CXLVI - Future of Coyotes up in air after Tempe rejects arena deal - will remain at Mullet Arena for 2023-24, looking at Fiesta Mall site in Mesa

[willy702]

Houston "Makes the Most Sense" in terms of desirable location for the league, not messing with alignment, biggest market, etc.

Houston does NOT make the most sense when we're talking about "Getting a Deal Done."

An NHL team wants to own or operate the arena, not sublease from someone else. Houston and Salt Lake (or Portland) have to be the Rockets/Jazz owners buying the team, which gives them all the leverage.

Quebec could be the easiest deal to make because the leverage flips back to the Coyotes with the arena being built for an NHL team but not having one.

The other place I could see coming out of left field: San Diego.

I don't think Meruelo wants to sell the team though. You are right about it being about owning the arena AND add in the neighborhood around it for development rights/value. They would move to SLC because they probably can just lease the spot and then figure out where to next. Maybe long term SLC if they get their own building and development site, but this feels like they just realize being at ASU is not palatable any longer now that Tempe has dumped them.

 

[willy702]

For the record, I think putting an NHL team on Salt Lake City will be a complete disaster. I expect that whole city to collapse when the Great Salt Lake dries up and all the toxic arsenic-ridden dust gets even worse. Most of SLC's economic output comes from things that require the lake. Like Brine shrimp farming and magnesium extraction. Without the lake, you have a shittier economy and toxic air. The city will lose a significant portion of its population within our lifetimes.

Wanna bet on that? Fifth fastest growing metro area isn't going to suddenly lose its population from the drying up of the lake. And geez, where do you come up with these two industries as mattering one bit to the city's economy? Like all cities, especially those growing fast, construction and business services drive the economy, not some shrimp farming and magnesium extraction.

 

[Mike Jones]

They didn't have to do that for the Thrashers, who were literally evicted from their building.

I don't know why you think the Coyotes are going to cost as much as a team like the Senators. It's a distressed asset in many ways. Forbes had them at $450m in franchise value. So maybe it'll be closer to $600m with the relocation fee, but it's not going to be $1B.

The Coyotes have a huge future with all of those picks and prospects. They also have a low overall cap hit. Someone could pay a huge price knowing that they are really going to cash in not too far down the road.

 

[stealth1]

Houston "Makes the Most Sense" in terms of desirable location for the league, not messing with alignment, biggest market, etc.

Houston does NOT make the most sense when we're talking about "Getting a Deal Done."

An NHL team wants to own or operate the arena, not sublease from someone else. Houston and Salt Lake (or Portland) have to be the Rockets/Jazz owners buying the team, which gives them all the leverage.

Quebec could be the easiest deal to make because the leverage flips back to the Coyotes with the arena being built for an NHL team but not having one.

The other place I could see coming out of left field: San Diego.

San Diego I can get behind. I know they want the US tv market but I don't get the point in going to cities where they are competing with the NBA.

It makes more sense to put it in a city where it's the only game in town.

 

[Headshot77]

Wanna bet on that? Fifth fastest growing metro area isn't going to suddenly lose its population from the drying up of the lake. And geez, where do you come up with these two industries as mattering one bit to the city's economy? Like all cities, especially those growing fast, construction and business services drive the economy, not some shrimp farming and magnesium extraction.

Yeah I would. Current growth doesn't guarantee future growth. In fact the rapid expansion of the area is one reason why the lake is drying up so quickly.

According to this article the lake accounts for $1.8 billion of the economic output of SLC. It's the lifeblood of the region and it's dying fast.

 

[uhlaw97]

I've off- and on-mentioned SLC as a viable longterm target for the NHL, but to be clear I had always been thinking 2040s as a target date assuming continued market growth and wealth accumulation.

They've really come a long way in terms of public conciousness as an expansion/relocation target in very short order. Just proof that all it takes (in an American market) is one rich dude with a plan.

But still too early to count out Arizona. This isn't the first time they've been bandied about as relocation-imminent, and I doubt that this will be the last time, either.

Regardless, condolences to Yotes fans for suffering one way or another, again, again.

As a fellow UIUC alum (MS '16), I would send my condolences briefly to the Yotes fans......and then HOWL to see the team move to Houston and be the Aeros 2.0.

 

[berklon]

The Salt Lake Hockey Club of Latter Day Saints inbound

The problem with relocating a team to Utah is that after a while, they're going to want a second team. And then a third team. At some point they can have like 10 NHL teams.

 

[Fenway]

I sense Salt Lake has been the backup plan for a few months now The Coyotes were hoping for a low turnout and just the opposite happened.

Maybe Bettman goes to the magic hat one more time but I think this is the end

 

[GreenHornet]

San Diego I can get behind. I know they want the US tv market but I don't get the point in going to cities where they are competing with the NBA.

It makes more sense to put it in a city where it's the only game in town.

I like San Diego, there there are two (or three, depending on how you look at it) potential flies in the ointment. First is the area situation. Is there a plan for a new arena on the horizon? My understanding is that the old San Diego Sports Arean (I believe it's called the Pechanga Arena now, no?) is the only barn in town right now. It's a year older than I am, and it's listed capacity is

 

[Melrose Munch]

The Rogers Canadian T.V. deal of 5.2 Billion is the largest T.V. deal for the NHL. An 8th team means more televised games. What if Rogers wanted an 8th team in Canada? Would the NHL say no? I don't think so.

I think the team moves to Quebec. Three expansion teams will be added to create four conferences of 9 teams. This is what I think will happen. SLC will be an expansion team.

The Rogers TV deal isn't good and it won't make a difference if the team isn't competitive.

 

[BKIslandersFan]

I, for one, am very interested in seeing whether Coyotes fans put together some sort of large groundswell of support to keep the team in AZ -- along the lines of the "Save the Jets" rally we had here in Winnipeg in the mid-90s.

I keep seeing people suggesting we (as in everyone who isn't a Yotes fan) should have sympathy if the team relocates, but I have yet to see any indication that there's any sort of large-scale support for the team down there. They've had countless opportunities to show that they, as a community, give a damn about the team and... crickets. Every time.

A few people showing up in jerseys at council meetings over the years isn't really a good indication.


Me too. It would've been hilarious.

Look at this troll.

 

[cbcwpg]

Looks like spending next season to figure this all out.

 

[GreenHornet]

San Diego I can get behind. I know they want the US tv market but I don't get the point in going to cities where they are competing with the NBA.

It makes more sense to put it in a city where it's the only game in town.

I like San Diego, too, but to me, there are a couple (or three, depending on how you look at it) potential flies in the ointment. One is the arena situation. Is there a plan for a new arena that I don't know about. My understanding is that the old San Diego Sports Arena (I believe it's called Pechanga Arena now, no?) is the only barn in town. It's a year older than I am, and last I checked, listed capacity was 16,100, and I highly suspect that figure is for a concert configuration. If memory serves, the hockey configuration was closer to 14,000.

The other issue, or really two, is the nearby presence of the LA Kings and Anaheim Ducks. While not within the 50-mile radius that would allow either to outright block a team in San Diego, you can be sure either or (more likely) both would want some major concessions to allow a third team in their relative backyard.

 

[sawchuk1971]

When Bettman took over in the early 90s, his first order of business was to get a national tv deal. NBA had TBS, TNT. They had CBS then NBC for weekend games during the regular season and play-off games. The rhetoric from the OTA networks was the NHL did not have a presence in enough of the markets for their affiliates to want the games. From St Louis/Dallas out to LA was empty as was most of the southeast US. Hence, expansion to Florida, Quebec--> Colorado, Hartford---> Carolina, expansion to Nashville and Atlanta, and of course Winnipeg---> Phoenix. Before these moves started, they had a deal with ABC (I think for a year) then Fox, but it was very limited. I think the first few years of Fox, it was 3 weekends after the Super Bowl and then 3 weekends at end of season and weekend play-off games. Whether the moves worked for the tv deal, I don't know.

compared to the big 3 sport leagues in the US, the NHL tv deal is peanuts....

 

[TheLegend]

Looks like spending next season to figure this all out.

Was about the post this... Craig Morgan expands a little further but it's totally speculative....

 

[RogerRoger]

Looks like spending next season to figure this all out.

They kind of need to come out and say something like that regardless of what's happening. You want to put water on the speculation, not fuel the fire.

 

[KevFu]

I don't think Meruelo wants to sell the team though. You are right about it being about owning the arena AND add in the neighborhood around it for development rights/value. They would move to SLC because they probably can just lease the spot and then figure out where to next. Maybe long term SLC if they get their own building and development site, but this feels like they just realize being at ASU is not palatable any longer now that Tempe has dumped them.

SLC can work on the arena front, because Salt Lake City is planning a Winter Olympic bid, and earmarking money for costs. They did a great job last time of having a Future Use for Facilities; and they're planning NOW for "What we need, what can it be AFTER?"

There's GOING TO BE a new NBA Arena, that will have ice making capabilities to hold Olympic ice events, and then be an NBA Arena after that...

So if they can cut a deal to include an NHL team in that arena with the Jazz, then SLC would have to become the instant favorite for landing the Coyotes: .Whether that be Meruelo owning the Coyotes and sharing the arena (like in Dallas with the Mavs/Stars), or the Jazz owner buying an NHL team.

But also, if NBA owner and NHL team have different ownership and can't reach a deal on sharing an arena, the potential exists for TWO ARENAS. Because the last SLC Olympics was Figure Skating in the NBA arena and hockey in a new AHL arena.

It's just building a nicer new arena this time. That's pretty impractical for any city that ISN'T trying to land the Winter Olympics.

 

[MMC]

 

[PredsHead]

The Rogers Canadian T.V. deal of 5.2 Billion is the largest T.V. deal for the NHL. An 8th team means more televised games. What if Rogers wanted an 8th team in Canada? Would the NHL say no? I don't think so.

I think the team moves to Quebec. Three expansion teams will be added to create four conferences of 9 teams. This is what I think will happen. SLC will be an expansion team.

If Rogers wanted a 8th Canadian team there would already be one in Hamilton. Sure it would be adding some games, but most of those games would be televised at the exact some time as some of your other games and would have much of the same audience. So again you aren't adding any viewers just reallocating them,

 

[saskriders]

Look at this troll.

When Canadian teams move it is because of extenuating circumstances and it is a tragedy. When southern teams move it is because their fans suck and deserve it.

/s if it wasn't obvious.

 

[MMC]

 

[willy702]

Yeah I would. Current growth doesn't guarantee future growth. In fact the rapid expansion of the area is one reason why the lake is drying up so quickly.

According to this article the lake accounts for $1.8 billion of the economic output of SLC. It's the lifeblood of the region and it's dying fast.

Spoken like a true idiot. Sounds important until you compare the size of that to the $125 billion economy in SLC. The airport alone is thought to be worth $5 billion to the economy.

 

[MMC]

 

[Melrose Munch]

Cope. And if Merulo wanted to stay, he would have spent more than 250k to do so.

 

[Masked]

...the same Rogers who freely admits the TV deal that they signed was an albatross even in the early stages of the contract? The same Rogers who is already looking at what is happening with the implosion of the RSN's in the US and realizing the same can happen in Canada, and that they can't exactly stop it?

Totally different scenarios when it comes to the US RSNs and sports broadcasting in Canada. Rogers and TSN have already moved to a streaming model for those who no longer subscribe to cable/satellite. Rogers Sportsnet and TSN are more like ESPN than Bally. With the exception of regional NHL games, they both broadcast everything nationally.

Assen na yo!