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

[The Feckless Puck]

Looks as if Vegas will be getting Arizona's broadcast area while giving up SLC and all of Utah (and Idaho maybe)

Hilarious. I mean, just absolutely hilarious. The one outside market that might have an interest in the SLC team because of the players won't be part of the broadcast area?

Yeah, that Scripps deal was a dead giveaway.

 

[TheLegend]

I think the takeaway from everything that's happened to this franchise in almost 30 years is this: hockey may work in various locales around the Valley depending on context and how the team does business, but it will never work anywhere in Arizona if the ownership sucks as much ass as ours has virtually since day one.

I mean, an engaged, Mark Cuban-style owner could have made it work in Glendale. Truly, he could have. It would have taken a lot of work in the community to build relationships and get west side fans excited in the sport rather than marketing to people 30 miles away. It would have taken infrastructure partnerships to build local sheets of ice and youth programs in the same area as Westgate. It would have taken a personal interest in working with Valley corporations to be partners for the whole Valley instead of saying it would only work in their backyards. And maybe it would even have required encouraging the players to get homes in the affluent areas in the northeast part of town (although that wasn't very realistic back in 2003, when there wasn't the "West Scottsdale" development push that we have out here now).

Lots of ifs, sure. But look at what we've been through the last two years. We had an East Valley arena. It should have been easy - no, a fait accompli - to sell out Mullett every f***ing night, because of where it's located. And we had a development plan - or at least a pie in the sky idea - that should have been the biggest slam dunk of all time to build a massive jewel of an entertainment district on a piece of land that not even Tempe wants to have anything to do with. But nobody trusted the ownership except the politicians. That history of malfeasance and bad faith and questionable finances that has dogged the Coyotes since, well, year two of their existence in Arizona just never went away, no matter how much the faces changed.

And what's worst about our current situation is that that history won't go away either so long as Alex Meruelo is involved in any capacity with the franchise. The local pols, businesspeople, and voters aren't going to suddenly give him the benefit of the doubt just because we lost a team and they want to have one back. He's the same guy. He's shown absolutely zero intent on changing the way he does business to perform outreach, to connect with people, to become anything more than an absentee father to a neglected child. Does anyone really think that anyone outside of the blind diehards who want a team back at all costs will trust him or want to do business with him? Of course not.

I think the NHL knows this. This whole 5-year window of "activation" thing is a smoke screen for them to hide behind and get away with this with less blowback. They don't want Meruelo in the club anymore. They don't think he will do what he's been promising, because he hasn't followed up on anything else he's promised. They are likely hoping he will skip town with the cash, and that will be the end of the Arizona era and they can go chase money in Houston and Atlanta.

Bettman and co. would love it if someone with boundless cash, a keen eye and experience for sports, and an attitude of making things work would somehow magically appear in Arizona and build a franchise here. Unfortunately, that mythical figure does not exist. Matt Ishbia is not that guy. He's a basketball guy who would take on a hockey team as part of his portfolio, not like Ryan Smith who is doing it because he likes hockey and wants to see it succeed in SLC. Ishbia has shown none of that kind of interest. The only interest he's shown has been as a way to expand his empire and holdings, not be the borderline pastor of an aimless flock of hockey devotees who can help them build a settlement and a life.

I think once people understand all of this, it will make things a little easier to cope with.

All...... of....... this......

One of the reasons why I kept on you about coming to BoH. You have a perspective I've never been able to master (yet).

Kinda regret putting you through all that though.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

All...... of....... this......

One of the reasons why I kept on you about coming to BoH. You have a perspective I've never been able to master (yet).

Kinda regret putting you through all that though.

You know, for a while, I actually enjoyed it. There were - and are still, I would imagine - some very intelligent and fair-minded posters there.

But that small knot of assholes just ruined it for me after a while... that, and a couple of past mods who were clearly an ass-cheek-and-a-half on a particular side of the line...

 

[Jakey53]

Pay attention Jakey..

I'm referring to Meruelo's offer to stay in Glendale while they build TED (had it passed).

And 30-years was never discussed anywhere.

I was referring to what AM said Glendale wanted to stay in Glendale. AM said Glendale kicked him out.

 

[DustyDangler]

I think the takeaway from everything that's happened to this franchise in almost 30 years is this: hockey may work in various locales around the Valley depending on context and how the team does business, but it will never work anywhere in Arizona if the ownership sucks as much ass as ours has virtually since day one.

I mean, an engaged, Mark Cuban-style owner could have made it work in Glendale. Truly, he could have. It would have taken a lot of work in the community to build relationships and get west side fans excited in the sport rather than marketing to people 30 miles away. It would have taken infrastructure partnerships to build local sheets of ice and youth programs in the same area as Westgate. It would have taken a personal interest in working with Valley corporations to be partners for the whole Valley instead of saying it would only work in their backyards. And maybe it would even have required encouraging the players to get homes in the affluent areas in the northeast part of town (although that wasn't very realistic back in 2003, when there wasn't the "West Scottsdale" development push that we have out here now).

Lots of ifs, sure. But look at what we've been through the last two years. We had an East Valley arena. It should have been easy - no, a fait accompli - to sell out Mullett every f***ing night, because of where it's located. And we had a development plan - or at least a pie in the sky idea - that should have been the biggest slam dunk of all time to build a massive jewel of an entertainment district on a piece of land that not even Tempe wants to have anything to do with. But nobody trusted the ownership except the politicians. That history of malfeasance and bad faith and questionable finances that has dogged the Coyotes since, well, year two of their existence in Arizona just never went away, no matter how much the faces changed.

And what's worst about our current situation is that that history won't go away either so long as Alex Meruelo is involved in any capacity with the franchise. The local pols, businesspeople, and voters aren't going to suddenly give him the benefit of the doubt just because we lost a team and they want to have one back. He's the same guy. He's shown absolutely zero intent on changing the way he does business to perform outreach, to connect with people, to become anything more than an absentee father to a neglected child. Does anyone really think that anyone outside of the blind diehards who want a team back at all costs will trust him or want to do business with him? Of course not.

I think the NHL knows this. This whole 5-year window of "activation" thing is a smoke screen for them to hide behind and get away with this with less blowback. They don't want Meruelo in the club anymore. They don't think he will do what he's been promising, because he hasn't followed up on anything else he's promised. They are likely hoping he will skip town with the cash, and that will be the end of the Arizona era and they can go chase money in Houston and Atlanta.

Bettman and co. would love it if someone with boundless cash, a keen eye for and experience in sports business, and an attitude of making things work would somehow magically appear in Arizona and build a franchise here. Unfortunately, that mythical figure does not exist. Matt Ishbia is not that guy. He's a basketball guy who would take on a hockey team as part of his portfolio, not like Ryan Smith who is doing it because he likes hockey and wants to see it succeed in SLC. Ishbia has shown none of that kind of interest. The only interest he's shown has been as a way to expand his empire and holdings, not be the borderline pastor of an aimless flock of hockey devotees who can help them build a settlement and a life.

I think once people understand all of this, it will make things a little easier to cope with.

Excellent post. NHL hockey is over in AZ for a minimum of 5 years to give AM time to step on his hangy down part more. Once that's over then it will be however many years to find a legit owner for AZ and then however many years for them to get a building etc. 2040 maaaaybe and by then Skynet and the machines will have taken over.

 

[DustyDangler]

I was referring to what AM said Glendale wanted to stay in Glendale. AM said Glendale kicked him out.

Also said Glendale wanted 25 years whereas Phelps via Morgan said it was 12 years. Rather large gap on a basic concept.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

Could have if Meruelo had bought Westgate instead of Bob Parsons.

Coyotes had countered with 3 years and an option for two more.

Which would have roughly been when the that original 15-year lease with IA ran out had Mayor Santa Claus not orchestrated that conflict of interest gambit to get it terminated.

I like all of this with the exception that the conflict of interest was not "orchestrated", it was earned, by the Coyotes and it was beyond ignorant.

Not only that, but I think AM needed more than the arena to make it work financially. He also needed land for additional retail and residential to make it work. Glendale couldn't offer that.

We'd need to come up with a definition for "make it work."

 

[LAIslanderFan]

I just want to add one more villain to the list, Robert Sarver. I recall when Phoenix agreed to renovate the Footprint Center (which garners another question, why would the city help pay for the renovation, when it seems like tax payer dollars for sports venues has been a line of contention for years, remember the Goldwater Institute and Glendale?), Sarver insisted that the arena would not have another tenant, so any thought of a hockey team was nixed. It seems to me when they were going to renovate if they had also included a hockey rink, we might not be in this situation.
1 - maybe Meruelo would have cut a deal for the Coyotes to play at Footprint or another owner would have purchased the Coyotes knowing there was a renovated arena to play in.
2 - when the Coyotes were forced to leave Glendale, Footprint would have been a better temporary option then Mullett. We wouldn't be in the mess.
3 - There was a lot of buzz recently concerning Isbia purchasing the Coyotes. The idea that Isbia would buy the team and then do another renovation is pretty absurd. If the hockey rink was already in place, that might have come to fruition.
4 - Another ownership group would have come in, purchased the team from Meruelo and put the team in Footprint.

When I look at that situation, the City of Phoenix should have never agreed to pick up a large portion of the tab for the Footprint renovation without including a hockey rink!

 

[LAIslanderFan]

I like all of this with the exception that the conflict of interest was not "orchestrated", it was earned, by the Coyotes and it was beyond ignorant.


We'd need to come up with a definition for "make it work."

I've noticed that unless the local or state governments build the arenas (SLC for example) and maintain them, the teams that play in them can't turn a profit (unless you're in a big TV market, like NYC, LA or Chicago). So when it's left for private business men, where profit is the main concern (governments don't worry about profit, they just tax us more), there seems to be the need to be able to build hotel and commercial properties around the area to alleviate the expenses of the arena.

 

[Dirty Old Man]

You know, for a while, I actually enjoyed it. There were - and are still, I would imagine - some very intelligent and fair-minded posters there.

But that small knot of assholes just ruined it for me after a while... that, and a couple of past mods who were clearly an ass-cheek-and-a-half on a particular side of the line...

Hey, one of those people just posted here - same one who complained about having to walk"a quarter of a mile" at Mullett to plug a cable in or something, IIRC.

Anyway, I actually got a PM from a BoH person this morning that wasn't expecting, wishing me well. It was touching.

 

[DaBadGuy7]

 

[Coyotedroppings]

I've noticed that unless the local or state governments build the arenas (SLC for example) and maintain them, the teams that play in them can't turn a profit (unless you're in a big TV market, like NYC, LA or Chicago). So when it's left for private business men, where profit is the main concern (governments don't worry about profit, they just tax us more), there seems to be the need to be able to build hotel and commercial properties around the area to alleviate the expenses of the arena.

Then we’d need to clarify if massive tax savings qualify as profit.

 

[Mosby]

We’re not dead, we’re just in a coma.

 

[Dead Coyote]

AM said it was 30yr. talking to Gambo.

At least get your quotes right Jakey, because Meruelo has repeatedly said 20 and did on that podcast too.

 

[Dead Coyote]

AM and Gary Bettman on the Sportsnet interview.

AM: "I spent 7m on the Tempe vote"

Bettman: "The team wasn't told anything because there was nothing to tell, the deal hadn't been done"

Meruelo: "I'm not aware of any unpaid bills, and I've been in business for over 40 years, and I wouldn't have been able to get there if there were unpaid bills"

Meruelo: "I believe once we get the arena built we could be top 10 in League revenue"

Gary Bettman says AM has full rights to reactivation himself, and that he can bring in up to one other person at 20% stake in the team at most. Also that he has to keep the team for at least another 5 years after reactivation before selling.

Meruelo said he has been under a gag order, threats, etc for the last 5 years and that's why he didn't speak publicly til now. Also says he hates the media and then backpedaled after Gary said he thinks he just hates the spotlight.

Bettman said there needs to be at least a year and a half notice to re-activate the club, so probably 6.5 minimum years.

Meruelo initially said he wanted to relocate the RR to Mullett but then pushed back on questions and said that he isn't sure what's going to happen and that they just have ideas right now. Also said RR will be playing in Tucson for the playoffs. Also said RR are 1st or 2nd in the league which...is wrong.

Overall: Meruelo sounds and looks like he has no idea what he's doing, he parrots most of the things Bettman said, and didn't say much. Most questions were handled entirely by Bettman. He has a couple of statements that are complete bullshit (like spending 7M on the campaign in Tempe- there is no f***ing way that is true) and his public speaking is awful. There were several times he got things wrong and Bettman clarified like he was his lawyer.

 

[finkelsteinberg]

At least get your quotes right Jakey, because Meruelo has repeatedly said 20 and did on that podcast too.

Haha I didn't want to go back and listen but I could have sworn it was 20 too. Glad someone finally did the work I was too lazy/sad to do.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Overall: Meruelo sounds and looks like he has no idea what he's doing, he parrots most of the things Bettman said, and didn't say much. Most questions were handled entirely by Bettman. He has a couple of statements that are complete bullshit (like spending 7M on the campaign in Tempe- there is no f***ing way that is true) and his public speaking is awful. There were several times he got things wrong and Bettman clarified like he was his lawyer.

Meruelo came off as a slacker who crammed for a final on the strength of Red Bulls and desperation, and then started getting pissed at the teacher when he gave wrong answers.

Bettman was like a public defender tasked with trying to keep Meruelo from making his sentence worse with a contempt of court charge.

 

[Edenjung]

@Dead Coyote
Sounds like a highschool project where one did all the heavy liftign (Bettman) and the other read through that persons work 30 minutes before and now he has to do his part presenting.
And Bettman and the league are sick and tired of him at this point. They have to be.

Also thanks for summarizing this. I rather watch a Wesley Crusher episode of TNG instead of hearing that man speak. Or watch the Star Wars Christmas Special.

 

[rt]

Meruelo came off as a slacker who crammed for a final on the strength of Red Bulls and desperation, and then started getting pissed at the teacher when he gave wrong answers.

Bettman was like a public defender tasked with trying to keep Meruelo from making his sentence worse with a contempt of court charge.

I agree with this.

It was very hard to take exception with anything Bettman had to say, however.

I think the whacky Meruelo sweating and stuttering next to him, served to highlight Bettman’s points regarding the situation.

Hard to blame Gary too much after that presser.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

And Bettman and the league are sick and tired of this at this point. They have to be.

Bettman quoted MacArthur and said, "We'll be back!" but when he said it you could almost feel the eyeroll.

 

[rt]

Bettman was right about the lack of comms. The leaks were the problem. Of course they aren’t going to soft announce their intentions before the deal was done. If it fell apart (which sounded like a real possibility) what then?

Complaining about the comms over the few weeks is kinda whiny. Knowing more incomplete information sooner would’ve made nobody feel any better and woudlve changed nothing.

Given the plans for the Deta Center that Gary revealed, not waiting at Mullett another year makes more sense. And watching Meruelo fumble through that made it clear why the NHL wasn’t willing to bet on the auction and development project.

 

[Dead Coyote]

Bettman was right about the lack of comms. The leaks were the problem. Of course they aren’t going to soft announce their intentions before the deal was done. If it fell apart (which sounded like a real possibility) what then?

Complaining about the comms over the few weeks is kinda whiny. Knowing more incomplete information sooner would’ve made nobody feel any better and woudlve changed nothing.

Given the plans for the Deta Center that Gary revealed, not waiting at Mullett another year makes more sense. And watching Meruelo fumble through that made it clear why the NHL wasn’t willing to bet on the auction and development project.

You owe it to your staff to say that there is a possibility they will no longer have jobs in 4 weeks, period.

 

[Grimes]

That was hard to watch. Wow.

I've been in business meetings where the sales guy can't make the pitch. Says too much. Says the wrong things. Acts insincere and awkward. I've been in Bettman's spot and man it's a brutal spot to be in and you never trust the person you cover for again. @rt I'm not referring to you in those Scottsdale meetings btw.

 

[rt]

That was hard to watch. Wow.

I've been in business meetings where the sales guy can't make the pitch. Says too much. Says the wrong things. Acts insincere and awkward. I've been in Bettman's spot and man it's a brutal spot to be in and you never trust the person you cover for again. @rt I'm not referring to you in those Scottsdale meetings btw.

It never occurred to me. I know I’m unstoppable in those meetings!!! Lol jk.

 

[DustyDangler]

That was hard to watch. Wow.

I've been in business meetings where the sales guy can't make the pitch. Says too much. Says the wrong things. Acts insincere and awkward. I've been in Bettman's spot and man it's a brutal spot to be in and you never trust the person you cover for again. @rt I'm not referring to you in those Scottsdale meetings btw.

Shouldn't have said boo about Tucson, should've worked on that in the background to see if it was viable and dealt with it later. When the talk was about hockey ops should've praised Bill Armstrong and Alex's statement should've been around, I know about hiring the right people for the right job kind of thing, not the I know hockey and hockey players stuff that no one can believe. Asking Gary if he cut him off, so awkward. Needs people to polish him up...get a haircut, practice public speaking etc. Completely out of his element.