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

[Llewzaher]

AM won't be attached to the Coyotes next time around. Talk about completely destroying any goodwill remaining in the community. The market won't forget.

Then I doubt he sells… he has all the leverage here.

NHL agreed to allow them to play in the Mullet for 3 years and the option of plus 1 and plus 1 before he invested millions into it .

5 days ago XG said they are committed to winning the auction and keeping the team here. If the lose they have to look at the possibility of relocating..

NHL and Ryan Smith are talking about the league purchasing the Yotes, and then sell to Smith along with expansion fee.

But AM has to be willing to sell, and they don’t know if he will. They haven’t made him that offer he can’t refuse.

Listen to Lebrun on TSN.

He said we need to be careful what we say as this is not a done deal. They don’t know if AM will sell.

If he does it could go quick, but he is committed to winning the auction and keeping the team here.

 

[JKG33]

Then I doubt he sells… he has all the leverage here.

NHL agreed to allow them to play in the Mullet for 3 years and the option of plus 1 and plus 1 before he invested millions into it .

5 days ago XG said they are committed to winning the auction and keeping the team here. If the lose they have to look at the possibility of relocating..

NHL and Ryan Smith are talking about the league purchasing the Yotes, and then sell to Smith along with expansion fee.

But AM has to be willing to sell, and they don’t know if he will. They haven’t made him that offer he can’t refuse.

Listen to Lebrun on TSN.

He said we need to be careful what we say as this is not a done deal. They don’t know if AM will sell.

If he does it could go quick, but he is committed to winning the auction and keeping the team here.

The NHL can make him sell if they want to. He's a part of their club, if they want the Coyotes out they'll find a way. Ideally they'd wanna make it worth his while rather than some kind of eminent domain, hence the $1B offer

 

[theguardianII]

I found it odd that the NHLPA did not raise the Arizona question earlier.
The players have had to pay the owners for the covid years.
Arizona has been dragging the cap down or the amount of money the league makes and hence what the players earn.

With the Yotes moving to Utah the cap could go up even more than the 5 mil expected.

If you figure an average of 15,000 fans per game and Mullet can only hold 5,000 at best. 10,000 times 41 home games, 410,000 fewer paying fans per season then multiply that by the estimated 3 years to build in Arizona, that's 1.2 million fewer paying customers paying an average of $30 (low). Definitely a dent in NHL income and player salaries'.

 

[SupremeTeam16]

This could be a last minute gambit by Bettman and Coyotes to pressure officials in AZ to work with them on getting a rink built but I doubt it.

I don’t buy at all that they’re just now realizing that even if they win the land auction, there will be obstacles still and it’ll be years before they’re playing in a new arena, they knew that the minute the Tempe vote failed. I’m betting their plan all along (since Tempe fell through) has been to tease the SLC group with a possible sale to try to bend them over and sucker them into overpaying. Wouldn’t be surprised if they end up paying over 1B when it’s all said and done. Mereulo basically doubles his money in 5 years and gets to walk away from the headache and redeploy this capital elsewhere, Bettman and the league get to save face on this colossal never ending failure by getting a nice relocation fee and driving up franchise values.

Smith gets his second Pro franchise in a fast growing SLC market but it costs him.

Everybody wins, except Coyotes fans who’ve been lied to for the last year to keep them interested just in case a sale didn’t get finalized and they went down the North Phoenix path.

 

[Voight]

"Nothing has been done"

Wow, what a shocker. A NJ native who works for ESPN and has no connections to anything in ARI and Seravelli who has constantly posted about how the Yotes are going to move and told everyone they can't afford to sign FA (right before they signed FA) is wrong and spouting incorrect information that's just speculation to get clicks didn't actually break the news that Arizona is moving 3 months before the auction date even is? Wow, who could have guessed.

LeBrun is from Ontario.....

Seravelli is not a legit source and has no clue what goes on in Arizona behind closed doors. He has no connections to the team at all. He also has a large tendency to post what will get the most clicks and that's primarily what he cares about. Whether or not this is something that might happen, Seravelli ain't the one who's going to break it.

That is some weapons grade copium.

 

[theguardianII]

This could be a last minute gambit by Bettman and Coyotes to pressure officials in AZ to work with them on getting a rink built but I doubt it.

I don’t buy at all that they’re just now realizing that even if they win the land auction, there will be obstacles still and it’ll be years before they’re playing in a new arena, they knew that the minute the Tempe vote failed. I’m betting their plan all along (since Tempe fell through) has been to tease the SLC group with a possible sale to try to bend them over and sucker them into overpaying. Wouldn’t be surprised if they end up paying over 1B when it’s all said and done. Mereulo basically doubles his money in 5 years and gets to walk away from the headache and redeploy this capital elsewhere, Bettman and the league get to save face on this colossal never ending failure by getting a nice relocation fee and driving up franchise values.

Smith gets his second Pro franchise in a fast growing SLC market but it costs him.

Everybody wins, except Coyotes fans who’ve been lied to for the last year to keep them interested just in case a sale didn’t get finalized and they went down the North Phoenix path.

If you looked at the last Tempe deal you would see that most of the money would come through the deal itself. borrowing would be so much easier with that much equity.

I think they tried and failed to secure financing without the land and they don't have enough money to buy the land outright. Most of Bettman's deals almost always have the arena as equity somehow. Glendale was paying the Yotes 25 mil a year to administer it, poorly. That venue now makes more money than before.

They could have done this auction thing 3 years ago, but there wasn't enough money.

Bettman's deal is off the wall too, the league buys the team? I think they do this to cover up the accounting and books of the team. How much the league is encumbered itself guaranteeing loans. Sounds good, buy a team the league already, according to NHL bylaws owns and flip it for a mysteriously calculated $300 mil. profit. So a paper transaction?

Smith is doing the same thing Balsillie did in Hamilton which the league really reamed him out for. Names and marketing before the team was in his name. And Balsillie had already been vetted by the league and okayed for two other franchises, Smith hasn't got that officially but it seems full steam ahead.

 

[Voight]

Phoenix Coyotes changed to Arizona Coyotes and .......

Chayka happened. I will never understand how that dude ever got the GM job to begin with

The fancy stats crowd portrayed him as some boy wonder genius.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

how about Utah Blades (or Blade)

 

[Voight]

Arizona's problem is that they never got to experience the luxury of playing in a 21 team league where 76% of teams made the playoffs. That would be like 24 teams making the playoffs this year. They'd be 2 pts out of a playoff spot today if that were the case.

The 87-88 Maple Leafs, with a 21-49-10 record, the 2nd worst record in the league by a single point, made the playoffs. Over 4 teams that had better records(granted, some in the other conference at the time). Imagine the crying if the internet were around back then.

FWIW The Whalers, Jets 1.0 and Nordiques played in said league.

Well, you included college sports and the fact that they have 5X the number of teams haven't affected them at all.

All of the pro leagues you listed are looking to expand. NBA is looking at Seattle and Vegas and the MLB is actively looking at markets (I think Charlotte and Montreal was last I heard?). How is adding a few more teams going to hurt the league in any way? The NHL currently has the same average attendance as it did 16 years ago.

Nashville is the only somewhat concrete one mentioned. Montreal isn't in the discussion at all, at least until they have some sort of new stadium plan in place.

Then I doubt he sells… he has all the leverage here.

NHL agreed to allow them to play in the Mullet for 3 years and the option of plus 1 and plus 1 before he invested millions into it .

5 days ago XG said they are committed to winning the auction and keeping the team here. If the lose they have to look at the possibility of relocating..

NHL and Ryan Smith are talking about the league purchasing the Yotes, and then sell to Smith along with expansion fee.

But AM has to be willing to sell, and they don’t know if he will. They haven’t made him that offer he can’t refuse.

Listen to Lebrun on TSN.

He said we need to be careful what we say as this is not a done deal. They don’t know if AM will sell.

If he does it could go quick, but he is committed to winning the auction and keeping the team here.

The NHL can make him sell if they want to. He's a part of their club, if they want the Coyotes out they'll find a way. Ideally they'd wanna make it worth his while rather than some kind of eminent domain, hence the $1B offer

IIRC in the NBA if 23 or 24 out of the 30 owners vote to boot someone, it can happen. So I imagine the NHL has some sort of failsafe and Bettman would be able to rally enough support. Mereulo isn't some longtime owner / card carrying member of the OBC so he likely has no allies.

 

[chethejet]

Owners want a expansion fee if SLC is next on the food chain. But new owners won't pay to enrich everyone. Arizona has been massively mismanaged, and those owners can't benefit greatly here. NHL sells the team to the SLC group and ends this nonsense. League gets repaid and cap benefits for players.

 

[bossram]

Yeah, it does seem like Mureulo is the John Fisher (A's owner) or Donald Trump of NHL owners.

Haha, I said exactly that earlier too. He's a guy pretending to be a rich guy.

Which only works if you can keep the charade going on long enough to sell the team on your terms. If you can't, then you end up with


Which is more on whatever terms the league dictates if it's having to get involved with your charades re: stiffing vendors and rent (and others).

He's going to cash out for a billion, when he bought the team at a valuation of $300M.

That seems like a pretty good trade. I would say Meruelo's grift panned out on "his terms". He doesn't even have to go through the pretenses of building an arena anymore! Just gets the cash now!

 

[Empoleon8771]

Then I doubt he sells… he has all the leverage here.

NHL agreed to allow them to play in the Mullet for 3 years and the option of plus 1 and plus 1 before he invested millions into it .

5 days ago XG said they are committed to winning the auction and keeping the team here. If the lose they have to look at the possibility of relocating..

NHL and Ryan Smith are talking about the league purchasing the Yotes, and then sell to Smith along with expansion fee.

But AM has to be willing to sell, and they don’t know if he will. They haven’t made him that offer he can’t refuse.

Listen to Lebrun on TSN.

He said we need to be careful what we say as this is not a done deal. They don’t know if AM will sell.

If he does it could go quick, but he is committed to winning the auction and keeping the team here.

Yeah, the question about Meruelo agreeing to sell the Coyotes is a completely legitimate question to bring up. It just seems most likely that the NHL makes him too good of an offer for him to say no to.

If he sells the team for $1 billion and then pays an $800 million expansion fee once the arena is done, he’s still getting his team in Phoenix while also pocketing $200 million out of it.

 

[Llewzaher]

Yeah, the question about Meruelo agreeing to sell the Coyotes is a completely legitimate question to bring up. It just seems most likely that the NHL makes him too good of an offer for him to say no to.

If he sells the team for $1 billion and then pays an $800 million expansion fee once the arena is done, he’s still getting his team in Phoenix while also pocketing $200 million out of it.

Yeah but hiring BA, creating one of the best scouting departments, all of the draft picks , I don’t think he gives that up. Also there is no guarantee that fans will want to start over with another rebuild

Also he is majorly owner, but there are other minority owners.. he may not come out of this with any profit as it stands,

I think this is a lot more complicated than Daily Faceoff and Sportsnet are portraying

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

Nashville is the only somewhat concrete one mentioned. Montreal isn't in the discussion at all, at least until they have some sort of new stadium plan in place.

Google search gave me: "Some that have been mentioned include Charlotte, Nashville, Portland, Salt Lake City, Montreal and San Antonio"

And now that the A's are playing in Sacramento over the next few years, if it's successful, they could be one as well.

 

[Grub]

10 years to late.

 

[HisIceness]

some questions.

If the team does move to Utah:

1.) Can Utah support an NHL team?

2.) Does the owner have an arena that is suitable for an NHL team?

3.) Does the owner have a plan for an arena plan for the future. once they need an replacement?

4.) Can Utah support the team long term?

I mean yeah I'm sure there will be fans. The question is, how many potential customers, particularly the ones who already have their sports dollar tied up in the Jazz, will be paying for season tickets/corporate suites because the guy that supports the Jazz and comes to one NHL game a year isn't going to cut it long-term.

Basic economics, the bigger the metro the more potential customers and the more the dollar can stretch.

Personally I think long-term this will be a mistake. You can tell me all day long about how it's fast growing but so are a lot of other places. I live in such a city and MLB is a hot rumor here yet I feel the sports dollar is tapped out.

All just my opinion. But I think in the grand scheme of things SLC won't be much, if any better than Phoenix.

 

[Edenjung]

The NHL can make him sell if they want to. He's a part of their club, if they want the Coyotes out they'll find a way. Ideally they'd wanna make it worth his while rather than some kind of eminent domain, hence the $1B offer

Do that and you will never find another potential buyer for a team or an expansion.
They would shot themselves in the foot if they did that.
And i doubt there are rules in the NHL that allow that except for really, really, really exceptionel circumstances like back in the 90s with the islanders (john Spano saga). But since then the league has been much more carewful with who they sell a team to.

 

[Skidooboy]

Do that and you will never find another potential buyer for a team or an expansion.
They would shot themselves in the foot if they did that.
And i doubt there are rules in the NHL that allow that except for really, really, really exceptionel circumstances like back in the 90s with the islanders (john Spano saga). But since then the league has been much more carewful with who they sell a team to.

which is why this is happening.
Murello was "not trusted" by the NBA... and he was the only one who was interested in owning the Yotes in AZ... and it had nothing to with sports or wanting to own a team...it was a requirement of his attempts to open a casino and nothing more.

 

[Edenjung]

which is why this is happening.
Murello was "not trusted" by the NBA... and he was the only one who was interested in owning the Yotes in AZ... and it had nothing to with sports or wanting to own a team...it was a requirement of his attempts to open a casino and nothing more.

Sportsbook.
Casinos are exclusive to the tribes.

And yeah maybe thats true. Maybe not. Who knows at this point.
We will have to wait and see what happens.
I for one might switch to lurking in the Islanders thread or just quitting NHL hockey for good and only watch international play and DEL.

 

[joestevens29]

Do that and you will never find another potential buyer for a team or an expansion.
They would shot themselves in the foot if they did that.
And i doubt there are rules in the NHL that allow that except for really, really, really exceptionel circumstances like back in the 90s with the islanders (john Spano saga). But since then the league has been much more carewful with who they sell a team to.

I highly doubt forcing a guy to see a team that isn't playing in a viable pro sports venue would ever come back to bit them.

Considering the NHL has given them years upon years to find a way to make it work. If anything it's a bigger negative to the league that they have allowed this to happen.

 

[JKG33]

Do that and you will never find another potential buyer for a team or an expansion.
They would shot themselves in the foot if they did that.
And i doubt there are rules in the NHL that allow that except for really, really, really exceptionel circumstances like back in the 90s with the islanders (john Spano saga). But since then the league has been much more carewful with who they sell a team to.

Ehh they'll be fine. If they were taking away his team you'd have a point, but he'd be getting a generous buyout, plus a possible future expansion team. It's not ideal but neither is playing in a 5000 seat arena for 3-5 seasons. Considering the circumstances it's more than fair

 

[theguardianII]

Yeah, the question about Meruelo agreeing to sell the Coyotes is a completely legitimate question to bring up. It just seems most likely that the NHL makes him too good of an offer for him to say no to.

If he sells the team for $1 billion and then pays an $800 million expansion fee once the arena is done, he’s still getting his team in Phoenix while also pocketing $200 million out of it.

The NHL has taken a team away from an owner before. Buffalo, Atlanta, Coyotes a couple of times. The NHL owns the franchises. Gary Bettman explained this while under oath in the bankruptcy court. That was part of the basis of their suit.

 

[sxvnert]

AM won't be attached to the Coyotes next time around. Talk about completely destroying any goodwill remaining in the community. The market won't forget.

The fan base will jump back on in minutes just like every other fan base who got a team back. Ask Winnipeg and Minnesota how long it took them to get back on board.

 

[tucker3434]

I mean yeah I'm sure there will be fans. The question is, how many potential customers, particularly the ones who already have their sports dollar tied up in the Jazz, will be paying for season tickets/corporate suites because the guy that supports the Jazz and comes to one NHL game a year isn't going to cut it long-term.

Basic economics, the bigger the metro the more potential customers and the more the dollar can stretch.

Personally I think long-term this will be a mistake. You can tell me all day long about how it's fast growing but so are a lot of other places. I live in such a city and MLB is a hot rumor here yet I feel the sports dollar is tapped out.

All just my opinion. But I think in the grand scheme of things SLC won't be much, if any better than Phoenix.

I think a lot of that will depend on whether the team is a dumpster fire for a decade+. Yotes fans haven't had much to cheer for in a long time. If given an average team to follow, I expect SLC will be fine. If AZ had an average team and an arena, they would've ended up being fine too.

 

[Skidooboy]

Sportsbook.
Casinos are exclusive to the tribes.

And yeah maybe thats true. Maybe not. Who knows at this point.
We will have to wait and see what happens.
I for one might switch to lurking in the Islanders thread or just quitting NHL hockey for good and only watch international play and DEL.

sorry yes sportsbook

we know it's true. the NBA rejected Murello...
We also know the League has finally hit a point where they don't accept any more BS and "hopefull plans". money and arena up front or shut up.
I also read an interesting thing that the whole "Murello " ownership is was and has always been a kind of smoke and mirror job to fake an owner by the league... which is why this sale is going through the league and the buyer isn't even talking to Murello.