Coyotes to stay in Phoenix, apparently

[Kin]

If this truly is the beginning of the end, does the NHL pursue another city immediately or are they going to draw things out a bit here?

I assume they drag it out a bit.

 

[Peter D.]

Draw things out? They've been doing that for a good 5 or 6 years now

But the Coyotes still have three months of hockey to play.  I get they hardly play before anyone now, but announcing the team's move tomorrow for instance could see them playing in front of hundreds of fans (literally) for the rest of the way. 

 

[Kin]

But the Coyotes still have three months of hockey to play.  I get they hardly play before anyone now, but announcing the team's move tomorrow for instance could see them playing in front of hundreds of fans (literally) for the rest of the way.

Well, I mean, just logistically even if relocation is the option now it'll take them a while to get things worked out in QC or Seattle or wherever. So they'll probably not be able to announce anything for a month or so at least.

 

[bustaheims]

Well, I mean, just logistically even if relocation is the option now it'll take them a while to get things worked out in QC or Seattle or wherever. So they'll probably not be able to announce anything for a month or so at least.

There's that, and, my guess is they wouldn't want to publicly announce anything until the city they've decided on has an NHL ready arena that's been completed or is at least close to being completed. They won't want to put the team in a situation where they'd have announced the move but have them play any lame duck seasons in Phoenix.

 

[Kin]

There's that, and, my guess is they wouldn't want to publicly announce anything until the city they've decided on has an NHL ready arena that's been completed or is at least close to being completed. They won't want to put the team in a situation where they'd have announced the move but have them play any lame duck seasons in Phoenix.

I don't know about that. I think that if you sell the team to out of town interests who have no interest in keeping the team in Phoenix then announcing the move is largely a formality. I think it'd be much better for the league to move a team to Seattle right away and have them play even in a lousy arena for hockey than to sell the team to Hansen/Ballmer and have them play in Phoenix at all.

 

[cw]

Well, I mean, just logistically even if relocation is the option now it'll take them a while to get things worked out in QC or Seattle or wherever. So they'll probably not be able to announce anything for a month or so at least.

There's that, and, my guess is they wouldn't want to publicly announce anything until the city they've decided on has an NHL ready arena that's been completed or is at least close to being completed. They won't want to put the team in a situation where they'd have announced the move but have them play any lame duck seasons in Phoenix.

They'll probably trot out another suitor or two to try keep some fans around while in the background, they'll figure out what they're really going to do. In fact, they've probably already got a contingency plan in place and are executing it.

 

[princedpw]

Draw things out? They've been doing that for a good 5 or 6 years now

No kidding.

 

[Bates]

While the rink is generally not full in Glendale it's not fair to say they play in front of no one.  They are averaging a legit paying 12,??? and most nights are closer to 15,000.  The Colombus game looked real bad at 8000 but most games have been fairly well attended this year despite some real competition for entertainment dollars.  Just last night Phoenix had Coyotes vs Oilers, next door Mexico vs Denmark in men's soccer, and Suns vs Lakers downtown.  That's tough competition and the Coyotes had almost 13,000 for the game.

 

[cw]

AZ Central: NHL source: Jamison not expected to meet Coyotes-deal deadline
...
Separately, NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly told the Republic that league officials would let the process play out through the night, and that they would reassess their options Friday.

?Regardless of what may or may not happen tonight, the Coyotes will still be playing here tomorrow and our objectives will remain the same,? he said in an email.

?The January 31 deadline is a contractual provision existing between the city and Mr. Jamison. It?s not a deadline for the NHL. So, at this point, we will just wait to see what happens,? he said.

Earlier in the day, Jamison told Glendale Mayor Jerry Weiers that he was still working to complete the sale and that he would call later with an update. ?He basically called me to tell me he?s going to call me,? Weiers said.

Weiers said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman also spoke to him Thursday morning to assure him that if Jamison?s efforts fell short, the NHL was dedicated to keeping the team in Glendale, a western suburb of Phoenix.

...

One of the better updates I've seen on this for those few still interested.

I have seen reports that Jamison's lawyers never phoned the Phoenix major to ask for an extension. But the bottom line is that no PC has been called with just hours to go before the deadline. Multiple sources seem to be saying the same thing more or less: that the deal won't get done before the deadline and the lease deal will die at midnight and never be as good afterwards.

 

[cw]

https://twitter.com/cmorgancbsfoxaz
Craig Morgan ‏@cmorgancbsfoxaz
As stated earlier, release & announcement should come within the hour from Greg Jamison. #Coyotes.

Craig Morgan ‏@cmorgancbsfoxaz
Greg Jamison remains hopeful of a new deal down the road and believes hockey will survive in Arizona.

Craig Morgan ‏@cmorgancbsfoxaz
Greg Jamison will be issuing a release shortly. He will not be conducting further interviews tonight.

Craig Morgan ‏@cmorgancbsfoxaz
Greg Jamison: "We will be unable to complete a deal by the deadline. We?re still pursuing a deal anyway, but it will be a different deal.?

Craig Morgan, who covers the Coyotes for FOX Sports, is quoting Jamison.

So the lease deal is officially dead and with it, the chances of the Coyotes being able to remain in Az are significantly slimmer.

And whatever the Glendale taxpayers were concerned about paying Jamison, they're that much closer to paying much more without the Coyotes.

EDIT: Here's the story he filed:
FOX Sports: Coyotes deal off, Jamison wants to try again

 

[Rebel_1812]

And whatever the Glendale taxpayers were concerned about paying Jamison, they're that much closer to paying much more without the Coyotes.

Not necessarily.  If the coyotes leave they could always get another tenant that wouldn't cost as much and might do better.  An AHL team would likely do well there, since they are charging AHL prices for coyotes tickets anyway.

 

[Zee]

In an M. Night Shyamalan twist the team moves back to Winnipeg to become the Jets 2.  Where once there was no hockey they suddenly have two teams. Winnipeg Jets new logo, Winnipeg Jets old logo.

 

[Bates]

Rebel the Coyotes are drawing a lot on Northern folks and other team's fans to get an average of 12,000 fans per game with cheap seats.  I would highly doubt they could draw anywhere near 4000 per game for an AHL team and that won't cut it for the folks who own Jobing.com.  And these folks won't be paying $50 per seat to watch the ahl.

 

[Rebel_1812]

Rebel the Coyotes are drawing a lot on Northern folks and other team's fans to get an average of 12,000 fans per game with cheap seats.  I would highly doubt they could draw anywhere near 4000 per game for an AHL team and that won't cut it for the folks who own Jobing.com.  And these folks won't be paying $50 per seat to watch the ahl.

yes I saw your separate post about attendance.  Attendance figures from teams are generally exaggerrated. How many of those people paid full price?  How many tickets were provided at less then $50 or had discounts or promotional offers attached to them?  If the team was ranking in as many people as you say at over $50 a seat they wouldn't have a problem meeting their NHL bills.  However, since they have less people and those people aren't willing to pay as much; the economics would be more in line with the budget of an AHL team.

Sportsnet did a report that there was 3 groups that expressed interest and are preparing to make offers.  However,  any sane businessman would want want government payouts, to make a business that loses money every year viable.  This seems to be against the law in Arizona which is why the goldwater group has stopped other purchase attempts.  If the team stays in PHX it will continue to lose money year after year, its just a question of who will pay those bills; a new owner (not likely), the NHL (possibly, this is personal for that Napolean clone Bettman) or the taxpayers (don't they always bail out the rich?).

So those people out there that want the team to stay in PHX please explain who you want to pay the repeated losses year after year.

 

[Bates]

I don't dissagree with you Rebel but the City of Glendale has that minor issue of already having built an arena and a business area around it that gets a lot of benefits from the arena having a tenant.  The City will do a very beneficial lease for an NHL team because they know it is the lesser evil as compared to an empty rink.  If the team leaves you can count on many of the restaurants and oubs next door joining them slightly after.

With regards to ticket prices the Coyotes don't really give away tickets often but this year there have been many promotions and games have been very well attended as compared to other years.  The only games that have been low in attendance have been the early week games and these have been the ones with biggest promotions.  Now back to AHL suggestion, this would be a collosal failure as AHL hockey will attract almost no Canadians.

 

[KW Sluggo]

I have been in Phoenix for the last 12 days and I would say that while Gary Bettman may be right in his estimation of the size of this market, there is one other factor beyond a new owner and the number of actual hockey fans that is quite problematic.

Despite the millions of people that live here and the reasonable percentage of whom may be reasonably expected to be hockey fans, the confluence of cheap land and cheap energy (gasoline even now is usually around $3.46 to $3.52 per gallon) has resulted in a sprawling metropolitan area.

Add to that the fact that Glendale is some distance from the centre to begin with and most people will not take the time to drive the distance required to see forty plus home games per year.The distance may work for 18 NFL games per year but not for that number of hockey games.

For people in Toronto, it is almost inconceivable that an urban polity of this  size can be this spread out, but it is. Virtually everywhere one might want to go means a drive of some distance. This is urban sprawl on  pretty much a cosmic scale.

Lots of people but a whole lot more real estate.

An owner may ultimately be found and there may be sufficient fans in the greater metro Phoenix area but I cannot see a viable business case here (though I would want to with a daughter here and $20 tickets).

 

[Rebel_1812]

I just heard during intermission of the playoff game Gary is meeting with yet another potential buyer.  I think this is personal with Gary.  If he moved it like he did with Atlanta, he would look like an idiot for fighting with Jim to stop it from moving back in 2009.  Not to mention all the money the team has lost since then.  Or since the team moved to phoenix in the first place for that matter.

 

[seahawk]

YAWN! Wake me when this is over. Same song and dance for how long, 4-5 years now? Tie to cut bait and move to Seattle.

 

[Kin]

If he moved it like he did with Atlanta, he would look like an idiot for fighting with Jim to stop it from moving back in 2009.

To you, I'm sure he would. However being as you've said the same thing on that since it was happening it's not exactly a development that you would disagree with how the NHL handled the situation.

If the Coyotes move, they'll move to Seattle or Quebec City or somewhere along those lines. Not Southern Ontario. Gary Bettman will never look like an idiot for not wanting Jerry Moyes to sell something he didn't own to Jim Balsillie for much, much less than it's worth.

 

[Bates]

Agreement reached with new owner, take 5!!!!  Maybe it's more than 5 I can't even remember them all.