Fate of Coyotes decided in 2 decades(?)

[BunnyHardaway]

I feel bad for Quebec seemingly getting the shaft. I wouldn't mind Seattle getting a team, but they're asking to lose money if they plan on playing in Key Arena for a few years.

[DrJones]

Quote: Originally Posted by JJLinn

I feel bad for Quebec seemingly getting the shaft. I wouldn't mind Seattle getting a team, but they're asking to lose money if they plan on playing in Key Arena for a few years.

Quebec (and Toronto 2) will shell out big bucks for expansion teams; Seattle won't. Canucks fans will ensure that Seattle sells out their games until the new arena arrives.

[SPTO]

Seattle would be the most logical and dare I say, last viable US market to put a team in. There's a hockey culture in that part of the country and now without the basketball team the new hockey team will get all the attention and love that it deserves. It'll be weird for Coyotes players to go from a place where they're invisible to somewhere where they'll most likely be recognized.

[ImTellinTim]

^ I don't think you're off base in saying Seattle is the last viable NHL market in the US at all. In fact, Seattle is probably a better market for the league than about seven current US markets with an NHL team.

[pietasterp]

Quote: Originally Posted by SPTO

Seattle would be the most logical and dare I say, last viable US market to put a team in. There's a hockey culture in that part of the country and now without the basketball team the new hockey team will get all the attention and love that it deserves. It'll be weird for Coyotes players to go from a place where they're invisible to somewhere where they'll most likely be recognized.

I don't know about "last viable", but I would imagine the NHL would also do really well in Portland. The problem with the Coyotes isn't even necessarily the market, as far as I can tell - my impression was that it had as much to do with the ownership as anything else.

[SPTO]

Quote: Originally Posted by pietasterp

I don't know about "last viable", but I would imagine the NHL would also do really well in Portland. The problem with the Coyotes isn't even necessarily the market, as far as I can tell - my impression was that it had as much to do with the ownership as anything else.

It's not even the ownership per se but rather the location, when the Coyotes were moving out of America West Arena they were gonna go to Scottsdale where the fanbase is from but Bettman and the NHL mandated that they move the team to Glendale after they were given a sweetheart deal which as we've seen has backfired in a colossal way.

[ImTellinTim]

Quote: Originally Posted by pietasterp

I don't know about "last viable", but I would imagine the NHL would also do really well in Portland. The problem with the Coyotes isn't even necessarily the market, as far as I can tell - my impression was that it had as much to do with the ownership as anything else.

You and I probably have a much different picture of the word "viable". When I see that word I think "successful". Portland seems like a good thing because they have the NBA team plus The Timbers who the locals have embraced. There's a reason for that. It's because both teams have been there for a very long time. Just planting a NHL team there now wouldn't do great just because IMO.

As for your assertion that the market isn't the problem with Phoenix, yes it absolutely is the problem! FFS, I feel like I'm in bizzaro world sometimes when it comes to discussing this sport. Hockey isn't that popular, OK?! Quit trying to force it where it doesn't work. It's OK to acknowledge where you are as a sport and maximize what you can out of that.

Sorry for the rant at the end there, that wasn't meant directly for you, pietasterp.

[DrJones]

Quote: Originally Posted by ImTellinTim

As for your assertion that the market isn't the problem with Phoenix, yes it absolutely is the problem! FFS, I feel like I'm in bizzaro world sometimes when it comes to discussing this sport. Hockey isn't that popular, OK?! Quit trying to force it where it doesn't work. It's OK to acknowledge where you are as a sport and maximize what you can out of that. Sorry for the rant at the end there, that wasn't meant directly for you, pietasterp.

Yes, the market is obviously a big problem, but as SPTO mentioned, building the arena in Glendale instead of Scottsdale or downtown Phoenix was a catastrophic mistake.