The future of the Coyotes franchise...

Lorenzo

Registered User
Joined
Feb 3, 2007
Posts
10,336
Reaction score
5,254
Location
Vegas
Finally. The NHL has tried way too hard to shoehorn the NHL into Phoenix. I’m sad to see them go, but hockey is unsustainable in the Valley, especially when no one cares about the product
It helps to have a winning product to get fans to become interested. every market is different, but hockey has thrived in several markets like Dallas, Vegas, Raleigh, and Tampa. All cities where like Phoenix, there was risk of complete failure, but ownership built a winner that led to a great relationship with its fans. I recently listened to a Mike Modano interview where he talked about an early 90's promotional visit at a target where only a handful of fans showed and no one knew who he was. It is sad that it never worked in Phoenix. If a new franchise was moving to Phoenix now they would have the benefit of starting from scratch and building a winning team like Vegas did.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Ronin

Ronin

Wut?
Super Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Oct 12, 2006
Posts
144,183
Reaction score
65,472
Location
Crowley, TX
xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
 

bankybruce

All In!
Supporting Member
Banned from P+R
Joined
Mar 28, 2003
Posts
31,293
Reaction score
27,709
Location
Nowhere
Coyotes are very common on Utah.

Coyotes are members of the dog family Canidae. They can be found throughout the United States and are quite common in Utah. They are adapted to a wide range of habitats, including urban areas such as inner cities and suburban neighborhoods


 

bankybruce

All In!
Supporting Member
Banned from P+R
Joined
Mar 28, 2003
Posts
31,293
Reaction score
27,709
Location
Nowhere
If they were going to stay in AZ, i was really hoping for Portland. We have a WHL team who averaged 8k just the year before COVID and 6k last year. The Moda hosts the WHL playoffs and is a great hockey arena.

Bummer they are leaving though.
 

Folster

ASFN Icon
Joined
Jun 23, 2005
Posts
16,790
Reaction score
7,233
The track record of markets that lose a franchise and getting a new on is pretty poor or at least very lengthy. There would have to be a special expansion contingency in the sale contract for any hope.
 

Hoop Head

ASFN Icon
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Posts
17,252
Reaction score
12,418
Location
Tempe, AZ
What happens first, Seattle gets an NBA team or Phoenix gets a new NHL team? I'd bet Seattle. The NBA is ripe for expansion. I think we could see teams added to the NBA and NFL within this decade while MLB seems in a good spot, not great, while the NHL has floated contrition at points.
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
117,297
Reaction score
57,559
I wanted to become a Coyotes fan, but I could never commit, knowing the team was always one step away from leaving the Valley.
 

Hoop Head

ASFN Icon
Joined
Feb 4, 2005
Posts
17,252
Reaction score
12,418
Location
Tempe, AZ
I wanted to become a Coyotes fan, but I could never commit, knowing the team was always one step away from leaving the Valley.

Hockey is a tough sport to get into out here since it's not something kids play in schools. Ice is limited in this state. I got into the Roadrunners as a kid and we got the Coyotes at a time where I gave them a chance as a youngster but I was the only kid in my class who could name more than 1-2 players so not having a social group to talk about the games with hurt. I got into them again as an adult because going to NHL games is so much fun. I prefer to it to NBA, MLB, and NFL games. Live hockey is really amazing and it creates fans. It's not a fun sport to watch on TV, although better than baseball IMO. The business side caused me more confusion and kept me from getting too invested, almost twice as much since the league has had plenty of issues while the Coyotes always had issues.
 
OP
OP
Ronin

Ronin

Wut?
Super Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Oct 12, 2006
Posts
144,183
Reaction score
65,472
Location
Crowley, TX
xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
 
OP
OP
Ronin

Ronin

Wut?
Super Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Oct 12, 2006
Posts
144,183
Reaction score
65,472
Location
Crowley, TX
xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
 
OP
OP
Ronin

Ronin

Wut?
Super Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Oct 12, 2006
Posts
144,183
Reaction score
65,472
Location
Crowley, TX
xc_hide_links_from_guests_guests_error_hide_media
 

Mainstreet

Cruisin' Mainstreet
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2003
Posts
117,297
Reaction score
57,559
Hockey is a tough sport to get into out here since it's not something kids play in schools. Ice is limited in this state. I got into the Roadrunners as a kid and we got the Coyotes at a time where I gave them a chance as a youngster but I was the only kid in my class who could name more than 1-2 players so not having a social group to talk about the games with hurt. I got into them again as an adult because going to NHL games is so much fun. I prefer to it to NBA, MLB, and NFL games. Live hockey is really amazing and it creates fans. It's not a fun sport to watch on TV, although better than baseball IMO. The business side caused me more confusion and kept me from getting too invested, almost twice as much since the league has had plenty of issues while the Coyotes always had issues.

I agree, watching ice hockey in person is one of the most exciting games around. I watched the old Phoenix Roadrunners on several occasions. The most exciting game I saw was when they played the USSR team in Phoenix.
 

Yuma

Suns are my Kryptonite!
Joined
Jan 3, 2003
Posts
22,535
Reaction score
12,336
Location
Laveen, AZ
The track record of markets that lose a franchise and getting a new on is pretty poor or at least very lengthy. There would have to be a special expansion contingency in the sale contract for any hope.
I don't remember all the teams mentioned, but they went through a list on the radio of professional sports teams that left cities and those cities ended up getting new teams. It was more than I thought.
 

Yuma

Suns are my Kryptonite!
Joined
Jan 3, 2003
Posts
22,535
Reaction score
12,336
Location
Laveen, AZ
Hockey is a tough sport to get into out here since it's not something kids play in schools. Ice is limited in this state. I got into the Roadrunners as a kid and we got the Coyotes at a time where I gave them a chance as a youngster but I was the only kid in my class who could name more than 1-2 players so not having a social group to talk about the games with hurt. I got into them again as an adult because going to NHL games is so much fun. I prefer to it to NBA, MLB, and NFL games. Live hockey is really amazing and it creates fans. It's not a fun sport to watch on TV, although better than baseball IMO. The business side caused me more confusion and kept me from getting too invested, almost twice as much since the league has had plenty of issues while the Coyotes always had issues.
I sat next to a kid at the Mullet who played professional soccer in Europe. Once I explained the blue lines, he said it was just like soccer. He got the off sides instantly. To me it has always been like soccer, with fist fights and hard hits. The kid said it was much faster pace than soccer. He said it was like high speed soccer to him.
 

iLLmatiC

Drive-by Poster
Joined
Jul 4, 2004
Posts
7,548
Reaction score
5,138
Location
Gilbert, AZ
Bad product and hard sport to sell in the valley doomed the organization. It doesn’t help that they are also competing with 3 other sports as well. I feel really bad for die hard coyotes fans right now, this is pretty sad.
 

Vacard

ASFN Lifer
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Posts
4,510
Reaction score
4,065
Location
VA
They are/were Cardinals of the NHL with a bad history of the Jets tied to them and unable to find a permanent home. At least their mascot was cool looking, now theyd got to change their name to to the Inbreds or something
 

Yuma

Suns are my Kryptonite!
Joined
Jan 3, 2003
Posts
22,535
Reaction score
12,336
Location
Laveen, AZ
They are/were Cardinals of the NHL with a bad history of the Jets tied to them and unable to find a permanent home. At least their mascot was cool looking, now theyd got to change their name to to the Inbreds or something
John Gambadoro made the point that the franchise was doomed by "the sins of the past." He looked at it optimistically that IF we get an expansion team, we can start fresh.
 

Lorenzo

Registered User
Joined
Feb 3, 2007
Posts
10,336
Reaction score
5,254
Location
Vegas
What happens first, Seattle gets an NBA team or Phoenix gets a new NHL team? I'd bet Seattle. The NBA is ripe for expansion. I think we could see teams added to the NBA and NFL within this decade while MLB seems in a good spot, not great, while the NHL has floated contrition at points.
I think Seattle and Vegas are the next 2 NBA franchises if they expand. There is even insecurity in Dallas that the mavericks would move to Vegas if Dallas don't build a new arena and casino in the upcoming years.

There are multiple cities that could add NHL if the league is willing to expand, which means it could be tough for Phoenix to get another team soon. But the market is so large in Phoenix that I think it lends itself a chance to get another team again one day. it could be a different outcome with a fresh start, new arena, and advanced processes that help them build a winner from the start like what we've seen with VGK and Seattle Kraken.
 

Yuma

Suns are my Kryptonite!
Joined
Jan 3, 2003
Posts
22,535
Reaction score
12,336
Location
Laveen, AZ
I think Seattle and Vegas are the next 2 NBA franchises if they expand. There is even insecurity in Dallas that the mavericks would move to Vegas if Dallas don't build a new arena and casino in the upcoming years.

There are multiple cities that could add NHL if the league is willing to expand, which means it could be tough for Phoenix to get another team soon. But the market is so large in Phoenix that I think it lends itself a chance to get another team again one day. it could be a different outcome with a fresh start, new arena, and advanced processes that help them build a winner from the start like what we've seen with VGK and Seattle Kraken.
Mark Cuban in Las Vegas, I can just picture it! No wonder fans are nervous.
 

Lorenzo

Registered User
Joined
Feb 3, 2007
Posts
10,336
Reaction score
5,254
Location
Vegas
Mark Cuban in Las Vegas, I can just picture it! No wonder fans are nervous.
well he sold the majority stake about 6 months ago to a Vegas billionaire family. Cuban's alleged vision of the mavericks is for him to step back one day after he mentors the new ownership family and helps them bring a new arena and casino to Dallas. It's the latter that I worry about because of the Texas purists who are still anti-casino. I hope that Vegas gets their own NBA franchise before that happens.
 

Latest posts

Staff online

Forum statistics

Threads
552,655
Posts
5,401,650
Members
6,313
Latest member
50 year card fan
Top