While the Arizona legislature debates and then votes on Bill 1149, which would see public funding for a new arena for the Arizona Coyotes, Gary Bettman sent a strong letter telling the law makers that the team is not financially viable in their current Glendale location. The letter, published by KTAR News in Arizona, details the struggles the league and private ownership have had over the past fifteen years in trying to make the Coyotes work, and gives an ultimatum about their future.
For the past 15 years, a succession of ownership groups and the League have tried everything imaginable to make the Glendale location financially sustainable. Our combined efforts have all yielded the same result—a consistent economic loss. The simple truth? The Arizona Coyotes must have a new arena location to succeed. The Coyotes cannot and will not remain in Glendale.
Bettman goes on to site a study (Elliot D. Pollack & Company) that posits a new arena in downtown Phoenix or the East Valley would create over 2,500 jobs and have an impact of $600MM. Before closing his letter by outlining where exactly the new arena should be built, Bettman does include a sort of veiled-threat about the future of the Coyotes in Arizona at all.
While the Coyotes ownership has consistently promised to explore every possible option to keep the franchise in Arizona, no business can afford to be in financial and marketing limbo.
As the commissioner says, the Coyotes have long needed a new home closer to their fans and the city core. The bill as it currently stands would provide at least $225MM of public funding towards the expected cost of $395MM for a new arena, and would instantly make the Coyotes a more viable option for investors. Unfortunately the bill looks like it will not pass, as Craig Harris of AZCentral reports.
If it doesn’t go through, it doesn’t yet mean the end of the Coyotes in Arizona but it does deal them a vicious blow. With the commissioner coming out so candidly against staying in Glendale, if there is no private investor that comes to their rescue they may end up moving elsewhere. Though relocation rumors have been shot down as quickly as they’ve popped up over the past year, losing another court battle would likely spark them up again. As Harris reports, Bettman was the one who fought to keep the Coyotes in Glendale in 2009 when there was a bid to move them to Ontario—he said at the time that the right owner could make it work in the Phoenix suburb.
Move them to Milwaukee for 2018/19. New arena opening in downtown Milwaukee. Move Carolina to Québec City, and let Portland and Seattle battle for 32nd team. That creates 4- 8 team Divisions.
That’s a really good idea actually. I wanna keep the Canes in Raleigh though, or move them to Charlotte, so I can see them play the Rangers twice a year.
I’ve always thought it was a travesty that Milwaukee didn’t have a pro hockey team. They support the Admirals better that AZ supports the Coyotes.
I like it
Bettman is the problem. He insisted on making the NHL a national sport rather than a regional one, where it was very successful. His insistence on pulling teams from Quebec, Minnesota, Hartford, Winnepeg and relocating some to warm weather climates and awarding expansion teams to small, unproven markets caused the leagues decline.
Accept your blame, Bettman. You can’t stick a team in AZ and blame them for not drawing.
As far as I’m concerned (with very few exceptions): If you don’t get snow, you don’t get NHL Hockey.
I wouldn’t really say it’s the sole cause of the decline, but when you put it that way, it makes a lot of sense as to why the NHL has been on the decline.
Well, the Stars have done pretty well sense leaving and Minnesota got a new team shortly after the stars left, Atlanta was never going to work because it’s Atlanta, Winnepeg has a tram, and it looks like Quebec and Seattle will be getting expansion teams soon.
They really need the #1 pick for a few years.
Austan Matthews is from Arizona, just saying moving to a different part of the country has expanded opportunities for youth hockey
I think Kansas City Missouri would be a great place to move the team.