NHL franchise relocation

[DL Watt]

If any "Northerners" have brought a love of hockey to Arizona, it's a shame that they haven't also brought that love to the games.

Ha! You couldnt be more right. Fact is, I have to defend the home team, regardless if anyone cares that they exist or not. Even to this day, the Cardinals attract more fans from the opposing team then their own. Sad, but true.

[IceCap]

If any "Northerners" have brought a love of hockey to Arizona, it's a shame that they haven't also brought that love to the games.

Well who in their right mind, after a lifetime of rooting for an Original Six team, would suddenly drop their old allegiance and root for a team with about as much history and legacy behind it as the strip mall it plays out of? Sure, there are northern hockey fans living in the Phoenix metro area, but they're not Coyotes fans, and it doesn't seem like their kids are either.

It's the same problem the Tampa Bay Rays have, actually. Only somehow more pathetic and sad.

[BigBubba]

We all talk about how Phoenix will go next and all that, but what about after that? Relocation speculation will never die, so which team after Phoenix will be picked on the most? Florida? Columbus? New York? I just checked out attendance, and was SHOCKED to see Dallas last and Anaheim at only 14K, especially with the NBA lockout.

[DL Watt]

We all talk about how Phoenix will go next and all that, but what about after that? Relocation speculation will never die, so which team after Phoenix will be picked on the most? Florida? Columbus? New York? I just checked out attendance, and was SHOCKED to see Dallas last and Anaheim at only 14K, especially with the NBA lockout.

Again though, and this can be used in the same arguement with the Yotes, how many kids do you see running around SoCal and North Texas with skates on and sticks in their hands?! Its all about location, regardless of the surrounding market. This is why cities such as Seattle, Portland, Milwaukee, and any random Canadian city are better for fan relation/ game attendance.

[dfwabel]

We all talk about how Phoenix will go next and all that, but what about after that? Relocation speculation will never die, so which team after Phoenix will be picked on the most? Florida? Columbus? New York? I just checked out attendance, and was SHOCKED to see Dallas last and Anaheim at only 14K, especially with the NBA lockout.

Again though, and this can be used in the same arguement with the Yotes, how many kids do you see running around SoCal and North Texas with skates on and sticks in their hands?! Its all about location, regardless of the surrounding market. This is why cities such as Seattle, Portland, Milwaukee, and any random Canadian city are better for fan relation/ game attendance.

The Stars have suffered due to lack of ownership and budget. This week could have the Stars finally have an owner and a budget to market as well as to sign players. The sale could be approved by Friday as there was a hearing on Monday (11/14) regarding the insurance of the Dr.Pepper StarsCenter ice rinks with GE. The success of the Rangers did not help the Stars, but the lack of a budget for other than basic operations did.

[winters in buffalo]

The Thrashers are probably toast. If they go anywhere, I say Winnipeg.

Sorry... haven't gotten around to updating my response to this tired, old discussion.

[mattwswfc]

Phoenix has to be the next franchise to move, aren't they?

Why? I dont want to hear the whole " Phoenix is not a hockey area, hockey has no place in the desert line that is used time and time again." The fact is, Phoenix is a money town, many "Northerners" have relocated to the great southwest and in turn brought the hockey love with them.

A money town? Yeah a money town that allows one of its big 4 sports franchises to lose nearly $25 million every year.... Phoenix being a money town is complete drivel, you just keep on thinking that your retiree community is where the money is! Winnipeg is nearly 4 times smaller than Phoenix (in terms of metropolitan area) and yet it manages to be making a lot more money than everyone thought, that must make them a money town too? Also Manitoba is still recovering from the recession!

[Lee.]

Manitoba barely got hit by the recession, actually. It was one of the few areas to actually show modest economic growth over the past few years.

[TheOldRoman]

Well who in their right mind, after a lifetime of rooting for an Original Six team, would suddenly drop their old allegiance and root for a team with about as much history and legacy behind it as the strip mall it plays out of? Sure, there are northern hockey fans living in the Phoenix metro area, but they're not Coyotes fans, and it doesn't seem like their kids are either.

It's the same problem the Tampa Bay Rays have, actually. Only somehow more pathetic and sad.

Of course their kids aren't Coyotes fans. They're 45 years old.

[mattwswfc]

Manitoba barely got hit by the recession, actually. It was one of the few areas to actually show modest economic growth over the past few years.

Quite hard to believe that... I remember hearing something when the Jets came back, like some anti-Canadian talking about the Manitoba economy not being big enough or that people wouldn't be able to afford tickets! Shows how wrong they were!

Anyway the most probable reason for the 'growth' is that in the mid 90's the Canadian dollar slumped, and maybe some parts of the country are still rebuilding their economies from it....

[DL Watt]

Phoenix has to be the next franchise to move, aren't they?

Why? I dont want to hear the whole " Phoenix is not a hockey area, hockey has no place in the desert line that is used time and time again." The fact is, Phoenix is a money town, many "Northerners" have relocated to the great southwest and in turn brought the hockey love with them.

A money town? Yeah a money town that allows one of its big 4 sports franchises to lose nearly $25 million every year.... Phoenix being a money town is complete drivel, you just keep on thinking that your retiree community is where the money is! Winnipeg is nearly 4 times smaller than Phoenix (in terms of metropolitan area) and yet it manages to be making a lot more money than everyone thought, that must make them a money town too? Also Manitoba is still recovering from the recession!

Well lets just look at the sports/ sporting events that the Phoenix metro area brings in;

D-Backs

Suns

Cardinals

Coyotes

MLB Spring Training

Arizona Fall League

2 Super Bowls in 10 years

Wrestlemania

Phoenix Intl Sppedway

NBA All Star Games

MLB All Star Game

BCS National Championship

Wow, seems like money to me wouldn't you agree?

[The_Admiral]

Maybe Phoenix teams should hire Ted DiBiase to proclaim that they're a "money town" the way San Diego is a "breakfast town." Teehee.

[bosrs1]

Phoenix has to be the next franchise to move, aren't they?

Why? I dont want to hear the whole " Phoenix is not a hockey area, hockey has no place in the desert line that is used time and time again." The fact is, Phoenix is a money town, many "Northerners" have relocated to the great southwest and in turn brought the hockey love with them.

A money town? Yeah a money town that allows one of its big 4 sports franchises to lose nearly $25 million every year.... Phoenix being a money town is complete drivel, you just keep on thinking that your retiree community is where the money is! Winnipeg is nearly 4 times smaller than Phoenix (in terms of metropolitan area) and yet it manages to be making a lot more money than everyone thought, that must make them a money town too? Also Manitoba is still recovering from the recession!

Well lets just look at the sports/ sporting events that the Phoenix metro area brings in;

D-Backs

Suns

Cardinals

Coyotes

MLB Spring Training

Arizona Fall League

2 Super Bowls in 10 years

Wrestlemania

Phoenix Intl Sppedway

NBA All Star Games

MLB All Star Game

BCS National Championship

Wow, seems like money to me wouldn't you agree?

That might be the problem. There are better things to do in Phoenix than go see the Coyotes out in their strange little strip mall in the middle of nowhere most weeknights.

[mattwswfc]

Phoenix has to be the next franchise to move, aren't they?

Why? I dont want to hear the whole " Phoenix is not a hockey area, hockey has no place in the desert line that is used time and time again." The fact is, Phoenix is a money town, many "Northerners" have relocated to the great southwest and in turn brought the hockey love with them.

A money town? Yeah a money town that allows one of its big 4 sports franchises to lose nearly $25 million every year.... Phoenix being a money town is complete drivel, you just keep on thinking that your retiree community is where the money is! Winnipeg is nearly 4 times smaller than Phoenix (in terms of metropolitan area) and yet it manages to be making a lot more money than everyone thought, that must make them a money town too? Also Manitoba is still recovering from the recession!

Well lets just look at the sports/ sporting events that the Phoenix metro area brings in;

D-Backs

Suns

Cardinals

Coyotes

MLB Spring Training - because it's warm!

Arizona Fall League - again because it's warm

2 Super Bowls in 10 years - shame you can't win them

Wrestlemania

Phoenix Intl Sppedway

NBA All Star Games

MLB All Star Game

BCS National Championship

Wow, seems like money to me wouldn't you agree?

So this is your argument for Phoenix being a money town? Well this would be a good testament for Phoenix being a good sports town..... but no way does quantity mean money, it is probably quality that brings in the money (which the Coyotes have but as we all know they break the mould).

Anyway I'm not going to have this 'my dads better than your dad' argument, with a clearly biast view towards everything Phoenix! Enjoy your abundance of MONEY!!

[Lee.]

Phoenix might be a money town, but it isn't a hockey town.

It's like when Jack Kent Cooke paid for the LA expansion team in the sixties. To paraphrase, "We wanted a team in Los Angeles because of all the Canadians that moved down here; turns out they moved here because they hate hockey."

[DL Watt]

Phoenix has to be the next franchise to move, aren't they?

Why? I dont want to hear the whole " Phoenix is not a hockey area, hockey has no place in the desert line that is used time and time again." The fact is, Phoenix is a money town, many "Northerners" have relocated to the great southwest and in turn brought the hockey love with them.

A money town? Yeah a money town that allows one of its big 4 sports franchises to lose nearly $25 million every year.... Phoenix being a money town is complete drivel, you just keep on thinking that your retiree community is where the money is! Winnipeg is nearly 4 times smaller than Phoenix (in terms of metropolitan area) and yet it manages to be making a lot more money than everyone thought, that must make them a money town too? Also Manitoba is still recovering from the recession!

Well lets just look at the sports/ sporting events that the Phoenix metro area brings in;

D-Backs

Suns

Cardinals

Coyotes

MLB Spring Training - because it's warm!

Arizona Fall League - again because it's warm

2 Super Bowls in 10 years - shame you can't win them

Wrestlemania

Phoenix Intl Sppedway

NBA All Star Games

MLB All Star Game

BCS National Championship

Wow, seems like money to me wouldn't you agree?

So this is your argument for Phoenix being a money town? Well this would be a good testament for Phoenix being a good sports town..... but no way does quantity mean money, it is probably quality that brings in the money (which the Coyotes have but as we all know they break the mould).

Anyway I'm not going to have this 'my dads better than your dad' argument, with a clearly biast view towards everything Phoenix! Enjoy your abundance of MONEY!!

Wow man, didnt mean to send you off the deep end on this one. Hell, I've never even lived in the Phoenix Metro area, my arguement was to your "Phoenix is a money town is complete drivel" line. And yes, quantity does bring in money, the area as a whole brings in money due to the numerous sporting events. Like bosrs1 said, there just may be too many sporting events going on to care about the Yotes.

[mattwswfc]

Wow man, didn't mean to send you off the deep end on this one. Hell, I've never even lived in the Phoenix Metro area, my arguement was to your "Phoenix is a money town is complete drivel" line. And yes, quantity does bring in money, the area as a whole brings in money due to the numerous sporting events. Like bosrs1 said, there just may be too many sporting events going on to care about the Yotes.

I totally sympathize with you, you want your team to work out and stay in Glendale, but surely you must see the bigger picture. I think you are looking at the situation through rose tinted glasses, and whenever anyone comments on the state of this poorly run franchise, you jump on the defensive and start pulling out the stat book!

As to my comment above, all I meant was in comparison with similar size metropolitan areas, Phoenix cannot possibly be as much as a money town as San Francisco or Boston.

I don't think Phoenix is overwhelmed by sporting events, it's just some people just don't like sports or are drawn to 1 particular sport and that's the only one they watch... I'm unsure if the trend in Arizona is the same as the rest of the South, where college football is a way of life and nothing else compares. I cannot understand why hockey is so unpopular in some places, it is one of the best and most entertaining games in the world IMO!

[DL Watt]

Wow man, didn't mean to send you off the deep end on this one. Hell, I've never even lived in the Phoenix Metro area, my arguement was to your "Phoenix is a money town is complete drivel" line. And yes, quantity does bring in money, the area as a whole brings in money due to the numerous sporting events. Like bosrs1 said, there just may be too many sporting events going on to care about the Yotes.

I totally sympathize with you, you want your team to work out and stay in Glendale, but surely you must see the bigger picture. I think you are looking at the situation through rose tinted glasses, and whenever anyone comments on the state of this poorly run franchise, you jump on the defensive and start pulling out the stat book!

As to my comment above, all I meant was in comparison with similar size metropolitan areas, Phoenix cannot possibly be as much as a money town as San Francisco or Boston.

Of course I want the Yotes to say, I also know that they would be much more appreciated elsewhere, and its a shame.

Maybe the whole reason for them staying there is beacuse of the area brining in so many sporting events, who knows?

Boston hands down your spot on with that one. SF, 20 years ago maybe. Poor Candlestick has run its course and as everyone knows the team is looking to move closer to San Jose then SF. Love AT&T Park though,the best sports venue I've ever been to.

[mattwswfc]

Wow man, didn't mean to send you off the deep end on this one. Hell, I've never even lived in the Phoenix Metro area, my arguement was to your "Phoenix is a money town is complete drivel" line. And yes, quantity does bring in money, the area as a whole brings in money due to the numerous sporting events. Like bosrs1 said, there just may be too many sporting events going on to care about the Yotes.

I totally sympathize with you, you want your team to work out and stay in Glendale, but surely you must see the bigger picture. I think you are looking at the situation through rose tinted glasses, and whenever anyone comments on the state of this poorly run franchise, you jump on the defensive and start pulling out the stat book!

As to my comment above, all I meant was in comparison with similar size metropolitan areas, Phoenix cannot possibly be as much as a money town as San Francisco or Boston.

Of course I want the Yotes to say, I also know that they would be much more appreciated elsewhere, and its a shame.

Maybe the whole reason for them staying there is beacuse of the area brining in so many sporting events, who knows?

Boston hands down your spot on with that one. SF, 20 years ago maybe. Poor Candlestick has run its course and as everyone knows the team is looking to move closer to San Jose then SF. Love AT&T Park though,the best sports venue I've ever been to.

If they sort out the financial situation and get more fans to come, the Phoenix Coyotes could steadily become respectable! The only reason the Coyotes are still in Glendale is because Gary Bettman does not want lose face and say 'hey maybe it's not working'...

The SF Bay Area is probably the biggest money area in the United States, all because of the Silicon Valley alone. San Jose is probably a more suitable home for an NFL team, and their are even discussions about the Oakland Athletics building their new ballpark in San Jose... it's just going to keep growing and it will become an attractive city for any major sports league in the next 20 years or so, we could even be looking at San Jose as a city with all 4 major sports leagues being represented very soon!

[dbadefense1990]

Phoenix has to be the next franchise to move, aren't they?

Why? I don't want to hear the whole "Phoenix is not a hockey area, hockey has no place in the desert" line that is used time and time again. The fact is, Phoenix is a money town; many "Northerners" have relocated to the great southwest and in turn brought the hockey love with them.

Dumbest name for an arena ever in ANY sport.

Besides, your team's ownership sucks. They didn't plan on the core base of the franchise being in downtown Phoenix, meaning only a few people do end up going 20 miles for games.

And the whole bankruptcy thing? Yeah, it's always a bad ploy whenever the league owns your team.

And the fans. In about 20-30 years, Arizona will be Florida-West; a land inhabited by nothing but seniors who go there to retire and not know a damn thing about sports.