So much misinformation on Arizona Meruello was fitting the bill Tempe was just going to get tax breaks. No get it straight Hockey would work in Az there are fans hiwever We have NEVER had competent Ownership or even had an NHL TEAM! The first eight years they sold out when We had a team. Tempe is a liberal college town who used dirty tactics to win. Evil corperations move to Our town.
I think it's pretty obvious that Bettman was sold a Bill of Goods about the potential of a LEGIT NHL calibre arena (and development) coming to fruition and Tempe became the "stop-gap" solution between Glendale and the proposed new home for Coyotes. I think Gary had some credible inside information about this Bill actually passing, so he clung to that dream. Now that the coffee is wafting into Gary's nose, he will have no choice but to pull the plug on this experiment and cut his losses. Now, the pressure will be on Gary to find a new suitable location for this decades long cash-cow. Considering his age, and this failure, I wonder if Gary is now fast-tracking his retirement plans before the owners wise up and relocate him to Boca Del Vista with the Seinfelds and Costanzas. Serenity now.
Three of the best of the best, love hearing from RD, such knowledge of the sports business and him coming to Toronto was a coup for sportsmedia in Canada, i suspect budgeting at Rogers made him too expensive with Bob, once the Mccowan show was canceled RD lasted only a little while more at SN, he moved his young family to Toronto Danforth area and took a chance on our country and sports business, sadly he is gone, probably moved back to the States
Oh and Johns point about 47 to 53 is taken, but the losing side was only by 3,000 votes or so, so yeah alot closer than one would think and voter turnout was low especially in the 18/34 demo
Never play corrupt politic$….it never ends well…..voting doesn't matter….counting vote$ matter$…..power$ that shouldn't be don't want hockey to work there not the people…..hockey works anywhere if it's done right!
7 Owners…3 U.S. Bankruptcy filings. 3 different Arenas. 27 Lo$ing money seasons. Enough of this insanity! Why the NHL owners have followed Bettman blindly is beyond all reason.
From personal experience growing sport of hockey in the West..it succeeds when a group of Canadians are involved in management and participation..transplanted from the Cold Northern reaches..they being the history and passion for the game…desert living but playing the sport that is your national identity..
7 ownership groups . 3 bankruptcy filings. In comparison , the Coyotes make the WNBA money pit look like a Master Class in Business Administration. Cut the cord. A second tier pro sport like the NHL is small potatoes in contrast to NFL, NBA and MLB properties. Stop kidding yourself Gary….
As a Georgia native and a huge Thrashers fan growing up, I can completely understand the pain and what that feels like for all the hockey fans that love and support the Coyotes along with the Coyotes management. I am very shocked the vote didn't go through and really hate that for Coyotes Fans and for the Franchise owners as a whole! I really did think that the vote would pass, and they would play in Tempe, the proposal they had for Tempe was a sweet setup!
I will say this, but if Arizona does end up relocating, I would love if Arizona does relocate to Atlanta since I want another team in Atlanta BUT realistically, I can see them relocating to another city out west like Salt Lake City as the top choice or another city like Houston or Portland to keep the divisions and conferences even!
BUT if Arizona decides sells the team and is open to offers, I think that multiple cities will places bids/offers for the team and they will take the highest bid/offer. Whoever wants to buy the team with the highest offer will get the team even if that means Houston, Portland, Salt Lake City, Atlanta, you name it
If they go that route, I think that will really determine what city really does wants an NHL team! Honestly, I think it will be awesome if the Coyotes do go to Salt Lake City!!
Reasons how the NHL coming back to Atlanta can work if they get a team via relocation
1) they have expressed strong interest in wanting another team via expansion/NEED to have GREAT Management! (It appears they have it now)
2) they have proposed a new entertainment center that includes an NHL arena in the suburbs of Atlanta (something the Flames and Thrashers never did and this is a very wise move to do; the Atlanta Braves moved to the suburbs of Atlanta recently and have succeeded very well there so if there is success with another professional sports in Atlanta with this approach, the same can happen if Atlanta gets another NHL team!)
3) they already have 2 hockey size arenas in place (State Farm Arena where the Hawks play at and Gas South Arena where the ECHL Atlanta Gladiators play at) to potentially play in temporarily while their new arena gets built! and, even though it doesn't mean anything, is that the Atlanta Gladiators current NHL Affiliate is the Arizona Coyotes…
(I think playing in the Gas South Arena temporarily is more reasonable knowing the Thrashers history with sharing the Phillips/State Farm Arena with the Hawks and how Anson Carter, a former NHL player and now NHL Analyst, is a co-owner of the Atlanta Gladiators Franchise so I think he will definitely accommodate a potential NHL team to play in the same building as the Gladiators until the new Arena gets build in Cumming/Alpharetta area which is within roughly a 30 minute proximity of Gas South Arena)
But like they said and after thinking about it more, I think that Houston and Atlanta would be great to add later via expansion years down the road if another expansion does happen. Houston may be ready to have a team now but with the proposal stages of this new arena being built in Atlanta, that will give Atlanta enough time to build if the project gets approved and then start planning for a potential NHL team to make it work. Do I believe that Atlanta will get another team down the road? Yes, I really do but they need all the time and short- and long-term planning if they want to make it work because with the right management and planning, having a team in Atlanta will 100% work!
23 Comments
So much misinformation on Arizona Meruello was fitting the bill Tempe was just going to get tax breaks. No get it straight Hockey would work in Az there are fans hiwever We have NEVER had competent Ownership or even had an NHL TEAM! The first eight years they sold out when We had a team. Tempe is a liberal college town who used dirty tactics to win. Evil corperations move to Our town.
$1.9 billion of the $2.1 was privately funded, right?
Bettman's ego is keeping this alive…
I think it's pretty obvious that Bettman was sold a Bill of Goods about the potential of a LEGIT NHL calibre arena (and development) coming to fruition and Tempe became the "stop-gap" solution between Glendale and the proposed new home for Coyotes. I think Gary had some credible inside information about this Bill actually passing, so he clung to that dream. Now that the coffee is wafting into Gary's nose, he will have no choice but to pull the plug on this experiment and cut his losses. Now, the pressure will be on Gary to find a new suitable location for this decades long cash-cow. Considering his age, and this failure, I wonder if Gary is now fast-tracking his retirement plans before the owners wise up and relocate him to Boca Del Vista with the Seinfelds and Costanzas. Serenity now.
Three of the best of the best, love hearing from RD, such knowledge of the sports business and him coming to Toronto was a coup for sportsmedia in Canada, i suspect budgeting at Rogers made him too expensive with Bob, once the Mccowan show was canceled RD lasted only a little while more at SN, he moved his young family to Toronto Danforth area and took a chance on our country and sports business, sadly he is gone, probably moved back to the States
Oh and Johns point about 47 to 53 is taken, but the losing side was only by 3,000 votes or so, so yeah alot closer than one would think and voter turnout was low especially in the 18/34 demo
I guess the Auston Matthews going to AZ rumors will now stop.
Kill this franchise
Coyotes spent 250 k for yes votes….the No side spent 2.5 million
Never play corrupt politic$….it never ends well…..voting doesn't matter….counting vote$ matter$…..power$ that shouldn't be don't want hockey to work there not the people…..hockey works anywhere if it's done right!
the prediction is that Phoenix will be in crisis in a few years due to lack of water.
7 Owners…3 U.S. Bankruptcy filings. 3 different Arenas. 27 Lo$ing money seasons. Enough of this insanity! Why the NHL owners have followed Bettman blindly is beyond all reason.
Houston is way better than SLC
Bob's awesome , he always says it like it is no bullshit.
OKC, here the NHL comes.
From personal experience growing sport of hockey in the West..it succeeds when a group of Canadians are involved in management and participation..transplanted from the Cold Northern reaches..they being the history and passion for the game…desert living but playing the sport that is your national identity..
Gary Bettman is going to raise ticket prices everywhere and then take all of the revenue sharing money from the other franchises to fund the Coyotes.
Just move to Houston already and get this over with.
Now I know why this show is not on TV anymore, Bob is useless
NHL has been beating this dead horse for years it's puzzling to me
7 ownership groups .
3 bankruptcy filings.
In comparison , the Coyotes make the WNBA money pit look like a Master Class in Business Administration.
Cut the cord.
A second tier pro sport like the NHL is small potatoes in contrast to NFL, NBA and MLB properties. Stop kidding yourself Gary….
Long Post:
As a Georgia native and a huge Thrashers fan growing up, I can completely understand the pain and what that feels like for all the hockey fans that love and support the Coyotes along with the Coyotes management. I am very shocked the vote didn't go through and really hate that for Coyotes Fans and for the Franchise owners as a whole! I really did think that the vote would pass, and they would play in Tempe, the proposal they had for Tempe was a sweet setup!
I will say this, but if Arizona does end up relocating, I would love if Arizona does relocate to Atlanta since I want another team in Atlanta BUT realistically, I can see them relocating to another city out west like Salt Lake City as the top choice or another city like Houston or Portland to keep the divisions and conferences even!
BUT if Arizona decides sells the team and is open to offers, I think that multiple cities will places bids/offers for the team and they will take the highest bid/offer. Whoever wants to buy the team with the highest offer will get the team even if that means Houston, Portland, Salt Lake City, Atlanta, you name it
If they go that route, I think that will really determine what city really does wants an NHL team! Honestly, I think it will be awesome if the Coyotes do go to Salt Lake City!!
Reasons how the NHL coming back to Atlanta can work if they get a team via relocation
1) they have expressed strong interest in wanting another team via expansion/NEED to have GREAT Management! (It appears they have it now)
2) they have proposed a new entertainment center that includes an NHL arena in the suburbs of Atlanta (something the Flames and Thrashers never did and this is a very wise move to do; the Atlanta Braves moved to the suburbs of Atlanta recently and have succeeded very well there so if there is success with another professional sports in Atlanta with this approach, the same can happen if Atlanta gets another NHL team!)
3) they already have 2 hockey size arenas in place (State Farm Arena where the Hawks play at and Gas South Arena where the ECHL Atlanta Gladiators play at) to potentially play in temporarily while their new arena gets built! and, even though it doesn't mean anything, is that the Atlanta Gladiators current NHL Affiliate is the Arizona Coyotes…
(I think playing in the Gas South Arena temporarily is more reasonable knowing the Thrashers history with sharing the Phillips/State Farm Arena with the Hawks and how Anson Carter, a former NHL player and now NHL Analyst, is a co-owner of the Atlanta Gladiators Franchise so I think he will definitely accommodate a potential NHL team to play in the same building as the Gladiators until the new Arena gets build in Cumming/Alpharetta area which is within roughly a 30 minute proximity of Gas South Arena)
But like they said and after thinking about it more, I think that Houston and Atlanta would be great to add later via expansion years down the road if another expansion does happen. Houston may be ready to have a team now but with the proposal stages of this new arena being built in Atlanta, that will give Atlanta enough time to build if the project gets approved and then start planning for a potential NHL team to make it work. Do I believe that Atlanta will get another team down the road? Yes, I really do but they need all the time and short- and long-term planning if they want to make it work because with the right management and planning, having a team in Atlanta will 100% work!
Kansas City!!!!!!!
Move to Quebec City.