Per Friedman: Coyotes players told team moving to Utah starting next season (Mod warning post #50)

[Dr Pepper]

If the original report is unsourced, and Craig Morgan - who is as plugged into what's going on with the Coyotes as you can get - says he doesn't know anything about this, ..... I don't know what there is to discuss, and I really don't see the point in having a 12,003rd thread for all the usual suspects to come shit on Coyotes fans.

I don't think there's much shitting on the Yotes fans such as yourself, honestly, but rather just the seemingly never-ending struggle by a long line of Yotes owners to just find any kind of stability.

I'd say the vast majority of us feel bad for you guys. If our team had similarly inept owners for years on end, and no arena to call home, we'd be just as frustrated.

 

[ViD]

Houston plz

 

[Ted Hoffman]

I don't think there's much shitting on the Yotes fans sich as yourself

Let's just stop right here.

1. I'm not a Coyotes fan. You've been here long enough, you should know this.
2. If you don't think there's "much shitting on the Yotes fans" I can only assume you don't read anything on this site, because there's A LOT of shitting on the Coyotes and by extension their fans. It's especially true when people make derisive comments alluding to there only being a handful of Coyotes fans, or that no one in Phoenix cares about hockey and never has and never will.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

This sucks for Yotes fans. Clowncar full of morons and grifters owning the franchise. Deserve better.

 

[TheLegend]

Forbes' most recent NHL valuations had ARI @ 500M


Is this just Meruelo looking for a sucker to see if he can get out and make a quick buck? Was Forbes off in their valuation?

Meruelo has never sold anything he’s ever acquired. If he did sell the Coyotes it would be the first.

 

[Dr Pepper]

Let's just stop right here.

1. I'm not a Coyotes fan. You've been here long enough, you should know this.
2. If you don't think there's "much shitting on the Yotes fans" I can only assume you don't read anything on this site, because there's A LOT of shitting on the Coyotes and by extension their fans. It's especially true when people make derisive comments alluding to there only being a handful of Coyotes fans, or that no one in Phoenix cares about hockey and never has and never will.

1. Honestly can't remember, but you're so passionate about this subject that I suppose I just made the assumption.

2. Oh i know Yotes fans take potshots here and there, from some posters, and again they do have my sympathy. They've truly got a raw deal and it's not looking pretty at the moment. Hopefully a resolution is reached soon because this has dragged on for long enough.

 

[TheLegend]

Welcome to Atlanta or Utah!

Go park some cars…

 

[Ted Hoffman]

1. Honestly can't remember, but you're so passionate about this subject

I'm passionate about the subject because WAY too many people display rampant ignorance and hate about it, have for 15 years and counting, and no matter how many times I and others attempt to lay out the facts re: what's going on in Phoenix and why, those people refuse to pay attention and continue to spout the same shit like they have a lifetime pass to do it without any consequences at all.

And I'd be this passionate about it whether it was the Coyotes, my team, your team, or any other team in the league that happened to find itself in a similar situation.

 

[brentashton]

The grifters time is up

What will Craig Morgan say?

Im in for $100.

Too early to say "thats it". He's just sending out feelers incase the auction doesn't work.

Your just helping drive up the price!!

 

[Three On Zero]

Go park some cars…

I want hockey to work in Arizona, still a lot of
untapped potential

 

[TheLegend]

Unless the new buyer has land in hand in the Greater Phoenix area and is ready to break ground on a new arena immediately, or can negotiate a return to Glendale, it's likely this.

I do wonder though if this is a voluntary decision by Meruelo. I think there's a decent chance it's not.

Or is it a local radio sports talk guy who’s carrying water for someone who would benefit from this besides Meruelo?

There’s been no doubt that conversations have been taking place between the league, SLC and the Coyotes.

David Pagnotta said a few weeks ago the Smith group made a $1 billion offer to Meruelo for the franchise and was turned down.

We’ve known here locally about the possibility of a couple of local groups interested in buying the franchise if it came to it. And that doesn’t even include the Suns’ owner, Matt Ishiba. For whom a rep has said they would listen if Meruelo happened to come to them. But at that time Meruelo was emphatic that he’s keeping the team.

Gambadoro today framed it (for the first time anywhere) as if Meruelo has been shopping the team around.

Which is interesting given the auction for the parcel has been approved by the Arizona land trust and we’re waiting for the listing to be posted (like anything with governments, sloths work faster).

 

[TheLegend]

How long for the usual suspects to tell us this report is also wrong. AM is a valued owner. There is no way they sell and the league is happy with the fans sitting on high school benches.

I think they value the franchise. AM gets made hole ish.

The buyer pays a relocation fee to make up the difference the owners spent and moves.

I think the yotes team is probably similar to an expansion team in terms of assets. Tons of picks.

Cooley. Crouse. Keller. Not too bad.

Surprise…. most of the info that was said on the air today (I actually listen to it rather than assuming the companion article) was correct and was pretty much common knowledge.

Only thing different was the framing of it.

 

[Ted Hoffman]

I really don't know. I doubt Pagnotta's report of a $1 billion offer for the Coyotes - if that was lobbed and Meruelo turned it down, he's a moron. [Which, he arguably is, but that's another discussion.]

This whole saga has "make shit up, people will believe it" vibes. Taking back my comment that you quoted, given what Morgan is saying, I think people should wait for reports out of the league, team, city or someone like Morgan who's got pretty irrefutable credibility before leaping to conclusions about what's really going on and what it means.

 

[StreetHawk]

We’ve known here locally about the possibility of a couple of local groups interested in buying the franchise if it came to it. And that doesn’t even include the Suns’ owner, Matt Ishiba. For whom a rep has said they would listen if Meruelo happened to come to them. But at that time Meruelo was emphatic that he’s keeping the team.

For Ishiba, the Coyotes long term can't play out of the Footprint Arena. They still need a home that is setup for NHL hockey. Footprint still has the same obstructed seats that it did when the Coyotes last played there, even after the reno.

 

[TheLegend]

I really don't know. I doubt Pagnotta's report of a $1 billion offer for the Coyotes - if that was lobbed and Meruelo turned it down, he's a moron. [Which, he arguably is, but that's another discussion.]

Meruelo has a ton of pride. And probably an ego to match it.

This whole saga has "make shit up, people will believe it" vibes. Taking back my comment that you quoted, given what Morgan is saying, I think people should wait for reports out of the league, team, city or someone like Morgan who's got pretty irrefutable credibility before leaping to conclusions about what's really going on and what it means.

Most of the stuff Gambadoro said today was based on what’s been circulating around for months. He just decided to frame it differently. Whether that’s assumption on his part (and he openly admitted to speculating some on the air) or he got info from someone in the mix he trusts and ran with it is the question.

I doubt he made anything up totally out of thin air. Someone did feed him this.

 

[TheLegend]

For Ishiba, the Coyotes long term can't play out of the Footprint Arena. They still need a home that is setup for NHL hockey. Footprint still has the same obstructed seats that it did when the Coyotes last played there, even after the reno.

SLC is even worse right now for hockey than Footprint ever was.

There’s been some talk lately about replacing Footprint. Phoenix wants to rework the downtown core and the old idea of a new arena over where the convention center currently is has come up again.

Money would be the big question

 

[TheLegend]

And just like that….. the auction is listed.

 

[StreetHawk]

SLC is even worse right now for hockey than Footprint ever was.

There’s been some talk lately about replacing Footprint. Phoenix wants to rework the downtown core and the old idea of a new arena over where the convention center currently is has come up again.

Money would be the big question

Delta Center, is like Footprint pre reno. But, SLC is talking new arena (with them potentially bidding on another Olympics). NHL wouldn't allow SLC to get the team unless that arena was rubber stamped. Can't take the Coyotes out of AZ into another city where they are waiting for a permanent home to be decided up.

Footprint just got a $260 mill reno like 5 years ago. Must have extended their lease which was due in 2022 for what like 20 years til 2042 or something?

 

[TheLegend]

Delta Center, is like Footprint pre reno. But, SLC is talking new arena (with them potentially bidding on another Olympics). NHL wouldn't allow SLC to get the team unless that arena was rubber stamped. Can't take the Coyotes out of AZ into another city where they are waiting for a permanent home to be decided up.

Footprint just got a $260 mill reno like 5 years ago. Must have extended their lease which was due in 2022 for what like 20 years til 2042 or something?

2037 I think.

But this is all speculation right now.

And now that the auction date has been set the focus goes back to whether he gets this done.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

And just like that….. the auction is listed.

Who in? I got like.. about $3.50.

An HF owned team. Imagine. Then take that imaginary thing and beat it, it’s a terrible idea, I shouldn’t have mentioned it.

 

[tny760]

Who in? I got like.. about $3.50.

An HF owned team. Imagine. Then take that imaginary thing and beat it, it’s a terrible idea, I shouldn’t have mentioned it.

the board meetings:

 

[eojsmada]

This doesn't mean much. If Meruelo doesn't say this, he is in breach of his obligation to the other owners to do everything possible to maximize his team's ability to not just turn a profit, but also be competitive. Just like Bettman HAS to say that the NHL is committed to Arizona.

This is a standard "Both can be true." He can be committed to Arizona...blah blah blah AND he can be soliciting potential new ownership bids.

 

[TheLegend]

Who in? I got like.. about $3.50.

An HF owned team. Imagine. Then take that imaginary thing and beat it, it’s a terrible idea, I shouldn’t have mentioned it.

You’re only $84,999,996.50 short of the opening bid .

 

[Spirits]

If the original report is unsourced, and Craig Morgan - who is as plugged into what's going on with the Coyotes as you can get - says he doesn't know anything about this, ..... I don't know what there is to discuss, and I really don't see the point in having a 12,003rd thread for all the usual suspects to come shit on Coyotes fans.

Lived in Tucson, AZ for almost all of my life. Met one Coyote fan. I hope they stay, was hoping they would win the Bedard sweepstakes, but it looks grim. To be fair there are no Cardinals or Suns fans around either.

 

[BB79]

I want hockey to work in Arizona, still a lot of
untapped potential

They should relocate to Tombstone