Thursday’s report that the Arizona Coyotes will see their lease at Gila River Arena terminated by the City of Glendale has cast a dark shadow over the organization. It’s yet another blow to a team that’s yet to have much solid ground under them since arriving in the desert in 1996. Today, Arizona Coyotes reporter Craig Morgan took a very deep dive into what the Coyotes’ options are moving forward if they are to stay in Arizona. There’s no real clear path forward for the team moving past next season, but options are abundant, varying from the outlandish to the near-probable. It’s widely believed that any situation that keeps them in Arizona involves a short-term stay in a temporary arena starting in 2022-23. That’s because of plans announced last month for a new, privately funded arena in Tempe, a more central location to their season ticket holder base. But with under 11 months until their year-to-year lease in Glendale runs out, Coyotes ownership needs to move quickly to find a temporary solution if they’re to stay in the Phoenix area.
One option, named by Morgan as the most realistic, is a temporary move to the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum. It would immediately become one of the smallest and oldest venues in the NHL, seating just 13,730 spectators. While it doesn’t seem like a great option in the least bit, there are a few reasons for optimism if Arizona is to create a temporary home here. You can make the argument that it’s been done before, and with great success – the New York Islanders’ recent second stint at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale certainly didn’t inhibit the team’s success on the ice. Throw in a much more preferable location to Glendale, and it’s not out of the realm of possibility that a temporary move here is a reliable short-term solution for the rebuilding franchise.
But there’s another downtown location that could be a much more creative solution – Chase Field, home of the MLB’s Arizona Diamondbacks. Morgan emphasizes that little is known about how hockey would work in the roofed venue, but harkens back to the success of the Thunderdome for the expansion Tampa Bay Lightning. The reality remains that extensive renovations would need to be made in order to make the arena NHL-compatible, even more so than the Memorial Coliseum. It’s a long shot, but a fun idea.
Then there’s always the looming possibility of relocation, murmurings that have persisted for much of Arizona’s history in the desert. If a reliable short-term solution can’t be found, or their longer-term plans to build an arena in Tempe don’t pan out, there’s a more-than-zero chance that the Coyotes will have to find a new home entirely.
So, PHR readers, we turn to you to ask about the future of this Western Conference squad. Do the Coyotes find some stability in Arizona, or is it the end of an era in the Southwest?
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They will stay in the west as Bettman does not want unbalanced conferences.
Houston
Kansas City
San Francisco (Warriors new arena)
Salt Lake City
Portland
Saskatoon Saskatchewan
I’ve said it 1000 times-if the NHL want to flush itself with cash due to the pandemic,add 4 clubs-2 in the east,2 in the west.
Quebec is ready. Charlotte? Hartford?Birmingham? Atlanta is done.
At $600M,it would go a long way to ending their problems.
“Unbalanced conferences” means nothing. That can easily be adjusted and costs next to nothing to do so. In a potential emergency relocation like this, the city that can accommodate an NHL team best immediately will get the team. That city is Quebec City. They have a strong fan base already and a brand new, empty arena. This is not rocket science.
They can’t play in San Francisco. It infringes on the Sharks territory.
Atlanta is a good market. They had to leave due to poor ownership.
I like Saskatchewan!!!
yeah, Atlanta makes so much sense. granted, they probably deserve a good team for once, but it wasnt a market issue.
But do they have an owner? Do they have the money? And it is about the balance of the conferences. He’s publicly stated that. Are there any Western Conference clubs in the eastern time zone? Are there any Eastern Conference clubs in the Central time zone?
You are forgetting the lubricant that facilitates moves like this. $$$$$$$$$$$$.Devil’s,Islanders,etc have all gotten away with it. Anaheim as well. Those buildings would be packed.
Yupp, you can watch your dog run away for miles.
It does? They have failed with two teams already.
Stay in the west? They are in the central.
Atlanta has lost two teams already. There are way more deserving markets.
You missed the Milwaukee STAGS who could play in the deer district at the best new arena, the Fiserv Forum before large rowdy crowds. The coyotes are now in the central division. The could stay there AND have rivals in the hawks, wild and predators. It’s a great fit!
People need to forget about Quebec city. The only way gary does that is He has no other option except folding. Epsn and Gary do not want more canada. Winnipeg only happened because gary had that or folding. better chance of boise idaho or omaha nebraska then Quebec city.
Quebec City would be an enormous success! It will happen at some point, but it will almost certainly be a relocating Eastern Conference team.
How about Alaska Bettman hates teams in Canada…that’s a fact..
Keep in mind…
1. They struggle for attendance already, a capacity of 13k+ isn’t exactly a limiting factor
2. Despite frequent and routine problems, the NHL has consistently resisted any suggestion that the team would be better off elsewhere.
3. It matters that Phoenix is the 11th(?) largest TV market
4. Leagues love, repeat LOVE, having a desperate city with an arena ready to go to act as leverage in various arena negotiations. See Seattle & the NBA.
Don’t expect anything to change now.
Quebec City
I don’t think Chase field is ideal for a struggling franchise, the amount of money to rebuild the ice because Baseball season and Spring training and having to do it a few times at the end of the NHL season because of the slight overlap doesn’t make sense
Arizona Memorial Coliseum makes the most sense and the Yotes will still not sell out anyways, it’ll be the most cost efficient location and will make it look like on TV thst they actually sell tickets
This team will not be leaving Arizona, there will be a temporary solution, and the Coliseum does make the most sense, if not finding a way to renegotiate with Glendale.
The Houston Armadillos will be in the Central division come 2022/2023.
Milwaukee would embrace a team. Big hockey city
that Milwaukee doesn’t have an NHL team at this point is kinda wild.
Blackhawks put a stop to that.
Yes in the past they did but in surveys players said Milwaukee would be a great fit and many Preds players have said Milwaukee deserves a NHL team. The hawks need a natural rival now that the redwings are in the east. The coyotes are now in the central, so why not the Milwaukee STAGS?
There not leaving Arizona the owner is only using the team as a legal loophole to have online sports betting
Wisconsin coyotes
Odd he suggests the Veterans joint “doesn’t seem like a great option in the least bit”. At 13K capacity, holds WAY more than will ever attend a Yotes game (I attended 3 big name visiting teams pre-covid [Oilers. Leafs, Hawks] and never was it more than 40% full). Players might be dissed about the dressing rooms but it would be closer to the Scottsdale golf courses, when they request practice end early so they can make their tee times (per George Laraque).
Bettman’s an idiot. They should have moved/been allowed to fold 20 years ago. Did I mention Bettman’s an idiot?
You did and then you mentioned one of the smartest things he’s done as the reason why.
Which was odd.
Anyone complaining about his insistence on having a team in the US southwest clearly doesn’t understand that the NHL wouldn’t have a national TV deal in the US without it, nor how much broadcast deal, advertising and sponsorship money that would cost the league.
Vegas’ success allows them to move now, if need be.
Quebec City. Hockey should be played in places where they actually have real ice in the winter.
For the near term the Veterans Coliseum will be the home. If a deal can worked out with Tempe they will move there in three years. If not, I vote Houston.
Move them to Portland.
Portland is a $hit hole.
That’s being kind tazz
Milwaukee is an amazing option and opportunity long term for the NHL. Potential deep pocketed owners, just won the NBA title is the best new arena in sports with a city that supports its franchises. The Milwaukee STAGS would make an incredible new franchise playing in the deer district. They would have built in rivals immediately. Can anyone else see a stags v hawks winter classic at Lambeau field or a stags vs wild game at camp Randall in Madison?
Why is the Footprint Center not an option? Isn’t that the old America West Arena? Would the Suns disallow the arena to be used for hockey? And our sure seems to be that the NHL, former owners of the Coyotes, will do anything it can to make sure the team stays in Phoenix.