The endless saga surrounding the Arizona Coyotes could finally see its final chapter written in the coming days and, contrary to what commissioner Gary Bettman keeps mentioning, a move is far from utopian.
According to journalist Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff site, a decision concerning the Coyotes could occur by this weekend. According to him, citing National Hockey League sources, three options are still on the table and one involves a move to Salt Lake City.
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Remember that the Coyotes are still without a long-term home, currently playing on an interim basis at Mullett Arena, a 4,600-seat amphitheater where the Arizona State University Sun Devils play.
An NHL strategy?
Why Salt Lake City, you say, when we’ve been talking about Houston, Atlanta or even Quebec for longer?
Last week, The newspaper reported that the open letter sent by the Smith Entertainment Group (SEG), led by Utah businessman and NBA Jazz owner Ryan Smith, took no one in the NHL by surprise as rumors of expansion have been circulating in closed circles of the circuit for a year.
However, this letter also provides clues that lead us to believe that this could be a strategy initiated by the NHL in order to put pressure on the Arizona market.
In this letter which, we remind you, asked the NHL to initiate an expansion process so that Salt Lake could obtain a concession there, SEG also assured that it was ready to welcome an NHL team in the short term.
“[Smith Entertainment Group] has also been clear about its immediate ability to welcome an NHL team to Utah using the Delta Center as a temporary home for an NHL franchise.”
The Delta Center, which serves as the Jazz’s amphitheater, is not configured for the NHL, but could serve as a temporary solution until Salt Lake City has an arena that meets NHL standards, according to Seravalli, who adds that this project would be part of a bid by the Utah city for the 2034 Olympic Games.
Pressure from all sides
The pressure has probably never been greater on the Arizona Coyotes organization, which has saved its skin time and time again in the past.
First, NHL Players’ Association Executive Director Marty Walsh took a swipe at current Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo for being kicked out of the team’s former home, the Gila River Arena in Glendale, since he wasn’t paying his rent. Shortly after, the Coyotes were rejected in a referendum aimed at accepting a project to build an amphitheater as part of a complex estimated at $2 billion.
“I think the league feels Arizona is a good market and I can understand that,” Walsh said. The problem the players and I have is how long you have to wait to get a home. They play in a college arena and they are the second tenant of this arena. That’s not how you run a business.”
For his part, Gary Bettman timidly offered his vote of confidence to Meruelo during a press briefing organized on the sidelines of the NHL All-Star Game.
But what attracted more attention was his eagerness to praise the qualities of Ryan Smith and his group when questioned on this subject, comments which clashed with his habit of remaining discreet on the subject of markets which had not of active teams in its circuit.
Can they stay in Arizona?
If the option of a move seems real, Brother Seravalli reports that two other possibilities are on the table and involve the Coyotes remaining in Arizona.
The first involves Alex Meruelo remaining owner of the team and his group finding a location to build an amphitheater.
Last week, ABC15 revealed that the Arizona Coyotes were moving forward with a plan to build an arena north of Phoenix and that several sites were being considered.
The second would be for the team to be sold to another owner who would keep the team in the desert and who would have the financial means to buy a plot of land himself in order to build an amphitheater. Rumors have it that current owner of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, Mat Ishbia, may have interest in purchasing the Coyotes.
We’ve said it often for almost 15 years now, but it seems that this time, it’s really one to midnight for the Coyotes.
Fifteen years of never-ending rumors
The Arizona Coyotes have been fueling move rumors for over 15 years, and the people of Quebec can attest to that. Despite everything, they continue to hang on. Here are the most important dates in this never-ending saga.
1er July 1996
The Winnipeg Jets move to Phoenix and become the Coyotes. Jerry Colangelo, Steven Gluckstern and Richard Burke are the shareholders.
2005
After the team had experienced numerous financial setbacks since his arrival, Jerry Moyes acquired the Coyotes. He becomes the team’s fourth majority shareholder in nine years.
May 2009
Jerry Moyes declares bankruptcy. He then negotiated, without the consent of the NHL, with businessman Jim Balsillie, who wanted to move the team to Hamilton. Gary Bettman refused the agreement and took the team under supervision in August 2009.
From 2010 to 2013
The NHL negotiates with many owners, but each time fails to reach an agreement. The owner of the Winnipeg Jets, Mark Chipman, even said a few years later that he was “ten minutes” away from seeing the Coyotes move to Manitoba in 2010.
July 2, 2013
The Glendale city council votes in favor of granting $15 million per year over 15 years to the Renaissance Sports & Entertainment (RSE) group, which officially becomes the owner of the Coyotes.
June 10, 2015
Two years after the agreement, and following numerous setbacks and disagreements with the owners, the city of Glendale voted five to two to end the contract with the RSE group. On July 23, IceArizona reached an agreement with the city on a two-year agreement.
July 29, 2019
Alex Meruelo becomes majority shareholder of the Coyotes and relaunches the idea of building an amphitheater in Tempe, a project that has been floundering since 2016.
December 8, 2021
Glendale threatens to kick Coyotes out if they don’t pay $1.3 million in tax debt. Meruelo is then criticized in a report by The Athletic which publicly exposes a so-called toxic internal culture.
February 2022
Threatened with being kicked out by the City, the Coyotes say they have reached an agreement with the Mullett Arena to present their local matches there for three years, while a new amphitheater is built.
May 16, 2023
The population of Tempe rejects by referendum the proposal for a project estimated at more than two billion dollars aimed, in particular, at building an arena for the Coyotes. Since that time, the organization has been looking for a home.