Speculation: New Arena/Management Update

[The Feckless Puck]

The East Valley has many more fans with much more money...

More money, yes - in certain areas. There isn't any more money in Gilbert, Tempe, Mesa, or Paradise Valley than there is where I live in Peoria, though.

"Many more fans"? Hockey fans, maybe. Coyotes fans? Less provable.

It doesn't matter to me where the arena is, to be honest. My days of supporting the franchise by buying season tickets are over. It was a good decade-and-a-half, but c'est la vie. In point of fact, I don't even disagree that the arena is better located in the theoretical new location.

What pisses me off in this thread is people like you basically saying that we who supported the team with our money and our passion for a decade-plus while the Holy East Siders sat on their hands and pouted are essentially lamentable cuckolds who deserve to lose everything we supported. And that's a pretty lame take for supposed fans of a franchise that can use every single fan it can get. I respect the Phoenix Blackhawks and Red Wings fans more than I respect people who think that it's time to count coup.

 

[cobra427]

I have driven North Scottdale back to West side numerous times at rush hour after golf, it's not that big of a deal. Certainly less congested than the 101 on the East Side.

I live in north Scottsdale at PP and Pima. It takes me 45-50 minutes to get to a game week nights in Glendale. it takes me 25 minutes to get to the 101/202 interchange, it is a lot closer for me being pretty far north.

 

[cobra427]

I don’t get why people on the West Side would be upset about having the arena centrally located in North Tempe.

If the stadium was being prospected for far east Mesa, or Apache Junction, or something, I would totally understand

It can take 80+ minutes in rush hour to get from Mesa/Gilbert out to Glendale, and it’s not like the stadium is gonna be out in Queen Creek.

North Tempe would take 40ish minutes to reach in rush hour from Glendale on the far west side, and 40 minutes to reach in rush hour from Gilbert/Mesa on the far east side.

All the most affluent and notable cities in metro area would be even closer. A Tempe arena location seems to me like a simple, logical compromise, and has the most potential for success overall.

Well said. The 101/202 is central to most of the valley, 15-30 minutes for the season ticket base/affluent, and near destination restaurants and bars of Scottsdale/tempe. Nothing against the west side, just better overall for the economics of the team.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

I’m thinking that you are taking a data driven decision not to your liking very personally. I feel for the West Siders and you as well. It may stink, but in the Age of Millennials convenience rules, above even price and quality. Most of the industry disruptions are convenience based. This is the basis of a move to the East Valley. A more convenient drive for more of the fans.

I think you refuse to concede my point is valid. Nothing personal for me, as it won't cost me a dime and drive time will mirror what I have now. I've just come to the opinion that it's an unnecessary waste of money, as opposed to a magic pill for a fair weather fan base.

 

[RABBIT]

Yikes this thread got aggressive

 

[The Feckless Puck]

North Tempe would take 40ish minutes to reach in rush hour from Glendale on the far west side...

No, it really wouldn't. It'd take 40 minutes to get from Glendale to the 51 interchange on the 101 in rush hour.

If the new arena site was at Salt River Fields, then it'd be in the perfect Valley location. Smack dab in the center of all the money (and all the hockey parents who send their kids to the prestige programs), accessible (if not exactly easy) commute from basically all points of the Valley, and built within an existing fine dining and entertainment plaza. From what I understand, there have been efforts to get the new arena there but they fell through because of the subsidy demands.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

No, it really wouldn't. It'd take 40 minutes to get from Glendale to the 51 interchange on the 101 in rush hour.

If the new arena site was at Salt River Fields, then it'd be in the perfect Valley location. Smack dab in the center of all the money (and all the hockey parents who send their kids to the prestige programs), accessible (if not exactly easy) commute from basically all points of the Valley, and built within an existing fine dining and entertainment plaza. From what I understand, there have been efforts to get the new arena there but they fell through because of the subsidy demands.

Don't you thinks it's too congested there? What I really like about the proposed site is that the surface streets around it should be fairly sleepy, except for game traffic. I can't stand game traffic backed way the hell up on freeway ramps, in fact I go to Card games an hour and a half early, to avoid just that!

 

[Bonsai Tree]

I think you refuse to concede my point is valid. Nothing personal for me, as it won't cost me a dime and drive time will mirror what I have now. I've just come to the opinion that it's an unnecessary waste of money, as opposed to a magic pill for a fair weather fan base.

I disagree with your opinion. Nothing to concede here, certainly not now. Time will tell.

 

[Muppet]

Finally some positive speculation around the Coyotes and people start throwing feces at eachother over East v West

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Don't you thinks it's too congested there? What I really like about the proposed site is that the surface streets around it should be fairly sleepy, except for game traffic. I can't stand game traffic backed way the hell up on freeway ramps, in fact I go to Card games an hour and a half early, to avoid just that!

Honestly, in terms of congestion it's six of one, half-dozen of the other between SRF and the Casino Arizona area. In my personal experience - commuting from North Scottsdale, traveling from the West Valley, and driving from downtown - the snarl at the 101/202 nexus is worse than the traffic up at SRF, but that's just me and not a general representation. One would hope that if this new arena is really being built down there that they've packaged some ingress/egress solutions into the subsidy like what happened with the 101 around Westgate over time.

 

[The Feckless Puck]

Finally some positive speculation around the Coyotes and people start throwing feces at eachother over East v West

Hatfields and McCoys, the Blue and the Grey, and East Phoenix versus West... time will tell which is the bloodiest rivalry...

 

[Jakey53]

Traffic sucks. Having said that, I’m not driving 100 miles round-trip to see a train wreck of a team, even in light traffic. The newly rumored site is only 20 miles away and the team is starting to look pretty okay. That changes things for me, traffic notwithstanding.

Would you travel 100 miles for a winning team? Would you travel 20 miles for a losing team?

 

[Coyotedroppings]

I disagree with your opinion. Nothing to concede here, certainly not now. Time will tell.

What is it that time will tell?

 

[TheLegend]

Well said. The 101/202 is central to most of the valley, 15-30 minutes for the season ticket base/affluent, and near destination restaurants and bars of Scottsdale/tempe. Nothing against the west side, just better overall for the economics of the team.

A bit suggestive there..... Look at a map lately??? It isn’t. Not... even... close.

I’m getting the impression that most people who live in the east valley still think everything west of the western stretch of the L101 is mostly agriculture fields.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

A bit suggestive there..... Look at a map lately??? It isn’t. Not... even... close.

I’m getting the impression that most people who live in the east valley still think everything west of the western stretch of the L101 is mostly agriculture fields.

There’s an air Force base out there too, right?

 

[rt]

Would you travel 100 miles for a winning team? Would you travel 20 miles for a losing team?

Yes. Not as often as I’d travel 20 for a decent team though.

They could be walking distance and perennial cup contenders and you could give me the tickets for free and I still wouldn’t make it to 41 games a year, though. If I was single or retired, sure! But I’ve got stuff I gotta do. Two young kids, and trying to scratch and claw my way up the professional ladder. Whether it’s not enough time or not enough energy, I don’t have what it takes to be a full season ticket holder. Not right now.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

What is it that time will tell?

Why, time, of course. Also if the move to the fan base is a success.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

Why, time, of course. Also if the move to the fan base is a success.

We don't need time to tell us that this would cost hundreds of millions of dollars. If it does come to fruition, it leaves any potential future success for GRA out of the equation, so there is no means of comparison.
Conceding validity would not make me correct, it merely means that my point is valid. Should this happen, i of course wish it all the success in the world, but I don't think it's necessary.

 

[Bonsai Tree]

We don't need time to tell us that this would cost hundreds of millions of dollars. If it does come to fruition, it leaves any potential future success for GRA out of the equation, so there is no means of comparison.
Conceding validity would not make me correct, it merely means that my point is valid. Should this happen, i of course wish it all the success in the world, but I don't think it's necessary.

K I’m done. How about we let it go.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

Yes. Not as often as I’d travel 20 for a decent team though.

They could be walking distance and perennial cup contenders and you could give me the tickets for free and I still wouldn’t make it to 41 games a year, though. If I was single or retired, sure! But I’ve got stuff I gotta do. Two young kids, and trying to scratch and claw my way up the professional ladder. Whether it’s not enough time or not enough energy, I don’t have what it takes to be a full season ticket holder. Not right now.

Priorities a little outta whack there - but seriously - I hope that they can maintain your interest and be here, so that when you can, you will.

 

[Coyotedroppings]

K I’m done. How about we let it go.

Just don't ever call me a west Sider again!

 

[azcanuck]

More money, yes - in certain areas. There isn't any more money in Gilbert, Tempe, Mesa, or Paradise Valley than there is where I live in Peoria, though.

"Many more fans"? Hockey fans, maybe. Coyotes fans? Less provable.

It doesn't matter to me where the arena is, to be honest. My days of supporting the franchise by buying season tickets are over. It was a good decade-and-a-half, but c'est la vie. In point of fact, I don't even disagree that the arena is better located in the theoretical new location.

What pisses me off in this thread is people like you basically saying that we who supported the team with our money and our passion for a decade-plus while the Holy East Siders sat on their hands and pouted are essentially lamentable cuckolds who deserve to lose everything we supported. And that's a pretty lame take for supposed fans of a franchise that can use every single fan it can get. I respect the Phoenix Blackhawks and Red Wings fans more than I respect people who think that it's time to count coup.

I understand where you are coming from and I do apologize it did sound insensitive. Kudos for you for supporting our team while guys like me refused to battle traffic to come support our team.
But I still want it closer to me and my East Valley cuckolds

 

[Tom Polakis]

Half the home games at GRA are on the weekend. So what’s the next excuse??

..... and some wonder why most of Phoenix Metro refer to Scottsdale as “Snobsdale” ??

If I learned anything from this thread, it's that the "half the home games..." comment above is not the exaggeration I initially thought it was. I looked at the schedule, and counted 18 of the 41 home games are on Saturdays or Sundays.

Oh, and nobody in this thread wants this team to stay in the Valley more than I do. If they put the arena in Wickenburg, I'll support the team. If it moves out of state, I hope they go 0-82.

 

[Mosby]

If Barroway is in fact out soon, a little story -- I was down in AZ last February and went to the game vs. Montreal (we won ) with some friends. While walking into the arena, I overheard/saw this conversation between the ticket guy and a father/son (toddler) in front of me.

Ticket guy points to the kid, who isn't wearing a Coyotes jersey, and asks if it's his first game. The father says yes. The ticket guy then hands him a voucher/card and says, "Take this to the team store. His jersey is on Mr. Barroway tonight."

Pretty cool. I was pretty floored by that. Not a chance in hell you'd see that here in Toronto.

Barroway seems a little goofy but there's not a doubt in my mind that he cares. It's just too bad his net worth doesn't have one more zero at the end of it.

 

[Matias Maccete]

God the east vs west stuff kills me. It's such a negligible distance, yet it's often seen as a huge distinction to live a few miles away from another city. So weird.