bosrs1

Surely the new Seattle arena will be hockey compatible, right? They're not going to make the same Key Arena/Barclays Center type facility designed to squeeze hockey out?

I can't speak for Key, but that's not what happened with the Barclays Center. Rattner desperately wanted a hockey tenant, but the city approval process was brutal, and he had to keep chipping away at the design until he ended up with a footprint not suited for a rink. Not part of the "design" at all.

Ironically Ratner got his hockey team anyway despite the arena being anything but hockey friendly. But Seattle is apparently not only making their arena hockey friendly, Hansen has even pointed out it's somewhat better for hockey (than it is for basketball though he isn't publicly stating the last part).

Fifth-row club seats is plumbing a new depth of crapulence.

Yep but it's also the future. They don't want normal people on the glass, they want rich people who will pay through the nose for the privilege.

From Hansen's website, SonicsArena.com. Aside from the "pocket suites", it looks very similar in seating bowl design to Jobing.com Arena for hockey:

I can think of one big difference right now. People will actually go to games in an arena in downtown Seattle. Either way I think we're looking at the home after their next home of the Phoenix, soon to be Seattle, Coyotes barring a shocker move by the NBA in denying the Kings relocation.

Oh and just for reference this would be the Coyotes first next home if they moved after this season to Seattle.

RIght, but they speak American, so this is clearly better deal than the one where a Quebec City team would be an anchor tenant and have none of these problems.

Also Gary Bettman's head just might explode during the press conference if he had to confirm a second sunbelt team moving to Canada in under five years.

I really want Quebec City to get the Coyotes because it's an undeserved market full of knowledgeable, passionate hockey fans. That being said my main motivation for wanting to see them move to Quebec City at this point is just so I can see what that press conference would be like. He threatened to move the Jets at theirs, and he didn't even care about the Thrashers! I can only imagine what a "Coyotes to Quebec" press conference would be like at this point.

Yeah that's why I think you'll see Seattle before you see Quebec if Seattle is an option. Bettman doesn't want to give up another American market if they can avoid it.

Surely the new Seattle arena will be hockey compatible, right? They're not going to make the same Key Arena/Barclays Center type facility designed to squeeze hockey out?

No, they're making it hockey friendly. So they won't have another Key on their hands. You can kind of make out where the rink would sit by that image. One interesting aspect though is it appears sideline seats on the glass for hockey will all belong to those lower level mini suites. Definitely a new and somewhat disturbing direction for hockey to go in (not that it's not disturbing for basketball too).

I understand how Seattle may be a more appealing market than Quebec, but doesn't Quebec have the upper hand by having actual owners willing to buy the team? Unless I'm wrong, all Seattle has is an arena plan. Am I overlooking some Seattle ownership group?

If I'm doing my NHL math correctly, the city without an owner waiting needs someone to buy a team on the cheap (Coyotes); the city with an owner, an arena coming and fans waiting will pony up a big expansion fee.

I think that combined with the former Renton guy having interest in a team and Seattle's new arena being in the works (assuming the Kings vote goes their way in a little over a month), then they'd become the front runner for the Coyotes and Quebec would move into the catbird seat for the 31st team. Speaking of which I was hearing a rumor on a Seattle blog that hockey renderings of the new Seattle SoDo arena are being released some time today. They released the basketball ones yesterday.

Isn't the Seattle arena dependent on them getting an NBA team first?

While the Kings situation plays out, they're not going to move an NHL team there.

True but the Seattle/Kings situation will be finished in 37 days.

I understand how Seattle may be a more appealing market than Quebec, but doesn't Quebec have the upper hand by having actual owners willing to buy the team? Unless I'm wrong, all Seattle has is an arena plan. Am I overlooking some Seattle ownership group?

You may be. The guy who expressed interest in building an arena in the Renton area a few years back to host a team (which he planned to own) has reportedly had talks with Hansen (the guy spearheading the NBA and NBA arena efforts in Seattle) or at the very least expressed interest in owning a team in the new NBA arena. Hansen has said he'd be open to the idea as well. I think where Seattle may not have quite as solid of an ownership group they have a clear advantage as far as the NHL is concerned when it comes to being a large US market that is English speaking vis-a-vis the NBC tv deal. And on top of that, the league could extract more money from Quebec via an expansion than they could from Seattle. But we'll see. I'd be shocked if one of the two cities isn't host to the Coyotes next season based on what we're seeing, and not seeing, going on.

Either way they'd be done in Phoenix. Frankly the silence and lack of urgency coming out of the NHL about Glendale leads me to believe any decision won't be good for Glendale so as you say, why bring it up until necessary since it's just going to tank attendance.

Yeah the silence on both sides, plus Glendale shopping around for someone other then the NHL to manage the arena, really paints the picture that the two sides have just decided to go their separate ways.

After years of the city and league fighting hard for Glendale to happen to have the Coyotes slink out of town with no fanfare to either Seattle or Quebec just seems so anti climatic though doesn't it.

But it does make the most sense. With Quebec and Seattle interests being quiet on the whole issue. Glendale shopping around and not saying a word about it otherwise. The league not saying a word... Seems the cone of silence has decended on the whole affair. As I said above, the calm before the storm. I have a feeling after the NBA decision on Seattle is made things will start moving real fast as it pretains to the Coyotes. 37 more days!

It's been a month and a half since Jamison's bid died, and no news. Is anyone else a little perplexed at the quiet before the storm?

They could just keeping things quiet until the season's over. You thought Coyotes ticket sales were bad now? Imagine if the league just announced "yeah, they're moving to Quebec as soon as the season's over."

Another possibility is that they're waiting to see how things shake out in Seattle.

The Seattle thing is what I was alluding too. I really do wonder given that there is a potential ownership ready to go in Seattle if they're simply waiting to see what the NBA does vis-a-vis the Kings. If the Kings move, Seattle gets the Coyotes, if not Quebec does. Either way they'd be done in Phoenix. Frankly the silence and lack of urgency coming out of the NHL about Glendale leads me to believe any decision won't be good for Glendale so as you say, why bring it up until necessary since it's just going to tank attendance.

It's been a month and a half since Jamison's bid died, and no news. Is anyone else a little perplexed at the quiet before the storm?

It's right about now that Gary starts making cold calls.

With Glendale now giving him the cold shoulder I bet he'll get a cold response from his cold calls... as it should be in the desert after twilight has fallen.

GLENDALE, ARIZONA --- The Phoenix Coyotes announced today a new ticket package called the GOALden Ticket. The GOALden Ticket allows fans to purchase one of two ticket packages to attend anywhere from one to 10 of the Coyotes final 2012-13 regular season home games in lower level seats (regularly priced at $75) at Jobing.com Arena. The package will go on sale to the public on Monday, February 18.

By purchasing the first ticket package for $100, a fan will receive five (5) goals on their GOALden Ticket. Beginning on March 9 versus the Dallas Stars, fans will be able to see up to 10 Coyotes home games until the team gives up five (5) goals at Jobing.com Arena. Once that happens, the GOALden Ticket is void.

If the Coyotes had started this promotion with the Blackhawks game the other night, it would have failed before second intermission.

B)

Wow, I've heard of "novel" ticket ideas. But this one takes the cake.

Hulsizer AND Ice Edge?

I eagerly await their first fax.

Yeah, if you read what both Hulsizer and Ice Edge are saying they're just kicking the tires. They have basically come out and said it would have to make financial sense (ie: the city will have to voluntarily bend over again) for them to get involved. And if the new mayor sticks to his guns that won't happen. Hell the new mayor is reportedly already exploring finding an arena operator san-NHL so he may already understand that and not really give a if the NHL leaves or not.

Spoke to someone inside the Quebec Remparts organization today. They have been told behind closed doors that Quebec City will be getting an NHL team.

Did they specifically say Quebec would be getting the team next year, or just that they were promised one?

He said Quebec was told they were getting one.

This article somewhat fits with what you're saying too. Looks like Quebec City is first on the NHL's list of cities and that it'll either be the Coyotes (in the next year or two unless a miracle occurs in the desert) or expansion team 31. Either way Quebec City is on the top of the list to get the next relocated or expansion team. Seattle is their second choice if the can get an arena built, and Markham is third and if the Coyotes do miraculously stay in the desert Markham could be left out in the cold.

http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/nhl130210.html

By what date do the Coyotes need to file for relocation by?

If the Atlanta to Winnipeg move is any indicator, August 31.

Good point. As for the Remparts info, not surprising. After Jamison failed the writing is on the wall in Phoenix even to the delusional fools running the NHL. They appear to have other owners who have had enough of sinking money into the Glendale pit if the reaction of the Blackhawks organization was any indication. The NHL have probably been talking to anyone who can take this albatross off their hands, and Quebec is the most ready and willing.

By what date do the Coyotes need to file for relocation by?

I read this yesterday, came back last night expecting to see some updates here, but there weren't and I didn't have the URL. Forgive me if this is old news:

http://aol.sportingn..._medium=twitter

The NEW names to know in the Phoenix Coyotes ownership drama:

Grant Woods (an ex-attorney general?)

Bill Gallacher (Portland WinterHawks owner who may or may not want to keep the team in Phoenix)

But wait, there's more... names you know:

Ice Edge is involved

Some of the Jerry Reinsdorf group partners

I'm not sure who goes with what, but I figured it doesn't matter since this is likely all a farce anyway. But there it is for the record.

AOL pulled that article, or you link is dead. Either way it was old out of date news so of which has already been debunked.

Tonight was a bitter pill to swallow...on the ice and the turnout.

How so? It's not like this is new or was even unknown to most people. It's been like this for years. Only thing that has changed is that FINALLY other teams are acknowledging it.

This may be the night the Coyotes finally died. That was the crack in the façade. It's out there now. And in the context of that game, Christ, was it ever glorious.

How bad was it, because the team is claiming 15,096 were in attendance. If it's as bad as you claim then they've obviously moved into bull attendance reporting.

And I agree. There'd been something like a pact among teams not to show the dire crowd situation in Phoenix, but if Chicago is breaking ranks maybe it's over. There's no hiding the terrible situation anymore. Not after a guy was basically being paid to buy the team and still couldn't do it.

Alright. Next question is, did they want to keep the gravy train rolling in hopes they would eventually find a patsy to buy the team with heavy subsidies, or are they just collecting welfare and biding their time while the QC arena is built and the Seattle basketball situation shakes down?

Yes. To both. They're not going to box themselves in. Both are options they were pursuing. Obviously the former's ship seems to have sailed and the latter hasn't completely shaken out (ie: Seattle isn't ready yet and may not be ready for a long time thanks to Sacramento). But there is still Quebec who is ready to go now and possibly Markham.

Clearly, the Jamison thing is at least a small black eye for the NHL. The question is, do you think the league is pissed at him for lying about his finances, bumbling for months, and not being able to raise a cent to save the deal they brokered, or do you think the league was fully aware he was a clown and was just using him to buy more time?

I think they figured he could do it being connected as Jamison was and is, but I also think they knew he didn't have the cash himself and picked him despite that because of his hockey experience figuring that would be a draw to potential investors. Obviously it wasn't.

Jamison? Yesterday's news. Now we're on Savior No. 5, some Calgary oil baron who was outbid for the Stars. This guy is the real deal this time.

Oh you mean the one who has no ties to Phoenix whatsoever... yeah that'll work well.

You can't make America West hockey-friendly. The seating bowl is too small. That was as good as it got.

Which frankly was still better than what they've got now. I'm starting to wonder if that's not the only way to save NHL hockey in Phoenix, send them back downtown. If the Islanders can play at Barclay's Center there's no reason the Coyotes can't do the same. Particularly when it would solve one of the franchise's worst problems with the location of Glendale.

Keep in mind that with the Islanders still having a few years in Uniondale that it's possible for Barclays to have some off-season tweaks done to the lower bowl to accomodate the rink.

Tweaks sure, but you can't change the overall design. It's going to be a U shaped arena on the lower level and have obstructed views on the upper even after their tweaks.

So what if they make the move.....and still no one shows up?

Yes, the Coyotes drew well in the US Airways Centre, but that was when they were fresh off the move and a ready-made playoff team. The Coyotes are only now starting to get good again, and attendance in Glendale indicates they're having a hard time winning back the fans they lost from years of sucking. What if they move to downtown Phoenix, sign a twenty year lease, and still no one shows up because the years of on-ice futility and the financial clusterf*** surrounding the team has permanently damaged the brand? It's kind of like when Rays fans swear up and down that the team would draw well if only they would get a new stadium. Well maybe they would, but why bother risking that when if you're wrong you're further committed to a market that just isn't working?

Besides, who's moving the Coyotes back downtown again? Who's offering to do that again? If the Suns wanted to own them and move them in they'd have done so by now. I'm sure Bettman's already flooded their answering machine.

Technically anyone can buy them and move them downtown. Doesn't have to be the Suns. It's the league it seems more than anything trying to keep them in Glendale as a requirement of someone buying them in the Phoenix area.

And it's a risk sure, but not a big one. It's not a big capital outlay to move them back into an arena that as I understand it, could still host them. If you brought in a committed ownership group (not some half assed guy with no money like Jamison, they have a winning team, put them in good location like downtown Phoenix that doesn't immediately invoke traffic groans from most of the region's hockey fans, do a minor rebrand back to something like their unique and popular original brand and fans very well might come out in the numbers they once did. And if it doesn't work fine, cut your losses and move north. But frankly the mistake wasn't necessarily the Phoenix market, it was the Glendale location and everything that went along with it (rampant team mismanagement, mismanagment by the league, bankruptcy of the former owner, remote location, chronically bad teams, asinine politicians, etc...). The Glendale situation has been the epitome of a storm since day one.

The City of Phoenix might be interested, unless they already do a good job stocking the Suns' off-dates with concerts and the like (was it Ice Edge who offered to run the Job at a lesser cost if the Coyotes moved by doing just that?).

But the Suns would be better off with the Coyotes out of town, and one less competitor for their dollars.

True but the Suns don't own the arena, the city does. And I highly doubt the city couldn't use another 40 or so dates filled up with events bringing in revenue to both them directly at the arena and via increased tax revenue at establishments around the arena. I mean hell just looking at February, they only have events filling 9 days out of 28 this month. Sure seems like a few hockey games thrown in their wouldn't hurt their bottom line.

And as for Ice Caps' comments regarding competing against the Suns for advertising money and ticket sales. With ad sales aren't they already competing with each other since they share the market? 18 miles isn't going to change that dynamic. As for ticket sales, I think you're making a false assumption that buyers of basketball tickets and hockey tickets have a large overlap. They didn't seem to negatively impact each other last time they shared what was then America West Arena.

In these cities with a team in all of the four major sports, it seems that people who are really into sports are into just three: MLB, the NFL, and one of the NBA/NHL--not both. Not that there aren't people who love all four or don't care for baseball or whatever. Just saying that IN GENERAL you don't see a lot of people who are big fans of both hockey AND basketball.

Exactly. Most hockey fans I've known tend to be more of a niche anyway and wouldn't buy basketball tickets with or without a hockey team in close proximity. Not to say there aren't those that overlap, I know there I because I'm one of them.

But my bigger point was to refute the idea that the US Airways Center is filling dates with "other events" and that it wouldn't benefit from hockey. It's a false assumption looking at the facts. Fact is in February this year, only 9 dates are filled with Sun and any other events. In March it's even worse with only 2 dates filled with non Suns game (10 Suns games and 2 concerts (one or which is Muse who I just saw in San Diego the other day I'd highly recommend it)). US Airways Center is underutilized for a large civic arena.