Arizona Coyotes in danger of IMMEDIATE relocation? 

UPDATE HERE: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-RWEK37wdHgY.html

This situation reminds me of the last year of the Montreal Expos, when they played half their home games in Puerto Rico, and everyone was waiting for the inevitable announcement of a relocation.

Utah loves winter sports, and currently they only have the NBA and MLS. I could easily see Salt Lake City become similar to a city like Winnipeg: Small market, sellout crowds

It’s always sad to see a team relocate but (no disrespect to the current fans) but Phenix has never been a strong hockey town. How many kids in Phenix wake up early in the morning to go to hockey practice? How many parents flood their backyard to give their kids a private rink (or volunteer to maintain the rink in their community park)? These are things that build passionate lifelong hockey fans. This is something that Bettman has never understood. He looks at the size of people’s wallets, not the size of their hearts (once again, no disrespect to the super fans, there just aren’t enough of them).

Brodie, the other key factor; SLC wants to make a pitch to host the 2034 Winter Olympics. A shiny new NHL arena would definitely entice the IOC to put the Olympics there.

When the Suns were planning what is now the Footprint Center, they asked the hockey team at the time (the Phoenix Roadrunners of the International Hockey League) if they wanted to play in the new arena. The 'Runners declined, saying they were perfectly satisfied playing at Veterans Coliseum. So the ice rink at the new arena was set up with ice shows (like Holiday on Ice) in mind, with a stage at one end, instead of for hockey. (The Delta Center in Salt Lake has a similar setup, where the seats on one side fold up to accommodate a stage). As for an arena in Scottsdale, that was actually where the arena that was built in Glendale was SUPPOSED to be. But the Scottsdale City Council dithered on infrastructure (the then owner of the Coyotes, a real estate guy named Steve Ellman was going to build an arena on the site of a dying mall he owned called Los Arcos), and Glendale (which wanted to be known as more than a suburb ... of Sun City) swooped in and said THEY would build the same arena themselves (paying for EVERYTHING). In the bargain, they wound up getting State Farm Stadium, which was supposed to be built in Mesa -- literally across the street from the house I was living in at the time, which is now where the Cubs' spring training park is -- until voters there rejected the plans. (In Arizona, everybody wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die. They want nice things, as long as somebody else pays for it. The word "tax" is spelled with two x's -- because the locals consider it a four-letter word.)

I wish the NBA had been as patient with the Sonics as the NHL has been with the Coyotes

Relocation of an NHL franchise that's perpetually struggled in Arizona to Utah, where they actually have a WINTER and honest-to-goodness hockey fans, would seem a "no-brainer".

Utah's governor and legislative leaders met with the head of the NHL just this afternoon. The Legislature also passed a resolution encouraging NHL in Utah.

As an Arizona coyotes fan this video hurts to see especially since the Coyotes could very easily share the fate of the A’s

How could bettman allow an nhl team to play in a 4500 arena, what an embarrassment, move them to a major league arena, even if its houston, kc, etc, they already have arenas available

I don't think the NHL is ready to expand but all owners love money and money talks. As for the Coyotes well its been a quarter of a decade since leaving Winnipeg to the Phoenix area and they have definitely had a few issues and not much success on the ice. The Glendale Arena situation is pretty embarrassing and thats on old ownership. I was hoping last year that they would get there new building in Tempe sorted. I feel bad for the fans but personally the NHL really needs to sort this out NOW. I know Mr Bettman would not have had the patience if this was a team north of the border but it is what is. Maybe Salt Lake City could be a fresh start and I think it would be a great hockey town. Great reporting as always Brodie, just the facts.

Quebec deserves a team before anyone

I really feel bad for the actual Coyotes fans. The ones who go to all the games, and really love that team. That’s going to suck for them if the team gets relocated.

The Coyotes are still on the same arena building timeline if the Tempe arena got approved since they said it would've taken over a year (closer to 2yrs) to clean up the landfill the arena would be on. Any new arena will be on ground ready to go, so still in the originally thought opening date. The current rumor is in North Phoenix about a mile or 2 from Scottsdale. I used to live near that area and it would be a great for an arena.

Thank you for covering this issue Brodie. As someone who supports the Coyotes I’m so used to nothing but speculation and slander. I know you’ll give fair coverage as you have sympathy for teams at risk of relocation

It’s stressful to see all this unfold with no real answers yet. My uncle got me into hockey when I was 13 yrs old. he’s been a season ticket holder for over 20plus years. I truly hope they stay cuz hockey has been apart of his life for soo long now, he’s a hard worker, he’s very kept to himself at home, and during family events but when we go to these games , hes more open, and there’s a lot of joy . I’d be sad for him and my cousin if they relocate , it’s been a tradition that when every time me and my grandmother visit we watch the Coyotes. I hope and pray for a solution soon

Back after the 1924-25 season the league moved our Hamilton Tigers to New York City. They wanted Hamilton to build a bigger arena because our 4500 seat arena was too small. We finally got it done in 1985, our 19000 seat arena has sat empty because of Toronto saying that we're an infringement on their territory. Stopping any expansion or attempts to relocate a team there. So Arizona, basically hold on tight because once they leave, you could still be screwed 100 years later.

I believe that the NHL should maintain its current number of 32 teams. As someone who has lived in Arizona for more than 20 years, I played hockey at Oceanside Ice Arena, which was demolished but located across from where Oceanside used to be sits a large plot of land belonging to the Salt River Indian Tribe. Unfortunately, the tribe would only allow an arena to be built and not the entertainment district they desire.

Glad to see Brodie take all his skills reporting on the A's relocation saga and apply them to other teams facing the same dilemma. Goes to show that the situation in Oakland is not isolated: relocation threats are a nationwide problem, and the fans & taxpayers affected need to know how this relocation playbook works if they are going to make informed decisions about what's best for their community.

Salt Lake City once played host to the Winter Olympics, so it's not inconceivable they could host an NHL team. They also have more than a million residents which makes them larger than some current MLB cities. Stranger things have happened.

Brodie, you are always so thorough, and logical regarding these situstions. However, the Coyotes have had numerous opportunities to put forth a viable plan, and it's been a bust. I've never heard a peep about Scottsdale ( have they even looked seriously into it?). The Utah situation will continue to escalate, with Ryan Smith and the Miller group,having the money behind them to pull this off in an instant. It is sad, as no one wants relocation,but the Desert dogs have exhausted their time in the hourglass.

FYI. The ECHL Utah Grizzlies used to play in the Delta Center back when it was first built for a number of years so the Delta Center has the ice and can support ice hockey. The only problem with the Delta Center is that it was optimized for basketball, not hockey and as a result, there are many obstructed view seats in the upper ring for ice hockey. A better solution would be the Maverick Center in West Valley. It was built specifically for ice hockey and seats about 10,000. The ECHL Utah Grizzlies play there so although there is more seating in the Delta Center, the Maverick center is a better place for ice hockey.

Coyotes should pay for their own arena without tax breaks. Vancouver did it. Every pro sports team should have to do it.

There's a few options for the Coyotes and it all really depends on Bettman's stance. -SLC sounds lucrative, but the city's infrastructure is lacking and the Jazz play in a 30 year old arena meant for basketball. I dont know if SLC is in a position for a state of the art multipurpose arena in the next 5-10 years. -If Bettman was hellbent on his "hockey in the south" experiment, Houston would be the logical choice. One of the largest cities in America and Texas is very persuasive when it comes to rooting for sports teams. Plenty of space for an arena if the Rockets are unwilling. -Quebec seems like a long shot. Not only is the Quebec province home to the Canadians, but the economy there leaves some discomfort for a billion dollar industry. -The state of Arizona caves and gives the Coyotes their own Arena as the Suns have stated they have no interest in housing the coyotes. This seems like the most unlikely outcome unfortunately. -Atlanta. For some reason the NHL cannot move on from Atlanta -KC,CLE,Hartford. These are also cities that had NHL franchises at one point and are way better fits location and weather wise to host another team. Colorado and Winnipeg have proven that bringing franchises back to cold weather areas has worked.

As a long term Valley resident...this would be heartbreaking. First, the barn in Glendale was fantastic for hockey! Was a straight up config as opposed to those 60s/70s bowl shaped arenas. Every seat, even in the bleeds, was a great seat! Having the Yotes here has been great for hockey and the NHL. We did produce a Matthews and Coots as well...lol. if the team wins, the fans how up. Bettman... Just horrible for the NHL. He's destroying the game for the almighty $$$$ and his handling of the Yotes in another example. The fact that they are playing at ASU...Ontario senior whale sh!t barns are as big for christ sake! It's embarrassing. If it weren't for Toronto and their dominance over the league, the Yotes would have moved to Hamilton years ago!

Utah NO They need to go to Quebec. They have a beautiful arena they built a few years ago. The Nordiques should never have left. Fans there supported then through thick and thin. NHL keeps telling them they are getting a team

You’re a better presenter than most people on you tube! Keep It up dude!

The Utah announcement was a false flag. They aren’t looking for an expansion team, they are declaring their desire and immediate availability for a relocation.

Just looked up the Glendale arena. Certainly they lose on the Coyotes dates, but they still get a pretty decent amount of events in there from WWE to boxing to arena football to concerts.

As an arizona native and current utah resident the move would be good. They could also play in the Macerick center that seats 8,000+

Portland, OR would be a good place to move. Moda Center could be converted into a hockey arena.

As much as it feels like the NHL have *maybe* wasted to much resources for the coyotes, sometimes the best thing to do is just move them

Team should have been moved to a proper hockey market years ago. No arena, idiots at the helm...no other franchise has been afforded this much grace.

Relocation doesn't come with a billion dollar price tag for the owners like expansion would. Expansion may not be the immediate plan, but relocating any team is only an extreme option. Unless criminal acts are involved, an organizations actions harm the whole of the league, or a stadium sits at 25% attendance for at least 4 years, I wouldn't expect a relocation.

an NHL team that leads to an NHL level arena is a huge want in Utah for preparation for the 2034 winter Olympics.

There is currently no danger of them relocating due to Gary Bettman, he has always believed and wanted hockey to work in Arizona and has been refusing to allow the team to relocate even with people trying to buy the team and take them to other cities. Whether it be ego or whatever this has been going on for a very long time with the first effort trying to buy and move the team to Hamilton, ON. At this point with being kicked out of one arena for not paying up due to the team hemorrhaging money and having had to be owned by the league for sometime as well as no new arena anywhere on the horizon its time to admit failure and allow the team to move, this current situation cannot continue. Perhaps revisit Arizona in the future if someone builds a proper arena.

Bettman is dug in so deep with the coyotes i dont think his ego will ever allow the team to be moved, Bettman will continue to drag this out no matter the cost to the league. Only way it happens is if the owners stand up to Bettman and say enough is enough but Bettman has beainwashed them so bad with how delusionally he overvalues the phoenix market for the NHL. Hell he wants to give Atlanta another shot and leave Quebec out again.

When the Coyotes filed a 2.3 billion dollar lawsuit against PHX, you knew the clock was ticking.

SLC would not be the worst place for the Coyotes to land, especially if they have the friendliest possible landlord (the team owner). However, I'd buy stock in local beverage distribution networks, because alcohol consumption will probably double. For the entire city. 🤣

They need to be called the Utah FrontRunners, because the regional rail system is SLC is the FrontRunner. The goal horn should be one of the train horns. Not sure they will get the new arena but they will get a team.

If the Coyotes do relocate, it also has somewhat of a knock on effect on the future of soccer in the Phoenix area mainly because MLS would instantly want to add a team to fill the void created by the loss of the Coyotes much like what happened in Seattle when the Sounders joined MLS shortly after the Sonics of the NBA relocated to OKC. However there is already a team in Phoenix called the Rising who play in the USL (the league below MLS in the US soccer pyramid) who draw large crowds to their matches & are the defending champions of that league. If the Coyotes relocate, I could see MLS announce a few days after that they are expanding to Phoenix which then creates the same situation that happened in San Diego last year where the impending arrival of an MLS team basically forced the USL team to fold.

Brodie is very funny 😂 in a good way. Well done RU-vid video 🎈

Quebec City are ready. the arena are there, the buyer are there and the fans are there to . Revive the biggest rivality in NHL history between Montreal Canadiens vs Quebec Nordiques

I live in AZ. I heard there looking at a site in Phoenix off the 101 on the Scottsdale border

I’m surprised the NHL hasn’t forced the sale of the Coyotes regardless of where they end up. It seems like ownership is the problem when it comes to not paying bills. It should be forced to sell the team to either someone in Arizona or to Ryan Smith.

And you are correct in saying Scottsdale is the place to be, im even going down there myself in July to meet with HR from my work to talk about relocating from Minnesota

Slc is such a better sports town, everyone in Phoenix is from somewhere else and already of fan of teams where they’re from

...the Thrashers moved to Winnipeg, and there was nothing in the wind about that...

its time for the return of the Quebec Nordiques.

My personal opinion is that the Utah expansion announcement was a decoy. Everyone sees the disaster that’s happening with the Oakland A’s when the fans know that the team is moving ahead of time. Utah is announcing that they want an expansion team when behind closed doors They’re actually finalizing the deal to relocate the coyotes, and it will be announced as a relocation after they’ve already moved. In my mind if the coyotes don’t have something figured out by the start of the playoffs this year then the NHL is just going to make them move.

What about an outdoor arena for them? We could use the old Phoenix Rising stadium. The weather is mild enough to support season long outdoor hockey. It might be a little pricey to keep the ice to spec but would be a great spectacle to watch.

If they haven't relocated the Coyotes by now they never will.

We know the Coyotes will never relocate under Bettman. He wants them in the Phoenix area. They need to find an ownership group with deep enough pockets to privately fund a new arena in order to work that all out.

There is a nice plot of land next to the Diamondbacks spring training facility that is right on the loop and ready. Seems like a good spot

When I hear the phrase, "The immediate ability to welcome an NHL team to Utah" the first thing that I think of is when the Thrashers (I think)were kicked out of the arena that they played in and became an actual, "team without a building." I believe that it had something to do with the Hawks playing in "The Omni?"

Expansion isn't happening again like it did with Seattle and Vegas. Those expansion drafts were freaking gifts to those teams and 32 is a good number. 16 in each conference. It doesn't dilute the talent pool. There are NOT 32 quality starting goaltenders as it is. And in the NHL you got to have a backup that's capable to play 20-ish games. So no more expansion for a while. The fact is the Coyotes will need to move. Phoenix isn't working Gary. Deal with it. Let them move to whatever market wants to have them.

Gary cares FIRST about the media market. Phoenix to SLC is a big drop. BUT a way better hockey market. You don't need to have a team be the anchor for a real estate development proposal. Just an arena and play.

29 years left on the 30 year no movement clause suggests that they have plenty of time left. I am positive the NHL will allow the coyotes to play in the league on a backyard skating rink with zero attendance.

Our junior hockey team seats 6900 and a neighboring city seats 13500. And they are constantly sold out.... but yeah.. .let the 'Yotes barely fill a 4800 seat arena. NHL needs to do something for a failing franchise. Maybe relocation is required.

Bring back the Kansas City Scouts!

Utah is a great idea, and have a facility. Now the Jazz and the other teams that play at the Delta Centre, need a new building so build a new state of the art facility that all the teams can share like so many other cities. At least Utah could accept an NHL team right now because it can put a NHL ice surface in.

People in Arizona only have their Republicans to blame for this. Doug Ducey and the legislative there blew every opportunity to fix this. When the Suns got their arena renovated they should have told them we'll kick over new money or more money for reno/or a new build if you go out to Glendale for two years with the Coyotes. Then they could have let the Coyotes and Suns move back downtown with the Suns as the lead tenant. Or they could have put the Coyotes in the winter at the Diamondbacks place since the Diamondbacks are crying for a new deal. This was dumb all around. I hate it for the fans in Arizona but they needed better leaders.

The coyotes are likely not moving. Some information that was left out of this discussion is the bids on two separate properties. One located in north Phoenix adjacent to Scottsdale, the other in Mesa. We should find out shortly if those bids will go through or not. The ideal location would be the north Phoenix location as 79% of their season ticket holders live in that area.

Transfer the Arizona frachise to Quebec where they know and appreciate hockey.

We know the Coyotes are Gary's baby, many sports pundits in both Canada and America feel that this is it, there won't be anymore extensions given. They want the franchise to be in a city where they can prosper like they should and play in a major league arena, not an arena for college hockey.

Remember that the league makes money when they expand. They make nothing if a team relocates. If the NHL had their way they would keep the team in Arizona and collect the expansion fees for a new team in SLC. The fact that we are having real conversations about Arizona relocating tells you how bad the situation really is.

I like to see Hartford Whalers back in Connecticut for the NHL team, and so does Quebec Nordiques. Houston and San Diego are also seeking for NHL teams.

The Arizona team has been in immediate danger of relocation ever since it was formed.

Oakland has an arena that with a little rework could be NHL ready in no time. Give the Sharks a regional rivalry. BRING BACK THE OAKLAND SEALS!

Houston would be a good place to relocate to. 4th largest city in the country. Immediate instate rivalry with the Stars.

I could see both the NHL and MLB going to SLC, seems like they have the owners with money making the push for these leagues, they could create a nice sports and entertainment district, having a MLB stadium at one end and a NHL/NBA Arena at the other end with restaurants and shop in between.

The fans had control. They did not show up

The coyotes could be the a’s future. If they stayed in Winnipeg, they’d be fine lol.

Brodie, the 'Yotes simply do not have the fan base nor the support from Arizona from the get-go. If they are playing in a college arena and not selling out every game, (let alone playing in a college venue with what appears to have a minor league fan base regarding capacity) it's time to make "wayfaring moves" to get out of the desert. That arena that you indicated was outvoted by the people in the state. What does this tell you? If Salt Lake or Utah says we can provide you with "immediate shelter" then so be it, and the fears you have regarding "how many teams" won't have an immediate impact. The bottom line is some markets can support a minor-league hockey franchise. And the proof is in the pudding, as the "Desert Doggies" simply cannot catch major league attraction. Period.

I like the idea of Mesa. Its the largest suburb in the United States, and the east side has lots of room for a big arena. I know it might be a little far for west side residents, but they will get over it. There is an airport out there too. I am also a little biased because I have family in Mesa out on the east side by Apache Junction, and I think it would be great.

Reality bites.. but even living here in the valley, I've not heard anything about the Yotes new home. About the only vibe I get... Scottsdale is not overly enthused about the idea. Phoenix has been fighting with the Yotes for years... Tempe.. Well, the people have spoken there.. Glendale has already given them the boot. Peoria and surprise (among others in that side/area) are just too far out of the way (a complaint with their Glendale home.)... I've been afraid for a while that it's going to end when the Yotes are NOT in arizona...

Come to San Diego 👍 The SD Coyotes sounds pretty cool . Just change the uniforms

Salt Lake City, Portland, Quebec City, Hamilton...

Imagine how the coyotes would do if they had a real home. The owners have no interest in spending their own money nor do they have that type to spend. the shared revenue by the league for the coyotes is substantial and remaining a small market team is more profitable. The league should revoke the franchise and obtain owners that are will to spend and perhaps re locate. Houston remains a potential city and a marketing dream for the NHL. Imagine on national tv. “ The battle of Texas “. Time to move on

The recent MLS expansion so rapidly in modern times opened up pandora’s box as expansion fees began to rise and rise on a product many soccer fans in Major Cities like Houston, Dallas, and New York could care less about despite their love for other leagues and competition. It becomes very pyramid scheme like as new teams offer shared expansion fees and more growth in merchandise and other revenue. But ultimately the product doesn’t always get better even with some expansion success of teams like the Golden Knights. Also the sad thing about these scenarios in Arizona is that taxpayers and hockey fans don’t win either way. You lose your team or they get a new home with expensive ticket prices and your local taxes go up if you live in that city or county funding part of the new arena.

People close to the Coyotes say they are getting land in North Phoenix for an arena and that started leaking at the end of December and seemed like that was a near certainty by a friend i have who works as a beat reporter for the team. The location would be near Scottsdale

Slc is a hockey town close to Vegas and Denver

I’ve been reading about this for like 15-20 years now. Either build the team a stadium or relocate them FFS.

There's no other pro sports League in North America that has 36 teams, but there's no other league that has seven, (or even 2) teams in Canada either.

Getting this franchise out of AZ is 2 decades overdue.

It's time. Phoenix Coyote's franchise has struggled almost as long as it's been there. It was to the point where Winnipeg Jets fans were going to wear orange to make them feel at home when they visited. (Because the Coyotes rink at the time had orange seats.)

Given the history of the Coyotes NOT paying their rent and bills, is more than likely the reason why building a new arena is so difficult!

There is talk now in Canada for the first time of an NHL boycott ,( Budweiser ) they have had enough of Gary keeping teams like this who have lost about 1 billion since they moved down their, If the NHL placed another team in Toronto it would be top three in revenue , the players would get more money , the cap goes way up, its crazy that the NHL keeps all expansion money for itself BUT screws the players by keeping a team that losing money , make zero business sense . The players have had enough and want teams that keep losing money moved to a place where the tickets are not $20 dollars ,imagine if Arizona tickets were the same as Canadian price tickets lol

They should move to Hartford and bring back the Whalers

I feel bad for Coyotes fans but no one can blame the league if they get relocated I don't think any team has received more second chances then the Coyotes... I mean I remember when Winnipeg wanted to buy them and that was back in 2011 its been over 10 years and they still can't pull it together if any team deserves to be relocated it is the Coyotes

As a life long NHL fan, I would be very pissed if the. Coyotes relocated. Move back into their original arena

Quebec City!

If Bettman hasn’t allowed AZ to relocate by now he never will. Sick of reading about this non-issue.

Expansion needs to be equal. So if Quebec City gets an expansion, then salt lake. Live in Slat Lake for 5 years. Nice area. Hiking, outdoors activities. But in the winter. Roads can be bad. The weather inversions are really bad b/c of the pollution. If you know the chinnocks of Calgary - 20X worse.

Portland Oregon is a great hockey city , would be a great rival to Seattle and Vancouver

Im a Canucks fan and love having an NHL team in Arizona. Unfortunately, problem ownership and bad arena deals have gone on for far too long. Maybe it's time to move on.

Bettman said; They have to be relocated anywhere except Quebec City.

So the Yotes made a big deal out of Glendale and it ends up to be a Cleveland Crusaders situation?

Just "temporarily" move the Coyotes to Quebec City until the arena is finalized. You know, just "temporarily."