hockey!!!!

 

[LOFIN]

Vivint Arena currently seats 14,000 for hockey. Is that viable long-term?

Maybe not, but at this point the NHL can't wait for the most ideal situation. They need a working solution for maybe as soon as next season. If the Houston Rockets owner isn't interested, you move on to the next option.

 

[BB79]

Vivint Arena currently seats 14,000 for hockey. Is that viable long-term?

I'd say no, but it's better than a 5,000 seat college arena

 

[MMC]

Vivint Arena currently seats 14,000 for hockey. Is that viable long-term?

They will be building a brand new arena as part of their Winter Olympics bidding, so this would be a temp venue. Also probably why they're the frontrunner

 

[HisIceness]

Arizona as a market is a better option than Salt Lake City. SLC has a metro population of 1.1 million according to Google, and already has an NBA team that has an established fanbase and MLS.

 

[57special]

But the NHL will probably make concessions to a Houston project. They will blow off prospective locations that want to fit the bill and court locations that aren't willing to go all-in, if its a city that they decided they want. I could totally see this happening in Houston.

Also. Why is Hamilton such a no-go zone because the Leafs wont allow it. But Dallas will supposedly be totally fine with Houston ? Another glaring contradiction that shows the bias for US teams. The NHL decides on cities it wants and then makes up reasons why other cities wont work.

Oh of course we cant have Hamilton. Dilution bruh. But Houston wants a team? Coming right up....

It's not the Leafs, but the Sabres who stopped Hamilton last time, as they were within their sphere of influence - 65 mi. Houston is far further - well over 200 mi., so there is no issue.

We all know that TML could sell out their arena 5 times over. I don't see them getting in the way of another team in the area, as long as it wasn't right in Toronto. Hamilton seems perfect, as it has a distinct, separate identity from Toronto, but Markham or Oshawa would also do, and i believe they are far enough away for Buffalo not to have the right to nix a team.

 

[Blitzkrug]

Would be stupid to move to Utah without some type of assurance they would get a long term arena built.

14k seats would make it by far the smallest rink in the league. Obviously better than the current situation but Bettman chastised Winnipeg for only have 15k seats. How is this any better?

It would also lead me to believe Houston couldn't give two shits about the NHL at the moment.