[Rumour] Houston Rockets owner has had preliminary talks about buying the Coyotes

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Bouw N Arrow

This is very possible

It's almost assuredly just formality at this point, especially when you look at the facts and timelines.

-NHL goes through embarrassing decade pulling out all the stops to save Coyotes in Arizona despite no fan support or competent ownership

-A stable NBA owner with a net worth of 4.7billion wants to bring a team to the 4th largest city in America, who also happens to have excellent AHL attendance

-NHL proceeds to start screaming like schoolgirls while doing backflips and fistpumps behind closed doors, immediately putting plans in place to facilitate said hopeful owner

- NHL wants Vegas and Seattle expansion deals complete and in motion before going public

- NHL strategically realigns divisions with addition of Seattle to include proper Houston placement so they don't have to realign three times for three new teams

- Seattle is officially announced, NHL starts leaking info to start easing the public into the move.




This is all but done, it will just be a matter of when Houston is ready to start.

[indes]

Originally Posted by Incogneto

Whats happening on Monday?

[White Out 403]

There's no way bettman and company aren't clinking together wine glasses behind closed doors right now

i feel really bad for the people of glendale no never wanted hockey to begin with, now have this monstrosity of an arena that has sunk the city with millions in debt. nevermind the city covering the teams losses. remember those farcical city council meetings? what an embarrassment.

[flamesforcup]

Originally Posted by White Out 403

There's no way bettman and company aren't clinking together wine glasses behind closed doors right now

i feel really bad for the people of glendale no never wanted hockey to begin with, now have this monstrosity of an arena that has sunk the city with millions in debt. nevermind the city covering the teams losses. remember those farcical city council meetings? what an embarrassment.

I forgot about that. This is why local governments need to stand up to sports teams and let em pay for themselves.

[dash_pinched]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

I wonder if they could set up a paper transaction to give the Jets the Jets history?

I remember Dale Hawerchuk night in Glendale, it was a nice celebration for a guy who never played a single game in a Coyotes uniform.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

I don't want the Coyotes to move. They're the least hatable team in the division (even though they're moving divisions).

The Phoenix area has a large population. I know it's been a long time, but still.

The Houston metro area is 2 million larger than Phoenix. Dallas and Houston are 4th and 5th biggest markets (after NY, LA and Chicago).

[Jordan!]

Originally Posted by White Out 403

I don't get this take, and maybe it's just you not understanding other peoples opinions. No one is celebrating and hoping for the team to fail. The team has failed and is a mockery to the league. The people in Arizona dont give a flying F about hockey and the Coyotes, and it devalues the league and sport to keep the team there for this long. This has nothing to do with the dozens of loyal and hardcore Yotes fans that exist. For them I am of course sympathetic. But the history of the team and how they are bilking Glendale for money and the league for assistance is well documented.

[Jordan!]

Originally Posted by jayswin

It's almost assuredly just formality at this point, especially when you look at the facts and timelines.

-NHL goes through embarrassing decade pulling out all the stops to save Coyotes in Arizona despite no fan support or competent ownership

-A stable NBA owner with a net worth of 4.7billion wants to bring a team to the 4th largest city in America, who also happens to have excellent AHL attendance

-NHL proceeds to start screaming like schoolgirls while doing backflips and fistpumps behind closed doors, immediately putting plans in place to facilitate said hopeful owner

- NHL wants Vegas and Seattle expansion deals complete and in motion before going public

- NHL strategically realigns divisions with addition of Seattle to include proper Houston placement so they don't have to realign three times for three new teams

- Seattle is officially announced, NHL starts leaking info to start easing the public into the move.




This is all but done, it will just be a matter of when Houston is ready to start.

The city the Coyotes move to will have the Letter "T" in it

[White Out 403]

Originally Posted by Bouw N Arrow

I just got served, meme style.

[Geeoff]

Originally Posted by dash_pinched

I remember Dale Hawerchuk night in Glendale, it was a nice celebration for a guy who never played a single game in a Coyotes uniform.

Imagine how doubly cringy that will be in Houston.

[Manhattanboy]

Thought someone (Friedman?) on HNIC recently said that Houston city council was not all that interested in the NHL and mentioned Austin as a possibility, which seems bizarre.

[Strange Brew]

Not sure what Houston city council has to do with it. The arena exists and is controlled by Fertitta.

Now what I have heard is that Fertitta thought the asking price for a franchise was absurdly high and in his words, the economics would have to "make sense". That is from last summer but I doubt everything is done.

No doubt he wants an NHL team to put in his arena but he may not see the same value in the price that owners in Seattle and LV are seeing. Agreeing on a price is probably the only sticking point, but who knows, it may be a big one. How could he end up paying less than new owners in Seattle?

[midniteowl]

Originally Posted by Benched

could make sense why they are moving Arizona to Central division despite being so close to Las Vegas who remains in Pacific --they foresaw something like this as a potential? Houston in the Central makes more sense.

Then they can build up a rivalry with Dallas.

[trumpethead]

This is a no-brainer for the NHL. Houston is a bigger market with a better arena. The Toyota Center looks like a great arena. And their scoreboard is massive - I believe its the biggest screen in an indoor arena in NA.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Incogneto

Whats happening on Monday?

Throwback to the sale negotiations.. I LOL’d

[Reggie Dunlop]

The NHL will be in Houston at some point. Do you think they'd keep the name Coyotes or go for a clean break from the past?

A Cowboy/Western motif would be a departure from the space themes used by other sports teams in the city.

[Harry Lime]

I hope that this thread turns into another 'name the team' marathon.

The Houston Earthworms.
The Seattle Marmalades.

[Strange Brew]

No way would Houston want the Coyotes name. It really has next to no cache.

And I also think they have very little interest in the Jets history. Houston does have a little hockey history. How many rinks have Gordie Howe's sweater hanging from the rafters?

I think they would give strong consideration to the Aeros name. They were a Wild farm team during their last iteration, but not sure who would own the rights to that name.

[Dion]

Houston Planeteers

[White Out 403]

Houston Apollos? Houston Comets? oh i like that.