General Ongoing Coyotes saga thread

[trublmaker]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

I don't think there are enough potential owners with the cash to buy a NHL team so Gary has to entertain buyers using other people's money.

Nobody with that kind of cash onhand would ever consider investing in a hockey team in the desert with a record of losing millions per year so it has to be incentive laden from the city and the NHL. We could probably put together a more credible group from CP and put together a deal using the city and NHL money and lets all buy a hockey team. I'll put it a few grand, let's do this CP.

[Hockey Fan #751]

Originally Posted by GGG

I assume the NHL knows it can move to quebec in the same amount of time it took to move to winnipeg. If you announce they are moving now attendance drops to zero for the rest of the coyotes season and the owners are on the hook for the losses.

If you pretend to have another phantom investor until phoenix is out of the playoffs you can maximize this years revenues. I would suspect this buyer disappears at the end of april and the team is moved.

The real indication will be if renovations start on Le Colisee.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

I completely agree that there are other possible investors: Peladeau in Quebec, people in Seattle, people in Markham...

Who are these "people" in Seattle and Markham? Not a single name? The idea that there are multiple buyers out there just chomping at the bit is a fantasy.

[Calgary4LIfe]

I still believe that the Coyotes CAN work in Phoenix. It will require an ownership group with some deep pockets that are willing to lose 'x' amount of millions for 'x' amount of years. They have to get a management group to really build that franchise up. Coyotes might be a winning club, but they are fairly boring to watch. Tippet is an effective coach, but the end product is boring hockey.

Atlanta was a pretty successful franchise as well, but then spent too many years being mismanaged. Perhaps the Coyotes lost their window, perhaps the decision to move to Glendale destroyed any chance of building their fanbase.

The NHL wants to stay in the Phoenix area for 3 reasons:

1) They look bad as a league pulling out of a market - especially when a market has invested a significant amount of money. Future markets may not be so keen (possibly).

2) The metro area is really big. On top of this, it helps to attract bigger contracts for broadcasting rights, even if the region has low ratings. The POTENTIAL is there, at any rate.

3) As someone mentioned above, it is a great location in the west for travel and proximity.

However, the CoG seems to have had enough. I do think that if Jamison does not have the funds, we have probably seen the last of the Coyotes. When the City has to cut back on essentials like Fire and Police services due to the hefty leasing agreement, things just look very bad.

I think in many cases, expansion or relocation franchises became too mismanaged and they never got a chance to attract a strong enough fan base (Atlanta), or perhaps were not competitive for long enough (Florida). With the cheap tickets in Tampa, it makes me wonder how strong their fanbase is there. How is Carolina now? I haven't kept up with how either team is doing. Both semi-recent cup winners with stars on the team. How do their attendance compare to that of Phoenix?

[trublmaker]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

I still believe that the Coyotes CAN work in Phoenix. It will require an ownership group with some deep pockets that are willing to lose 'x' amount of millions for 'x' amount of years. They have to get a management group to really build that franchise up. Coyotes might be a winning club, but they are fairly boring to watch. Tippet is an effective coach, but the end product is boring hockey.

Atlanta was a pretty successful franchise as well, but then spent too many years being mismanaged. Perhaps the Coyotes lost their window, perhaps the decision to move to Glendale destroyed any chance of building their fanbase.
?

Who in their right mind is willing to lose x amount of millions for x amount of years with no end in sight of the losing part???? Hockey in the COG has proven to be a huge failure even when the team is somewhat successful. Time to get over it and move on.

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by valo403

Who are these "people" in Seattle and Markham? Not a single name? The idea that there are multiple buyers out there just chomping at the bit is a fantasy.

Hansen is the guy in Seattle who is trying to bring the Sacramento Kings to the arena he wants to build and who also wants an NHL team. It's been in the news for like, a year or more now. I just didn't have his name on hand.

Markham is an interesting case because they're wanting to use public funds to build an arena for nothing concrete, but it seems pretty evident that there would be multiple investors for a second NHL team in the GTA, especially if they aren't saddled with arena costs.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by trublmaker

Who in their right mind is willing to lose x amount of millions for x amount of years with no end in sight of the losing part???? Hockey in the COG has proven to be a huge failure even when the team is somewhat successful. Time to get over it and move on.

An investor(s) with deep enough pockets to look at it as a long-term investment. IF they would be able to build up a fanbase and have more success, that franchise in time could be quite the investment. You will never be able to buy a franchise for cheaper (I am guessing), and if you manage to hang on long enough, you MAY really end up way ahead. A big gamble, for sure, and there has to be a lot of things that have to go right.

I do think it is 'too little, too late' now. It is a shame - great place to travel and catch a game.

[Plett25]

Originally Posted by trublmaker

Who in their right mind is willing to lose x amount of millions for x amount of years with no end in sight of the losing part???? Hockey in the COG has proven to be a huge failure even when the team is somewhat successful. Time to get over it and move on.

Maybe these guys?

[Jets4Life]

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/88...ording-sources

[Tsawwassen]

It always seems that they're so close to an agreement. We'll see come Monday.

[The Original FFIV]

Originally Posted by valo403

Who are these "people" in Seattle and Markham? Not a single name? The idea that there are multiple buyers out there just chomping at the bit is a fantasy.

Google Don Levin Chicago Wolves and there's your answer for Seattle.

[valo403]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

Hansen is the guy in Seattle who is trying to bring the Sacramento Kings to the arena he wants to build and who also wants an NHL team. It's been in the news for like, a year or more now. I just didn't have his name on hand.

Markham is an interesting case because they're wanting to use public funds to build an arena for nothing concrete, but it seems pretty evident that there would be multiple investors for a second NHL team in the GTA, especially if they aren't saddled with arena costs.

When has Hansen expressed any serious interest in owning an NHL team? He's basketball focused, the NHL is barely even on his radar. The same can be said for that entire arena project.

[The Fonz]

I feel bad for Bouw. This circus would be torture on Coyotes fans

[troutman]

If there is in fact another Plan B investor group lined-up, this suggests the NHL has known for a long time that Jamison was not close. Plan B could also be a decoy to string along Coyote fans for the rest of the season.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by troutman

If there is in fact another Plan B investor group lined-up, this suggests the NHL has known for a long time that Jamison was not close.

Fan960 are saying, the lease agreement and the previous deal if the deadline is missed by Jamison is gone..... (i.e. new Council & Mayor does not support the Jamison deal)

If another Investor is lined up, I would think it could be a lengthy process.....

[troutman]

Bet On Coyotes Moving To Seattle As Sale To Jamison Falls Apart

http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozan...n-falls-apart/

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman wants the league to be coast-to-coast. And with Jets moving from Atlanta to Winnipeg last season the NHL doesn’t want its sponsors and U.S. television partner, NBC Sports, thinking the league is contracting geographically.

[The Fonz]

I'd wager a lot of money that, like others have mentioned, the NHL is just trying to play out these next 40 games with as little disruption as possible to the current attendance, then move the team in summer.

[AltaGuy]

I wonder if KC is still an option? Nice little arena to move into immediately, that just happens to be owned by AEG.

[landshark]

Originally Posted by The Fonz

I feel bad for Bouw. This circus would be torture on Coyotes fans

Bouw can handle it. He's a grownup and has seen the writing on the wall. But that last little bit of news flashes insisting that the deal would be done must have been hurtful.

I know it's easy for you all to make fun of the situation, but it's the little kids - the 8,9,10 year old kids that have had the coyotes as their team all of their lives - they're the ones that will be crying real tears. Condemn the city if you want, but there are fans there - true fans - just not enough of them, but those true fans are hurting.

I'm not gonna be laughing at them...

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by troutman

If there is in fact another Plan B investor group lined-up, this suggests the NHL has known for a long time that Jamison was not close. Plan B could also be a decoy to string along Coyote fans for the rest of the season.

Personally I think it has always just been a plan to string the fans, and more importantly the council along.
The choice is really do you think this is just another classic Bettman/NHL incomptant due dilligence of any moron that walks into the head office with a cowboy hat and a couple of hookers asking for a team, possible I grant you, or a desperate attempt to keep the team subsidized by the poor dumb schmoes in Glendale until another US home can be found.