CXLI - UPDATE 1/27 - Coyotes working on deal to play at 5,000-seat arena at ASU

[Coyotedroppings]

We're discussing ASU as a dry campus.

No, I was discussing alcohol at the college venue that served alcohol, with another poster. You, butted in with a statement about whom they don't sell alcohol to.

 

[JMROWE]

This is why the NHL. is a joke of a major sports league it won't admit that some NHL. markets are failures like Arizona & by keeping them there is just bad business by now the coyotes losses must be in the billions if this was any other sports league the coyotes would been moved years ago & this is why the NHL. is dead last in popularity & most business categories out of all 5 major sports leagues & yes I said 5 I am including the MLS. even they are doing better than the NHL.

 

[TheLegend]

Nothing really. Coyotes hockey is a tiny tiny fraction of the economic engine of ASU.

The big question is whether the project makes sense for Tempe and whether Meruelo is a reliable partner.

It wouldn't matter to you for obvious reasons.

What I described was this could be a way for Meruelo to show any Tempe council member who's on the fence that he is not the guy who Glendale wants everyone to think he is. Two members expressed they were leaning "no" because of what happened in Glendale.

So if Meruelo puts up several million out of pocket up front to make ASU work as a temporary solution then it's going to carry some sway in that area.

Coyotes are supplying Tempe with their own financial analysis to go with the one that Hunden is doing for Tempe.

No matter how it comes out (and I don't have any opinion either way atm), Tempe should have a much clearer picture to make a decision by March or April.

 

[Yukon Joe]

In all seriousness. I would TEMP move the Yotes to Saskatoon for the X number of years. 15K facility, Dual practice rinks in the same parking lot. Edmonton/Winnipeg/Calgary Ticket prices/lots of booze. Geographically closer to division opponents. WPG/MIN/CHI/St Louis. Every is 1-3 hour flight. Naturally rivalry with WPG/MIN. NO NBA/Ownership to deal with/appease etc.. Cheap rent etc..

Hey man, I was a kid living in Saskatoon in the early 80s when the Blues almost came to town (Bill Hunter bought the team, but the league refused to allow it to move), so nobody would be more excited about the idea of a Saskatoon-based NHL team. And I won't get into the idea of whether Saskatoon can support an NHL franchise.

But you can't move a team temporarily. You'd kill any and all interest in Phoenix - look at how much the LA Rams have struggled after returning to LA. And why would fans in Saskatoon connect to a team that's only going to be there 2-4 years? Why would they shell out thousands of dollars for season tickets? Toronto has tons of NFL fans - but playing Buffalo Bills games in Toronto drew flies because it wasn't Toronto's team.

Not to mention that the SaskTel Centre is now 30+ years old and in need of replacement, and not at all very suitable for an NHL team.

 

[TheLegend]

No, I was discussing alcohol at the college venue that served alcohol, with another poster. You, butted in with a statement about whom they don't sell alcohol to.

Oh forgive me...... Didn't know posts on a public board were so limited.

I actually was supporting your position but oh well......

 

[Yukon Joe]

The idea of the team being in a non-NHL standard 5000 seat arena for years is silly.

Like, the NHLPA would be furious with the locker rooms.

It's not that silly. The Sharks played their first two seasons at the Cow Palace, which didn't seat much more than 10,000/

 

[hockeyguy0022]

How much you think tickets cost at 5K seating? I bet you... 180-250 a piece. Price will go up, no cheapies now.

 

[Major4Boarding]

It's not that silly. The Sharks played their first two seasons at the Cow Palace, which didn't seat much more than 10,000/

Tampa Bay Lightning - Year 1 - Expo Hall FL State Fairgrounds

 

[Yukon Joe]

Tampa Bay Lightning - Year 1 - Expo Hall FL State Fairgrounds

True. Though the Bolts left after 1 year because it was too small for them, playing 3 more years at the Thunderdome / Tropicana Field until their new arena was ready.

 

[Headshot77]

Playing in a 5000 seat arena with temporary locker rooms would be a blight on the league for sure. Much less doing it for 4 years.

 

[hockeyguy0022]

Bettman going to let Ottawa move back into TD Place arena at 10K and downtown lol.

This has big implications for Bettmans credibility and leverage IMO. Calgary's mayor is gonna laugh at CSEC/Gary now... City of Calgary will get a better deal because of this IMO. Murry Edwards gonna be pissed.

 

[Major4Boarding]

True. Though the Bolts left after 1 year because it was too small for them, playing 3 more years at the Thunderdome / Tropicana Field until their new arena was ready.

Don't I know it

I got an autograph from Roman Hamrlik before a game... while he was fishing. Absolute true story

 

[JMROWE]

Houston - only wants them if they can get them cheap.
Kansas City - quite happy with the status quo, no prospective owner.
Quebec City - very doubtful PK Peladeau could afford a team at today's prices.
Hamilton - issues with Toronto/Buffalo, no prospective owner (Balsillie lost much of his money as RIM/BB slowly went under)

None of these are exactly turn-key options. Quebec City is probably the closest, as you have an arena ready to go and an ownership group that knows the hockey business (Remparts), but that's it.

Actually At the end of the OHL season the FOC. in Hamilton in getting a massive gut job to the arena to make it NHL ready all with private funds just wanted to point that out that is all

 

[hockeyguy0022]

Actually At the end of the OHL season the FOC. in Hamilton in getting a massive gut job to the arena to make it NHL ready all with private funds just wanted to point that out that is all

The real problem in Hamilton is the Leafs/Sabres, not anything else. everyone knows it would make good money.

Look at buffalos attendance right now... under 9K!!!!!!!!!!

They won't look at Hamilton for 20 years after this... after seeing how much SO affects buffalos attendance.

 

[JimAnchower]

Will this potential partnership with ASU lead to another partnership with ASU later on, especially around the basketball team playing at the new arena?

At 5,000 seats, is there as much concern about the potential lack of weekend games?

 

[Yukon Joe]

Actually At the end of the OHL season the FOC. in Hamilton in getting a massive gut job to the arena to make it NHL ready all with private funds just wanted to point that out that is all

Actually I didn't say anything about the arena...

 

[BKIslandersFan]

and yet Gary B is out here extorting Calgary for a new rink (they do need it in fairness)..... HAHAHA.

No municipality will take Bettmans threats seriously anymore IMO. So consider that as well.

Where is he doing that? Last time I checked Calgary arena negotiation was between city and CSE. Do better.

 

[aqib]

How much you think tickets cost at 5K seating? I bet you... 180-250 a piece. Price will go up, no cheapies now.

The problem though is you squeeze out a lot of your current season ticket holders. If people are paying $40 per seat and now have to pay over $100 they might not be able to pull that off. If the plan is "we'll get back to you in 4 years when the new place is ready" then you might as well go to another city for that time.

 

[hockeyguy0022]

The problem though is you squeeze out a lot of your current season ticket holders. If people are paying $40 per seat and now have to pay over $100 they might not be able to pull that off. If the plan is "we'll get back to you in 4 years when the new place is ready" then you might as well go to another city for that time.

lol that's what I've been saying the entire time.

 

[hockeyguy0022]

Where is he doing that? Last time I checked Calgary arena negotiation was between city and CSE. Do better.

Gary has threatened calgary a number of times over the last 3-4 years.

CSEC should have paid that extra 10 mil they just gave up on for the current rink deal....

This little 5K sideshow is gonna cost CSEC/M.Edwards an easy extra 50-100 mil now to get a new rink built.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

I fail to see how being in a 5,000 seat arena for a four-year period would be remotely economically viable when the gate is the primary source of revenue for most NHL teams.

 

[TheLegend]

The problem though is you squeeze out a lot of your current season ticket holders. If people are paying $40 per seat and now have to pay over $100 they might not be able to pull that off. If the plan is "we'll get back to you in 4 years when the new place is ready" then you might as well go to another city for that time.

This part..... believe it or not..... is the least of Meruelo's worries right now.

 

[JMROWE]

The state has nothing to do with the proposed Tempe arena.
The league wants to grow the game, it's working.

No it is not the NHL. is ranked 5th out of all the major sports leagues in popularity & economics yes I have included the MLS even they are doing better than the NHL. also the coyotes losses have to be in the billions & have not made a dime since there first season not to mention they have done nothing to grow the game in there 25 years in Arizona in fact how many NHL. players have come out of Arizona in 25 years grand total of 1 that is it that is not growing the game .

 

[BKIslandersFan]

Gary has threatened calgary a number of times over the last 3-4 years.

CSEC should have paid that extra 10 mil they just gave up on for the current rink deal....

This little 5K sideshow is gonna cost CSEC/M.Edwards an easy extra 50-100 mil now to get a new rink built.

Where?

 

[Yukon Joe]

I fail to see how being in a 5,000 seat arena for a four-year period would be remotely economically viable when the gate is the primary source of revenue for most NHL teams.

So quickly checking Ticketmaster... upper bowl tickets are going for $29, I believe direct from the team. Those tickets aren't really adding that much to the team's bottom line.

But even then - Arizona's attendance is listed as averaging 11,500 this year. Going from 11,500 to 5,000 is a huge drop - IF Arizona is actually selling that many tickets, and not just giving tickets away to make attendance look better.