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Coyotes lose vote for new arena - future unclear

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1 hour ago, nuckin_futz said:

True but in Houston they have a market with a history of hockey unlike when they gambled on Phoenix. It's not that big a stretch to think Houston will be successful.

Yes, I do agree that Houston is a good choice… but really it is going to be a place that they for sure have a good arena so a guaranteed home.  The market size won’t be the main consideration.  They need it not to turn into a debacle again with temporary arenas, public referendums, etc.  

 

 

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52 minutes ago, Provost said:

Yes, I do agree that Houston is a good choice… but really it is going to be a place that they for sure have a good arena so a guaranteed home.  The market size won’t be the main consideration.  They need it not to turn into a debacle again with temporary arenas, public referendums, etc.  

 

 

It doesn't sound like the potential ownership group is that hot about the idea though.

 

For me Houston would be Dallas #2. And I don't care about Dallas. I find Seattle or Vegas more interesting.

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Sounds like they're going to give Mullett and negotiations another go.

 

https://www.nhl.com/news/arizona-coyotes-tempe-arena-project-voted-down/c-344430868

 

Quote

"While we are very disappointed Tempe voters did not approve the proposed Entertainment District, we want to thank all our loyal fans who supported the Coyotes over the years. Your loyalty is what makes our Pack strong," Coyotes president and CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez wrote in a letter to the fans. "During the 2023-24 season, the Arizona Coyotes will play at Mullett Arena. In addition, we remain committed to Arizona and have already started re-engaging with local officials and sites to solidify a new permanent home in the Valley.

Seriously, give it up.  The Canucks need more cap space and they're driving down revenue :frantic:

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16 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

Sounds like they're going to give Mullett and negotiations another go.

 

https://www.nhl.com/news/arizona-coyotes-tempe-arena-project-voted-down/c-344430868

 

Seriously, give it up.  The Canucks need more cap space and they're driving down revenue :frantic:

Their owner looks to not gonna give up his sportsbook license without a fight. 

 

This may end up with the other owners and PA forcing Bettman to force a sale. 

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5 hours ago, PistolPete13 said:

Aqua sell Canucks to QC ownership group who moves team to Quebec and new Vancouver group buys AZ and moves team here. Tankers dream come true? 

And then Quebec wins the Stanley Cup in their first year in the biggest representation of irony ever?

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58 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

And then Quebec wins the Stanley Cup in their first year in the biggest representation of irony ever?

I am not willing to send my tax dollars to Quebec so that they can have a NHL team.

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12 hours ago, Wilbur said:

Sounds like they're going to give Mullett and negotiations another go.

 

https://www.nhl.com/news/arizona-coyotes-tempe-arena-project-voted-down/c-344430868

 

Seriously, give it up.  The Canucks need more cap space and they're driving down revenue :frantic:

“Our loyal fans who supported the Coyotes over the years”

 

Note how that is in the past tense.

 

If they are playing at the Mullett arena next year it is because the league doesn’t think they can figure out and execute a relocation alternative fast enough to move this year.

 

There is no re-engaging at this point.  The best possible deal was attempted and shot down resoundingly.  Starting from scratch with a new city in the area and a whole voting process would mean 5 years in a college arena that they may not even be allowed to play in that long.

 

The league will take over decisions on this, and will certainly have mechanisms for doing so if the owner doesn’t want to be co-operative.  They have the hammer of being able to suspend or terminate a team’s membership, effectively making its value zero.  That just requires a 3/4ths vote by the BOG and reasonable grounds.  No court in the world would say that the league hasn’t done everything they can to avoid that.

 

The only question is whether this owner is going to have to come up with a relocation fee, or whether he will be made to sell the team.

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12 hours ago, 24K PureCool said:

Their owner looks to not gonna give up his sportsbook license without a fight. 

 

This may end up with the other owners and PA forcing Bettman to force a sale. 

It may, but we aren't likely to hear about it.  A private meeting between the owner and Bettman, not even the BOG.

The league can simply threaten to suspend or terminate the Coyotes membership if they have a defensible cause.  There is no doubt they have cause right now, as the ownership got kicked out of an arena for failing to pay bills, is playing in a non-NHL arena, and has no viable plans to have one in the next several years.  Add in that there is no guarantee the NHLPA even plays ball with agreeing to play in Mullett arena for what will be an indefinite period.  They have working condition rules that are almost certainly not being fulfilled now.  It is one thing to let it happen as a stopgap with an actual viable plan for the future, it is another thing to play out a year or two in front of a couple thousand people when everyone knows the team is going to relocate at some point.

The league also gets to decide what a relocation fee would be, Meruelo is rich... but does he have enough liquid assets to cover hundreds of millions in a relocation fee, and the desire to do so?  Especially if it is to just be a tenant in someone else's building.

The only reason they play in Arizona next year is that they think they bad optics of playing in an empty college arena are preferable to the risk of the next stop being a failure because they rushed it.

To me the most elegant way out, is to temporarily move the team to play its home games next season in an existing NHL calibre arena while options are being determined..  That gives a new market a chance to see NHL games and also make a pitch for buying and keeping the team.  That would put Salt Lake City and Quebec City at the top of the list as they can host NHL games immediately.  It won't be ideal as maybe fans won't fully get behind a team that may not be there permanently, but it certainly won't be worse than what it will look like at the Mullet arena.  At least it will be a novelty in a new market and they will have the ability to paper the house with cheap tickets and have a full looking arena.  It will also put an end point in the Arizona debacle which has become toxic and laughable.

If Quebec wants to show they can support a team... selling out their arena for a "temporary" team and having corporate support buying boxes would go a long way in proving the business model.  That also saves those US markets for bigger expansion dollars down the road when the league is more ready for that.

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19 hours ago, canuck73_3 said:

They’re not going east regardless, neither Columbus or Detroit want any part of being in the Western Conference again. 
 

Choices are basically Salt Lake , Houston, Portland, Kansas. 

El Paso Border Patrol has a nice ring to it....

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