CXLVIII - NHL BOG approves sale and relocation of Coyotes to Ryan Smith, league announces establishment of franchise in Utah

[HeHateMeFrisbee]

HASHBROWNS. HAYMAKERS.

SCATTERED>SMOTHERED>COVERED

plz add chunked sir

 

[RandR]

By the way, we saw a pretty stark difference that everyone now sees as to why no one likes Meruelo and everyone loves Ryan Smith.

I largely agree with you, but the context is important too.

The Arizona press conference was a post-mortem with a totally different vibe of a failure where a lot of tough questions were prefaced with a rehashing of things gone wrong. Compare that to the Utah press conference with a vibe of enthusiasm with everybody who is anybody in the city or state wanting to be part of the good news story.

The person common to these two press conferences was Bettman. In the first one he was defensive and short to be the point of near-rudeness to some of those asking questions. The very same person came across much more likeable in the second one after being was greeted with cheers (queue his joke about how he is usually received by hockey fans) and having to answer questions that allowed him to repeatedly pat himself on the back for his success in creatively bringing a new team to Utah.

If I was in the chairs of the outgoing and incoming owners I would have been ill-at-ease in the first press conference and enthusiastic in the second too. Having said that, “you reap what you sow” and Meruelo and Smith both put themselves into the situations they were facing the press about.

 

[GKJ]

I largely agree with you, but the context is important too.

The Arizona press conference was a post-mortem with a totally different vibe of a failure where a lot of tough questions were prefaced with a rehashing of things gone wrong. Compare that to the Utah press conference with a vibe of enthusiasm with everybody who is anybody in the city or state wanting to be part of the good news story.

The person common to these two press conferences was Bettman. In the first one he was defensive and short to be the point of near-rudeness to some of those asking questions. The very same person came across much more likeable in the second one after being was greeted with cheers (queue his joke about how he is usually received by hockey fans) and having to answer questions that allowed him to repeatedly pat himself on the back for his success in creatively bringing a new team to Utah.

If I was in the chairs of the outgoing and incoming owners I would have been ill-at-ease in the first press conference and enthusiastic in the second too. Having said that, “you reap what you sow” and Meruelo and Smith both put themselves into the situations they were facing the press about.

Well, it’s definitely a situation where he’s backed into the corner, but he’s supposed to be developing these relationships, that he says he needs, and then says things like how he hates the media and was overly defensive about being asked about refunding season tickets. It’s one thing to try to convey a victim stance, but he came off very unprepared for the moment.

 

[Fatass]

Well, it’s definitely a situation where he’s backed into the corner, but he’s supposed to be developing these relationships, that he says he needs, and then says things like how he hates the media and was overly defensive about being asked about refunding season tickets. It’s one thing to try to convey a victim stance, but he came off very unprepared for the moment.

There’s been several occurrences reported of Meurelo not paying his bills with the Coyotes. Has that been the case with Smith and the Jazz?

 

[RandR]

Well, it’s definitely a situation where he’s backed into the corner, but he’s supposed to be developing these relationships, that he says he needs, and then says things like how he hates the media and was overly defensive about being asked about refunding season tickets. It’s one thing to try to convey a victim stance, but he came off very unprepared for the moment.

Absolutely. And all that contributes to why it is easy to see why the BOG is skeptical that Meruelo will be able to establish the relationships and deals needed for him to build a new arena in the next 5 years.

 

[LadyStanley]

Paywall



Paywall

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Per Gary, the league approached him, and he originally said no.

And? What does that have to do with him doing an absolutely piss poor job at every turn since he's acquired the franchise?

 

[RandR]

Paywall

I can’t read the article but of course the Smith’s news conference was collaborative and positive. It was a collaborative (look at all who showed up) and positive (birth of a new team) situation. It would have much more worth noting if the press conference didn’t go that way because it got derailed by too much of a fuss being made in press questions about the proposed city tax hike or the current number of obstructed seats for hockey in the arena.

Speaking of the arena situation, but coming out of the Arizona episode I did think it was funny when Bettman joked about just hoping there won’t be any arena problems for the new team.

 

[RandR]

And? What does that have to do with him doing an absolutely piss poor job at every turn since he's acquired the franchise?

I think Bettman mentioning that fits mostly into his narrative (which he was quite proud of in that press conference) about how he came up with a “never tried before” way of resolving the Arizona franchise situation. The key party (Meruelo) originally being against the idea at the beginning adds to how key members of the BOG were at first skeptical of the plan too, hurdles that Bettman overcame.

I think Bettman deserves a healthy share of the blame for the sordid situation that lasted far too long in Arizona, and he was fortunate that Smith came along, but I do credit him for seizing that opportunity the way he did. And that likely includes avoiding it getting potentially derailed by not preventing Meruelo saying something stupid in the last few days and by not having Meruelo and Smith ever deal with each other directly. Control what you can in a tricky situation.

 

[MNNumbers]

Morgan said on PHNX yesterday that Meruelo lost $60M last year!!! Now, clearly he hasn't seen the figures; he has a source. But, that is a lot of money.

Obviously, the best move for him if all he cares about is money, is to forget the whole thing, take his $1B, and just leave. Stash all the money in an investment fund, and look for a way to divest from everything else, and just retire.

But, 60M?

 

[GindyDraws]

Curiously, are there any comments from the Utah Grizzlies ownership about the deal and their plans moving forward?

 

[red devil]

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Curiously, are there any comments from the Utah Grizzlies ownership about the deal and their plans moving forward?

suspect nothing is changing in WVC.....

 

[Brodie]

This is the first half decent name they have filed a trademark for

 

[aqib]

Um…..I’m not making excuses but I’ve had personal experience getting up to speak in front of people and it’s not that easy.

I think everyone has at one point or another. If you're not comfortable speaking in public then buying a sports team with a terrible public image is probably not the move for you. He should also avoid running for political office or a career in standup comedy too.

 

[TheLegend]

There’s been several occurrences reported of Meurelo not paying his bills with the Coyotes. Has that been the case with Smith and the Jazz?

Were the Jazz in financial distress when Smith bought out the Millers??

Apples and rutabagas question.

 

[TheLegend]

I think everyone has at one point or another. If you're not comfortable speaking in public then buying a sports team with a terrible public image is probably not the move for you. He should also avoid running for political office or a career in standup comedy too.

There was a well known sportswriter who tried stand up as a new career.

Didn’t work out too well.

 

[TheLegend]

Morgan said on PHNX yesterday that Meruelo lost $60M last year!!! Now, clearly he hasn't seen the figures; he has a source. But, that is a lot of money.

Obviously, the best move for him if all he cares about is money, is to forget the whole thing, take his $1B, and just leave. Stash all the money in an investment fund, and look for a way to divest from everything else, and just retire.

But, 60M?

Imagine losing money at that rate and trying to get things done like a $3 billion ED?

After you built one of the best hockey ops departments in the entire league to get the on-ice product going in the right direction.. Something that had never existed before that.

Lots to take in here other than just pining about hotel bills.

We tossed the question out years ago if it was possible to pull the Coyotes out from the hole it was in.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

With all due respect, what's all that special about where the Coyotes are at hockey-wise? They have a few good pieces from losing and a boatload of 2nds.

I'm not saying they're not going anywhere but I'm also not sure I see this team that's on the cusp like how some fans talk about them. They just seem in a normal rebuild that might actually be taking a little bit longer.

 

[Fatass]

Were the Jazz in financial distress when Smith bought out the Millers??

Apples and rutabagas question.

Why? Isn’t Meurelo a guy who can afford to pay his bills? It was referenced earlier he lost 60 million on the Coyotes last year. Seems like he was paying those bills. Why not all?
Imo owners need to pay their bills. Otherwise the club’s reputation suffers. And in a non traditional hockey market reputation is very important. Maybe Meurelo’s bad reputation hurt the club’s chances of winning that key arena vote last year?

 

[LPHabsFan]

Morgan said on PHNX yesterday that Meruelo lost $60M last year!!! Now, clearly he hasn't seen the figures; he has a source. But, that is a lot of money.

Obviously, the best move for him if all he cares about is money, is to forget the whole thing, take his $1B, and just leave. Stash all the money in an investment fund, and look for a way to divest from everything else, and just retire.

But, 60M?

So this is why the whole "1 billion is being thrown at Muruelo to go away" narrative is one that doesn't pass the sniff test. If it is true that the team lost 60 million last year, you can then assume that they lost more than that at Gila given the constant comments by the organization about how they made more at ASU than they did at Gila. Plus covid.

So then the question becomes, how much of that one billion simply covers the debt of the team? If we take those numbers at face value, then we can do some napkin math based on the snippets that have been released over the years and can probably come up with a number that is at least in the 600 - 700 million range.

I also have a hard time believing that the relocation fee is only 200 million considering that the expansion fee a few years ago was 650 million.

I have my own semi conspiracy theory on Muruelo's "ownership" that I've stated enough times already but this gives even more ammo for that particular theory.

 

[Fatass]

So this is why the whole "1 billion is being thrown at Muruelo to go away" narrative is one that doesn't pass the sniff test. If it is true that the team lost 60 million last year, you can then assume that they lost more than that at Gila given the constant comments by the organization about how they made more at ASU than they did at Gila. Plus covid.

So then the question becomes, how much of that one billion simply covers the debt of the team? If we take those numbers at face value, then we can do some napkin math based on the snippets that have been released over the years and can probably come up with a number that is at least in the 600 - 700 million range.

I also have a hard time believing that the relocation fee is only 200 million considering that the expansion fee a few years ago was 650 million.

I have my own semi conspiracy theory on Muruelo's "ownership" that I've stated enough times already but this gives even more ammo for that particular theory.

Wasn’t there a 1 billion purchase price that Smith paid and a 200 mil relocation fee? So the new owner is in for 1.2 billion, no?

 

[TheLegend]

Why? Isn’t Meurelo a guy who can afford to pay his bills? It was referenced earlier he lost 60 million on the Coyotes last year. Seems like he was paying those bills. Why not all?
Imo owners need to pay their bills. Otherwise the club’s reputation suffers. And in a non traditional hockey market reputation is very important. Maybe Meurelo’s bad reputation hurt the club’s chances of winning that key arena vote last year?

You’re losing 60 million a year it gets down to which bill do you pay today and which tomorrow. And do it without triggering some other problem.

Easy thing for posters like ourselves to play sideline CEOs here, but until you put yourself in his position you really can’t judge it fairly.

 

[LadyStanley]

Arizona STH got the above

 

[GKJ]

Elliotte Friedman writes in his written 32 Thoughts that Meruelo must give his reactivation request by December 31, 2027