NHL Team Moving?

[Joshnoble01]

For Phoenix locals why didn't the location in Glendale work? Is it too far for most of the population? Was it just a dump?

I honestly don't get why it isn't working there.

 

[mtbloco]

For Phoenix locals why didn't the location in Glendale work? Is it too far for most of the population? Was it just a dump?

I honestly don't get why it isn't working there.

It is/ was way too far from the people with money to support the team. It’s “ok” for football with such a limited schedule.

They bet the housing boom would have shifted the population west and into Glendale. But it too way too long. Abd still lack the disposable income of Scottsdale/Tempe/Phoenix residents.

Yotes are making more money now selling out a 4000 seat barn at $200 +. Than they could ever make in Glendale with $25 empty seats.

Since the NHL came here, there is actually a lot of talent raising up the hockey ranks. That all dies if the Coyotes leave.

 

[echico]

It is/ was way too far from the people with money to support the team. It’s “ok” for football with such a limited schedule.

They bet the housing boom would have shifted the population west and into Glendale. But it too way too long. Abd still lack the disposable income of Scottsdale/Tempe/Phoenix residents.

Yotes are making more money now selling out a 4000 seat barn at $200 +. Than they could ever make in Glendale with $25 empty seats.

Since the NHL came here, there is actually a lot of talent raising up the hockey ranks. That all dies if the Coyotes leave.

Exactly. Glendale is way out there and the traffic from the East Valley there was a nightmare. The money in Scottsdale/PV and even into Arcadia is not horrific to get to Glendale but it is not fun. The new location that is up for auction really is better for them. The East Valley is moving up with lots of higher incomes and kids playing hockey. It is easier to go up the 101 than to travel all the way over to Glendale.

D-Backs and Suns being in downtown has the light rail that goes right in front and I have enjoyed using that to go to the occasional game.

I have been shocked with the number of people that go to Cardinals games but like you said it is a limited schedule.

 

[Joshnoble01]

Exactly. Glendale is way out there and the traffic from the East Valley there was a nightmare. The money in Scottsdale/PV and even into Arcadia is not horrific to get to Glendale but it is not fun. The new location that is up for auction really is better for them. The East Valley is moving up with lots of higher incomes and kids playing hockey. It is easier to go up the 101 than to travel all the way over to Glendale.

D-Backs and Suns being in downtown has the light rail that goes right in front and I have enjoyed using that to go to the occasional game.

I have been shocked with the number of people that go to Cardinals games but like you said it is a limited schedule.

View attachment 9256111

This helps make sense of it. I remember when I went to my first Cardinals game I couldn't fathom why they played way out there. No way I wasn't staying closer to Scottsdale when i was down there.

 

[brians]

Hartford? The Whale? They only beat Vancouver, once, maybe twice in a lifetime.

I see what you did there

 

[MSEASU]

For Phoenix locals why didn't the location in Glendale work? Is it too far for most of the population? Was it just a dump?

I honestly don't get why it isn't working there.

Way too far for a weeknight. Originally it was proposed center of the valley, which would have been much better.

 

[MH]

It’s time for them to relocate, even If they get a new arena the end result will still be the same. They will not survive in Arizona, I think Salt Lake will be a great location

 

[JB]

Players and staff were notified that they are moving to Utah

 

[Joshnoble01]

Are they going to end up selling the team? I know the Jazz owner has been all over getting an expansion team.

 

[hartman29]

Are they going to end up selling the team? I know the Jazz owner has been all over getting an expansion team.

Reports I read are either sell the team to NHL, who then sells to Ryan Smith, owner of the Jazz. Current Coyote owner would get right of first refusal of expansion team if he meets certain requirements, including an arena.

Or an alternative I saw was the Coyotes are made inactive and Smith buys all the player contracts. Once AZ gets an arena squared away the Yotes come back I guess?

Sounds more like league is done with ownership than the market. Bettman was able to have the NHL be the first of big 4 sports leagues to get to Vegas, my theory is he wants NHL to be first to get to 36 teams. There’s noise in Houston and Atlanta again about hockey. HOU, PHX, and ATL get you to 35, 36 could be Portland, Milwaukee, Quebec City…

 

[Jtubb17]

Really is a shame they couldn’t make it work. I’m sure SLC will be a fun environment for NHL games.

I’m curious what will happen now with the multi year agreement the Kings signed to play their preseason Frozen Fury games at Delta Center. They used to do them in Vegas and stopped once the Knights came in. Can’t imagine they’ll continue here now.

 

[YukonLiving]

Amazing how fast this materialized.

Apparently the players will travel to Utah to see the facility this week and play their last home game April 17th.

 

[Joshnoble01]

Amazing how fast this materialized.

Apparently the players will travel to Utah to see the facility this week and play their last home game April 17th.

Crazy. I think hockey is going to work in SLC if they get to sell it to the jazz owner.

Sucks for phoenix to lose the team.

 

[YukonLiving]

Crazy. I think hockey is going to work in SLC if they get to sell it to the jazz owner.

Sucks for phoenix to lose the team.

Yep. But years of mismanagement and other unfortunate events have caused this situation.

 

[JB]

Yep. But years of mismanagement and other unfortunate events have caused this situation.

That’s very true.
Although the area has low attendance for their other teams as well, so it’s hard to continue to blame management across all sports

 

[YukonLiving]

That’s very true.
Although the area has low attendance for their other teams as well, so it’s hard to continue to blame management across all sports

I agree. The transient nature of surrounding population probably doesn’t help much.

 

[JB]

I agree. The transient nature of surrounding population probably doesn’t help much.

It’s tough. FL has embraced hockey and the teams have been rock solid and not going anywhere. Yet we see it here for all teams in baseball.

 

[YukonLiving]

It’s tough. FL has embraced hockey and the teams have been rock solid and not going anywhere. Yet we see it here for all teams in baseball.

Exactly! After a challenging start, both the Lightning and Panthers are now perennial contenders!

I mean, it wasn’t all that long ago Tampa had Manon Rheaume in net for a preseason game to drum up interest.

 

[JB]

Exactly! After a challenging start, both the Lightning and Panthers are now perennial contenders!

I mean, it wasn’t all that long ago Tampa had Manon Rheaume in net for a preseason game to drum up interest.

I was at that game haha.

 

[gmiller598]

Exactly! After a challenging start, both the Lightning and Panthers are now perennial contenders!

I mean, it wasn’t all that long ago Tampa had Manon Rheaume in net for a preseason game to drum up interest.

I mean... that was like 30 years ago.

 

[gmiller598]

I feel sorry for fans of Arizona but the ownership and the local government has made it hard for them to be fans. Phoenix is just not a market that is going to work. Glendal failed because of bad ownership and the fact it takes like 45 minutes to driver from the east side of the Phoenix area to the west side where Glendale is. Both side just had or created roadblocks every step of the way and I think the NHL has gone way above and beyond to try to make this work much more than any other city.

It's shocking this is moving so fast. I just hope SLC is as ready to host a team in their facility as they say they are. They'll have an uphill battle coonvincing players to want to remain there and building a hypothetical fan base who didn't even realize they will have a team next season a week ago.

 

[Jtubb17]

I agree. The transient nature of surrounding population probably doesn’t help much.

I think it’s more the on ice product in their case. Phoenix is a fun city with a lot to do. When the Coyotes were playing well 2011-2015ish, they were getting attendance and the fan base was pretty intense. They fell off fast after the conference finals loss and haven’t been able to recover

 

[gmiller598]

 

[gmiller598]

I think it’s more the on ice product in their case. Phoenix is a fun city with a lot to do. When the Coyotes were playing well 2011-2015ish, they were getting attendance and the fan base was pretty intense. They fell off fast after the conference finals loss and haven’t been able to recover

The attendance has some caveats though. They've always been near the bottom of the league in attendance. Living in Columbus myself, I understand that fairweather fans will only show up when a team is winning. Even when the Coyotes were successful they still struggled in attendance.

Phoenix Coyotes yearly attendance at hockeydb.com

A historical graph of the yearly attendance for the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League.

www.hockeydb.com

NHL attendance history at hockeydb.com

Historical NHL attendance by both season and team

www.hockeydb.com

 

[YukonLiving]

I mean... that was like 30 years ago.

Yep, and I highlighted Manon for that reason. She played preseason games in 1992 and 1993, while the Jets moved to Phoenix in 1996. Look at their respective trajectories. One team went from a struggling franchise to Stanley cup champion, while the other looks like they’re packing their bags again.