The Ongoing Coyotes Sale Thread

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

Covering up to $25M of their losses, which supposedly isn't enough.

Yep, if the 40 Million loss is true, Coyotes Portion of the TV deal still won't cover the losses (of course that revenue starts next year)

[sevenarms]

Originally Posted by troutman

I still get the feeling the Coyotes are staying in Phoenix, and ATL will move to WIN. They are trying way too hard to keep this team in Phoenix.

I'd be fine with this. Move Detroit to the Eastern Conference where they belong geographically and to make the Eastern less pitifully weak.

[burn_baby_burn]

Originally Posted by sevenarms

I'd be fine with this. Move Detroit to the Eastern Conference where they belong geographically and to make the Eastern less pitifully weak.

I wonder if the Eastern teams would oppose such a move based on the Wings dominance for so long in the tougher Western Conference? The Eastern teams would probably beg for Columbous to be moved to the Eastern Conference.

[troutman]

Glendale-Goldwater meeting not open to press, but will be transcribed
http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blo...insider/125913

Glendale Councilwoman Norma Alvarez weighed in on the issue Wednesday, saying she wanted the Glendale Republic at the meeting or that she and Councilman Phil Lieberman both be allowed to attend.

Both Alvarez and Lieberman have opposed the city's deal with the potential hockey team buyer.
"We shouldn't have anything to hide," said Alvarez, who added that seeing people's expressions were important and a transcript won't show that.

Goldwater has insisted for weeks that any meeting with the city must be held in front of reporters to ensure transparency. But this week, as institute staffers negotiated the meeting arrangements with Glendale, it offered the city the option of transcribing the meeting.

National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman told Toronto radio station Sportsnet on Wednesday that the league does not have an "infinite amount of time" before it must decide where the team will play next season. But he said the league continues to try to work it out in Glendale. Listen to Bettman interview here.

[troutman]

Would-be Coyotes owner Matthew Hulsizer attends Game 4 but situation murky
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/spo...120329669.html

Hulsizer declined a request for an interview but talked with fans outside Jobing.com Arena before Phoenix's 6-3 loss Wednesday night. The Chicago businessman's appearance, wearing a Coyotes jersey as he cheered on the team, in front of the sold-out crowd of 17,314 solidified earlier reports that he remains seriously interested in buying the team and keeping it in Arizona.

The post-game scene, with the emotional players acknowledging the cheering crowd, reminded Doan of the scene in Winnipeg in 1996, the last game before the Jets moved to Arizona.

"Nobody likes to leave their home — ever," he said. "Fifteen years ago it was an emotional time to leave. But it's not like it has any bearing on what any of us think. When you're told to leave your home it's always difficult but at the same time I have a ton of faith that it will get done here."

The Coyotes' Adrian Aucoin said the fans have gotten a bad rap.

"I've played in a lot of cities and I know we haven't filled the building at nights but the fans that have come have been amazing," he said. "... These last two games, I'll tell you, have been two of the most amazing playoff atmosphere games I've played in. I want to thank all the fans for that because my heart was pounding when we came out for both games. It was very impressive."

"Do we have an infinite amount of time? The answer is obviously not," Bettman said. "But we haven't been holding an announcement waiting to see when the Coyotes are done playing, I can assure you of that."

interview, Bettman wouldn't comment on reports that he has had talks with Mark Chipman, who is heading the drive to bring the team back to Winnipeg.
However, Bettman said that if had to make a deal to move the team "my guess is I probably could arrange it."

[troutman]

Bettman a slick stickhandler
Won't admit it, but hints NHL is talking with True North Goldwater, Glendale to meet

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/spo...120343199.html

Gary BETTMAN, in a non-denial denial, all but confirmed Wednesday he is in discussions with True North Sports and Entertainment regarding the possible relocation of the Phoenix Coyotes to Winnipeg.

"Whether or not we have a deadline or the Coyotes are staying or going, that's pure speculation by anyone right now, including me," he said. "I've never gotten into discussions about what we're doing.

"When I have something definitive to announce, I'll announce it. And part of this is, I don't want anybody's expectations getting raised. It's not really fair and I don't want people's expectations to be deflated in one place and raised in another when it may be completely wrong in both places."

The commissioner was asked why the league was working so hard to keep the Coyotes in Phoenix when on the surface it appears no owner is willing to pay for the team with his own money.

"We do everything possible to protect our fans against moving franchises and disconnecting them from the franchises they root for," said Bettman, at which point he was pressed by TSN's James Cybulski, who wanted to know where that conviction was 15 years when the Jets left Winnipeg.

"I'm glad you asked that. We did everything possible in Winnipeg, and there was no prospect of a new building and nobody wanted to own the team there anymore, and that's the only reason the club moved. We didn't decide we wanted to leave Winnipeg, Winnipeg at the time chased us away because nobody wanted to own the team there," said Bettman. "And in fact I believe either the province or the city was partially funding the club and they didn't want to do that anymore."

Cybulski wanted to know why, if the league couldn't find a taker for its $170 million asking price in Phoenix, it wouldn't just take the money and run to Winnipeg.

"We had the deal done, as I said, and then part of the financing of the deal didn't come through because the Goldwater Institute threatened the bonds," said Bettman. "It's a peculiar question that you're asking because when there were people trying to buy Edmonton and move it, and it was clear that they were losing lots of money 10-12 years ago, and the building was empty. We didn't let that happen. We managed to spend the time necessary to put together the group and save that franchise. It's not about who has money to buy a club and take it where they want. It's about the covenant we have with our fans everywhere that, unless we have no choice, we don't run out on you."

[troutman]

Phoenix failure felt as far away as Victoria
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...rticle1993030/

Here’s how: it’s become increasingly clear the Coyotes are not long for Arizona and will likely return to the place of their birth, Winnipeg. That would displace the AHL Manitoba Moose, who would then be looking to maintain a close link to their NHL team, the Vancouver Canucks. Best possible site? Victoria, with its 7,000-seat Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, presently the home of the soon-to-be-ousted East Coast Hockey League Salmon Kings.

The WHL, too, had been eyeballing Victoria and, in a move to beat the AHL, decided it had to put a team there. This is where the Chilliwack ownership group, a five-some that includes NHL general managers Glen Sather and Brian Burke, got involved.

Bettman: NHL remains
committed to Phoenix
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sport...rticle1992931/

Bettman then declined to confirm reports he is has been in discussions with True North Sports and Entertainment chairman Mark Chipman about a possible "Plan B" option that would see the Coyotes relocated back to Winnipeg.

"I'm not going to either confirm or deny that," Bettman said. "I think it would be fair to say that I don't have the deal for the club to go anywhere else right now. If I had to get to a deal at some point, my guess is I could probably arrange it.

[troutman]

BETTMAN BELIEVES COYOTES STILL MAY STAY IN PHOENIX
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=363052

Bettman said that the recent television contract the NHL signed with NBC Sports Group will not be affected if Phoenix - one of the largest US television markets - was erased from the equation.

"If that's the case, then why aren't you in Winnipeg already?" Cybulski asked.
"We do everything possible to protect our fans against moving franchises and disconnecting them with the franchises they root for," Bettman said.

"It's interesting talking about Winnipeg and people being impatient, because people in Winnipeg know it's not fun to lose your franchise. And that's part of the reason we do the things we do, for our fans everywhere, to not move franchises unless you absolutely have no choice," he added.

"It's been well chronicled; there are people interested in owning a franchise in Winnipeg. Obviously, if you're interested in owning a franchise in a particular market you think it will work. They have a building that they didn't when the Jets left. I don't want to raise expectations, because it's not fair to the fans. But if we have to move a franchise, there are places that have expressed interest that we would strongly consider and obviously, Winnipeg is on that list and probably very high on that list."

[troutman]

Scott Taylor on Fan960 now . . .

They will be called Manitoba "X" . . .

If something was truly happening the announcement would have been today.

Media has no clue what is really going on.

Last thing Bettman wants to do is move team back to where they came from.

If team goes to WIN, Bettman would still want to locate a team in Phoenix.

If cap goes to $62 Million, WIN can get there on tickets averaging $100. Need another $30 Million for team budget.

Moose will go to Abbotsford.

WIN is devestated today - thought there would be an announcement today.

[Underdog]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

I wonder if the Eastern teams would oppose such a move based on the Wings dominance for so long in the tougher Western Conference? The Eastern teams would probably beg for Columbous to be moved to the Eastern Conference.

I think it makes much more sense to just move Nashville to the SE to take Atlanta's spot. Geo-politically speaking, Nashville is much closer with DC, Carolina and Florida than it is with Michigan, Missouri, Illinois and Ohio. I'm sure they'd not only accept a move but probably propose it. You then move Minnesota to the Central, Winnipeg to the NE and Bob's your uncle.

[Regular_John]

Originally Posted by burn_baby_burn

I wonder if the Eastern teams would oppose such a move based on the Wings dominance for so long in the tougher Western Conference? The Eastern teams would probably beg for Columbous to be moved to the Eastern Conference.

I was kinda wondering the same, if the Wings move to the east can we count on years of them rolling over the eastern teams and making the finales on an even more regular basis?

[MacGruber]

I think Scott Taylor is an idiot and a windbag. And a plagiarist.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

Covering up to $25M of their losses, which supposedly isn't enough.

It's enough. They also get $17 million from the league as per the revenue sharing agreement.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by jaydorn

I was kinda wondering the same, if the Wings move to the east can we count on years of them rolling over the eastern teams and making the finales on an even more regular basis?

At least initially, Detroit's playoff spot in the west would be up for grabs, since the current Atlanta team wouldn't be close to a playoff spot in the West.

Atlanta was 6-10-2 vs the west, and 28-26-10 vs the East. Moving west wouldn't be good for their record, which was already pretty poor.

[PegCityFlamesFan]

WIN is devestated today - thought there would be an announcement today.

Uh, no they didn't. Seriously I love all the articles you post, but please don't post Scott Taylor's useless crap. No one in Winnipeg or the rest of Canada cares to listen or read that blowhards 2 cents.

[FlamesAddiction]

Never believe anything until it actually happens. I wouldn't be surprised if Bettman himself leaked rumours of the Coyotes demise just to light fires under GWI and Glendale. The Pens were all but gone from Pittsburgh before the city finally agreed to the arena. It took bringing the Pens to the brink before anything happened. It's too bad fans in Winnipeg are being used like this.

It's like a movie where one person is holding a gun to another saying; "You don't think I'll shoot you? I'll shoot you!". And the other person keeps daring them to shoot.

It just got to the point now where the hammer is pulled back, but still, anything can happen. The purpose right now is just to make the audience believe that it might happen.

[Mass_nerder]

Originally Posted by troutman

Scott Taylor on Fan960 now . . .

They will be called Manitoba "X" . . .

If something was truly happening the announcement would have been today.

Media has no clue what is really going on.

Last thing Bettman wants to do is move team back to where they came from.

If team goes to WIN, Bettman would still want to locate a team in Phoenix.

If cap goes to $62 Million, WIN can get there on tickets averaging $100. Need another $30 Million for team budget.

Moose will go to Abbotsford.

WIN is devestated today - thought there would be an announcement today.

No one outside Manitoba understands the idea of a "social"

Government used to restrict drink prices at socials, so you couldn't make too much money, but now they make them a minimum price, so you can't get too drunk.

Used to buy a case of beer, and hide it in the snow outside the Pyramid Club so people could sneak out and drain 2-3 beers, then head back in.

Blue Oyster Cult played the Pyramid Club at least 3-4 times.

[troutman]

Originally Posted by PegCityFlamesFan

Uh, no they didn't. Seriously I love all the articles you post, but please don't post Scott Taylor's useless crap. No one in Winnipeg or the rest of Canada cares to listen or read that blowhards 2 cents.

I will do what I want. Taylor has sources inside True North. Do you?

His reporting on this topic has been far more reliable than anyone out of Toronto.

[PegCityFlamesFan]

By all means continue to post your articles, I enjoy reading them. I was just saying Scott Taylor is a blowhard.

I will take the words of actual media members of Winnipeg as opposed to a Column written by a known plagarist.

[troutman]

Bettman said something interesting about the gift clause in Arizona yesterday. A city government can't gift money to a private enterprise, where there is no commensurate consideration coming back.

COG would argue that the consideration coming back is tax revenues, parking, jobs etc. GI would argue that there is no reason Glendale would not generate revenues from new sources if the Coyotes left.