Confirmed with Link: All-Purpose Coyotes Arena Talk: Land Auction Date Set - 6/27

[brentashton]

Not sure how they’re handling that.

Interesting issue for certain. Let’s go down the road that the land auction is unsuccessful and a different developer acquires the land. It’s zoned for an arena but just not only an arena. So, if an arena doesnt get built and records and franchise legacy are shelved in a UHaul storage locker out on the I-17, what would happen to the orphaned history. I guess the NHL could award the deactivated franchise to a different new owner in a different location. Just more mess if they don’t attach these to the SLC move.

 

[MIGs Dog]

Who is this dipsh*t David Leibowitz and why is he calling it "a positive development"?

It's a positive development from the standpoint of obtaining the highest sale price which in theory benefits the people.

 

[LAIslanderFan]

It's a positive development from the standpoint of obtaining the highest sale price which in theory benefits the people.

I guess in theory. But the fact that other bidders were staying away also implies having the Coyotes win the auction would be viewed as a positive development? I think it comes down to if you're a hockey fan, on a larger level, the Coyotes failing in AZ isn't great PR for the state from a business climate perspective as well as prestige. Sports teams do bring prestige, just ask college football.

 

[LAIslanderFan]

Here's my dilemma with what transpired with the Coyotes. I've been in AZ for over 12 years and I've never been to Tucson. I had mentioned to my wife, that when the Coyotes season ended, we should take an overnight trip to Tucson. Day one, sight see, eat at their top restaurant that a night, day two, more sightseeing, at night catch a Roadrunners playoff game and drive back after the game. I thought it would be great to see some of the Coyotes (not anymore) future stars, like Josh Doan, Dylan Gunther, Kesserling as well at Ratu and some of the other projects. Now with those stars departing I don't know if I'll enjoy that game knowing they'll be playing for another franchise. It might be depressing to watch.

 

[Kaizen]

Before y’all scratch your heads over this it falls right in line with what the league has done.

From a legal POV, the Coyotes are now a deactivated franchise. Meruelo has an exclusive five year window now to work to get the franchise reactivated and pay the league back, or the league could then transfer those rights to someone else.

Being deactivated though means Meruelo can’t vote, but he can remain informed of any league activities (CBA negotiations, etc.)

They're just giving him a timeout.

 

[2002Yote]

I am a full season ticket holder since 2002. I am aware of all that this franchise has been through over the years. My son played youth hockey in the Arizona system from the age of 5 to 17 and then in high school here. I prefer not to post on social media. However, I want to acknowledge that I have read your posts for many years and I appreciate the participation and effort that all the regular contributors have made over the years. Amongst all of the turmoils and frustration you people have made me smile once in a while. I have chosen not to attend the final game because to me it is kind of like a funeral and I prefer not to be there. I would not enjoy it. However, hats off to all of you. I will continue to participate on your forum in my own quiet way.

 

[Dirty Old Man]

Here's my dilemma with what transpired with the Coyotes. I've been in AZ for over 12 years and I've never been to Tucson. I had mentioned to my wife, that when the Coyotes season ended, we should take an overnight trip to Tucson. Day one, sight see, eat at their top restaurant that a night, day two, more sightseeing, at night catch a Roadrunners playoff game and drive back after the game. I thought it would be great to see some of the Coyotes (not anymore) future stars, like Josh Doan, Dylan Gunther, Kesserling as well at Ratu and some of the other projects. Now with those stars departing I don't know if I'll enjoy that game knowing they'll be playing for another franchise. It might be depressing to watch.

Maybe you'll like it, maybe not but...

If you've lived here 12 yrs and have never been, go see Tucson. It's only 90 minutes (from my end of the valley anyway), and if nothing else you'll see how much it's the same as here, but also how it's different.

 

[Mosby]

It’s always fun to learn there are readers of this forum who are not regular contributors or not contributors (in a written fashion) at all. It must be like looking into a window of a nut house.

 

[LAIslanderFan]

Maybe you'll like it, maybe not but...

If you've lived here 12 yrs and have never been, go see Tucson. It's only 90 minutes (from my end of the valley anyway), and if nothing else you'll see how much it's the same as here, but also how it's different.

Any recommendations? Someone I met recently told me it has a heavy metal scene. Back when I was in LA before I got married, I was a regular at The Rainbow Bar and Grill on Sunset.

 

[brentashton]

Here's my dilemma with what transpired with the Coyotes. I've been in AZ for over 12 years and I've never been to Tucson. I had mentioned to my wife, that when the Coyotes season ended, we should take an overnight trip to Tucson. Day one, sight see, eat at their top restaurant that a night, day two, more sightseeing, at night catch a Roadrunners playoff game and drive back after the game. I thought it would be great to see some of the Coyotes (not anymore) future stars, like Josh Doan, Dylan Gunther, Kesserling as well at Ratu and some of the other projects. Now with those stars departing I don't know if I'll enjoy that game knowing they'll be playing for another franchise. It might be depressing to watch.

Tucson has some great restaurants. Go enjoy the food.

 

[GhostofTommyBolin]

Honestly, outside of this forum how many people actually know much about Meruelo and will care if he is or is not the owner of Phoenix 2.0?

Very very few people. The Coyotes leaving isn't a thing 98% of the Valley will give any attention to, man.

 

[GhostofTommyBolin]

I disagree with your assessment on actual support for the team. The Coyotes haven't been able to put a consistent quality product on the ice for as long as I can remember. On top of that, it's difficult to latch on to a team when the threat of a move is constantly in the background. I know this from experience as a fan of the NY Islanders. There was time in the late 90's, early 2000's when the team was bad on the ics, they needed a new building and ownership was in constant flux. The average attendance for the 1999-2000 season was a little over 9,000. The nickname for their aren was Nassau mausoleum (instead of coliseum). At one point fans would come down from Quebec trying to persuade the NHL to move the Isles back there. It's a very different sitution now. Consistant ownership, success on the ice and a new arena. The Coyotes had none of that for years. I can use a local AZ example, the Diamondbacks. In 2021 the Diamondback averaged 12,000 fans aa game, in 2023 they averaged 24,000 fans a game, this year so far they're averaging 34,000 fans a game. What would you attribute that too? Winning solves everything.

The Coyotes were dealing with a trifecta. No permanent home, lack of steady ownership and lack of success on the ice. I imagine most business schools would tell you that's a recipe for disaster and if you haave a business you don't want to be in that position.

The Dbacks numbers are skewed because the Yankees were here for 3 games. Attendance today was announced at 22,673.

This isn't a hockey town. At least not one where you're going to draw more than about 12k/game, even in a good location. It's really unfortunate, but it's true.

 

[Llewzaher]

Another thing AM can do to make us feel better:

-Name Shane Doan GM of the team

In 5 years , BA and hockey ops term would be over and maybe want to go back home?

 

[LAIslanderFan]

The Dbacks numbers are skewed because the Yankees were here for 3 games. Attendance today was announced at 22,673.

This isn't a hockey town. At least not one where you're going to draw more than about 12k/game, even in a good location. It's really unfortunate, but it's true.

Well compare the 2021 D-Backs season, when they lost 110 games to the 2023?
I moved to LA back when the Kings wore purple and gold and played at the Forum.
Their attendance was miserable ( I used to get great seats for really cheap) and I was told it's not a hockey town. LA belongs to the Lakers and Dodgers. Then Gretzky came along, the team went to the Cup, they got a brand new arena (Staples Center) and now it's aa hockey town. Consider LA must have had 3 times the population as Phoenix and they couldn't sell out the Forum.
Granted AZ isn't Montreal or Boston, so it takes a little more. A successful franchise over a period of time will attract fans, the media and eventually it's passed down to the generations that follow. I think that was the Kings equation. It took several years of success to breakout in LA.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

I take back everything I may have ever said uncomplementary about Leah Merrell.

Her comments about the Twitter trolls tonight have made me her fan for life. I may subscribe to PHNX just to tell her that.

 

[Matias Maccete]

I take back everything I may have ever said uncomplementary about Leah Merrell.

Her comments about the Twitter trolls tonight have made me her fan for life. I may subscribe to PHNX just to tell her that.

Link?

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Link?

It'll be on the PHNX YouTube shortly.

 

[More Cooley]

Very very few people. The Coyotes leaving isn't a thing 98% of the Valley will give any attention to, man.

Will you be following the new team?

 

[JasonDemersWasOkay]

It just ain’t fair, man. It just isn’t fair.

 

[PainForShane]

I don't know where to find the clip, but I heard the Steve Dangle podcast talking about the situation and he nails it. Just absolutely nails it. He thinks Coyotes fans will be mad at him for saying the Meruelo group sold us snake oil, but he's 100% right.

Paraphrased: f*** the gatekeepers. Hockey works in Arizona. The arena location needs to make sense, but it works in Arizona. But if the Coyotes are resurrected by Meruelo in 2030, how will the fans react to him lying to us so blatantly for so long?

It was actually cathartic.


I guess you'd better hope they do...

Thanks for letting us know Feck, can confirm it's a good clip (about 3 mins long starting from the enclosed timestamp).

Immediate prior context for this is that those guys were talking about widely known reports that AZ didn't pay its hotel bills on time and the league had to step in (wtf Meruelo). I wish Dangle didn't spend so much time pretending to be mad about everything, he can actually be really articulate when appropriate

 

[Grimes]

I wish Dangle didn't spend so much time pretending to be mad about everything, he can actually be really articulate when appropriate

Agreed. It was a great bit when he was a streamer from his man cave. But now that he has become a somewhat legit commentator it feels forced.

I appreciate his insight too because he is still such a a fan of the game that got a huge opportunity. He feels like one of us. Then the overdone schtick comes out and it gets to be a bit much

 

[Jagged Ice]

I like Dangle and listen to his podcasts but I couldn't do it this week. It's benn such a gut punch.

 

[Dead Coyote]

Dangle encapsulated pretty well how I'm feeling about Meruelo's ownership, even if he does come back.

Also Leah is great, almost all of the podcasts I've tuned into she hasn't been there but she was recently and you could tell how passionate she was and how upset she was with what was happening and how the staff and fans were being treated. And more than anything else, that stuck with me, because it's not like she has anything invested in the team like Craig and Pete do/did.

 

[Llewzaher]

Thanks for letting us know Feck, can confirm it's a good clip (about 3 mins long starting from the enclosed timestamp).

Immediate prior context for this is that those guys were talking about widely known reports that AZ didn't pay its hotel bills on time and the league had to step in (wtf Meruelo). I wish Dangle didn't spend so much time pretending to be mad about everything, he can actually be really articulate when appropriate

I would think the CEO would be the person who should be in charge of the budget for hotel biills

 

[Mosby]

Friedman says that Armstrong may have been under some sort of gag order about the relocation but decided, f*** it, I am telling my players anyway.

Love him.