[troutman]

Glendale’s city council hands Coyotes’ owners a way out and potential profits

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...ticle24950942/

If, as the city promised, it follows through on ending the lease, the Coyotes will be free to move and negotiate with a lineup of suitor cities and potential owners, thereby driving the value of a franchise LeBlanc and a largely Canadian group of investors bought from the NHL for $175-million to well north of $400-million.

However, what really matters here is that Glendale council gave the Coyotes an out – undoubtedly because the city of 260,000 simply cannot afford to keep paying the $15-million – at a time when there are now other cities available. Even more important, according to an NHL governor who requested not to be identified because he is not allowed to discuss league business publicly, Glendale council burned a most important bridge.

No one, the governor said, worked harder than Bettman to keep the Coyotes in Glendale for the past decade. This may have had more to do with NHL broadcast and marketing contracts keeping a major television market such as Phoenix in the fold than love for Glendale, but Bettman fought hard. Now, given his remarks following the council decision, the commissioner is most unhappy with the city. Maybe unhappy enough to let Barroway and LeBlanc hit the jackpot by selling or moving the team.

But even if Bettman isn’t keen on a move, he may have no choice. If the Coyotes owners are brave enough to tangle with Bettman, they certainly have a strong argument that the league cannot legally bar a move because they were kicked out of their home through no fault of their own.