Arizona Coyotes moving to Utah as players told of NHL relocation in private meeting

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

Sigh...another team moving.

Story by Charlie Wilson - MSN - 13 Apr 24

"The NHL's Arizona Coyotes are set to move to away from the city to the neighboring state of Utah in a heartbreaking blow for their fans - with players

shockingly informed just moments after the news had been broken.

The Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes players were made aware on Friday that the team is relocating to not only a new city but a new state, multiple outlets have now reported.

The team and its players are set to move from Phoenix, Arizona - an 11-hour and 600-mile drive to Salt Lake City, Utah with the owner on NBA franchise Ryan Smith, set to complete a purchase of the NHL team.

Players and officials remaining under contract have been told that they will have to relocate, with them set to visit Salt Lake City next week ahead of their move in the 2024/25 season.

Smith has been the owner of the Utah Jazz since 2020, before purchasing a majority stake in MLS' Real Salt Lake with him now poised to secure his third franchise in three major sports leagues - all based in Utah.

The Coyotes are set for a whole new rebranding, with Smith expected to change the name of the franchise.

The billionaire businessman has not hidden his interest in bringing an NHL team to the state, declaring his desire in January while stating that he had the financial capabilities to quickly facilitate a move ahead of the 2024/25 season.

The rebranded Coyotes will be expected to play in the Jazz' Delta Center, with the idea being to build a new home arena for the franchise moving forward.

The writing looked to be on the wall for Coyotes fans when they failed to secure a new arena in Phoenix last year.

The Coyotes play in The Mullett Arena - an Arizona State University campus - which is a facility less than a third the size of the NHL's next-smallest arena and one of the smallest in all major professional sports in the United States.

Now, the team will look to be relocating for the third time since it's integration into the NHL in 1979, after originally being the Winnipeg Jets and the Phoenix Coyotes - the latter coached by Wayne Gretzky.

In January, Utah received backing from its governor Spencer Cox in securing an NHL franchise. He said: "Utah has a long history with hockey, the strongest economy in the nation, a passionate sports fanbase, and the youngest and most active population. These factors make Utah ripe for the expansion of our sports and entertainment community."

Works Cited: The Arizona Coyotes Moving To Utah

"Utah is heaven on Earth". Travel Slogan

 

[brucered]

Nobody can support our Gen 1 Winnipeg Jets team.

The US market is saturated and they keep putting teams in what I call Non-Hockey cities. Hot, summer sports driven. Some take off but it's usually only a matter of time before they start to have attendance dwindle and relocation talks start.

 

[mcee_sharp]

I'm surprised they lasted as long in Phoenix as they did. Begs the question, why introduce a new team (Kraken) when the yotes could have moved there? The writing was already on the wall for a loooong time at that point.

Just seat of the pants thought, but Utah is a small market, smaller for hockey, will take a lot of work to cover salaries.

 

[Barley]

I'm surprised they lasted as long in Phoenix as they did. Begs the question, why introduce a new team (Kraken) when the yotes could have moved there? The writing was already on the wall for a loooong time at that point.

Just seat of the pants thought, but Utah is a small market, will take a lot of work to cover salaries.

I think they really wanted to have a 32-team league, with two equal 16-team conferences.
Now if they'd just restore the old conference and division names.

 

[mcee_sharp]

@Barley the NHL has really made me question if I ever really truly understood the directions east and west

 

[Barley]

I think they really wanted to have a 32-team league, with two equal 16-team conferences.
Now if they'd just restore the old conference and division names.

Also, the teams love expansion. Weaker competition and a huge expansion fee that is shared by all the teams.
The player's association loves expansion, because it means more available jobs for the players.

 

[brucered]

I'm surprised they lasted as long in Phoenix as they did. Begs the question, why introduce a new team (Kraken) when the yotes could have moved there? The writing was already on the wall for a loooong time at that point.

Just seat of the pants thought, but Utah is a small market, smaller for hockey, will take a lot of work to cover salaries.

Even our Gen 2 Winnipeg Jets are hurting again. They did well for a few years and now the ticket sales are dwindling.

They are asking fans to come out and support the $8 million a year players.

For my family of 4 to go sit in a "decent" seat, park and maybe have a Coke or 7up, I am looking at well over $1500. If we want "good" seats, it would be $2500 or more. Needless to say, we don't go. We will go watch the MB Moose (minor league team) and can sit dead center, 10 rows up, for about $150 total. And to be honest, the minor league guys usually play harder as they are trying to get called up.

Spoiler

 

[mcee_sharp]

@brucered it's crazy. Same story in Calgary. I've had the opp for great seats thanks to corporate season tickets on occasion.

The AHL team's tickets are much more palatable out of pocket for sure.

 

[DesertIguana]

I live within 30 minutes of were the Coyotes play. Maybe I am wrong with my thinking. But most people in Arizona do not understand Hockey.

The Coyote never did much to educate potential fans about the game.

Couple of time I went to games the area was not close to 50% capacity.

Went the Coyotes did draw large crowd. It was people wanting to see old home town team, who now snowbirds or live in Valley of Sun.

Remember got to “Yotes Game”
One night, it was dollar beer promotion night. Yes the Beer was a buck in min 3 ounce cup. Typical bad promotion, hyping nothing.

Coyotes never were winning team in Glendale, and Hockey never caught on in Valley of Sun.

I say good ridence to to Coyotes, hope the team likes Utah.

Hope next Team to move out of Valley of Sun is NFL Football Cardinals.

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

Hockey Fans:
Any Team name suggestions?

a) Utah being the 'Beehive' state...I vote goes for the 'Utah Stingers'.

"[Utah hockey:] is what industry can do". CBJ

 

[snowman]

I knew they were leaving Arizona. I was hoping they could move to Quebec and bring back the Nordiques. Utah? Booo. I’m tired of these warm climate NHL teams.

I generally catch a couple games live each year. We have close friends that live in Winnipeg so we run up there and catch a Jets game and they visit us to watch a Wild game in St Paul. Both are great hockey towns with wonderful arenas. Several years ago we were in the Phoenix area and the Coyotes happen to be playing the Wild. It was easy to get tickets so we went to a game down there. It wasnt the same. 85 degrees in Feb. Most of the fans were snowbirds cheering for Minnesota. Soft ice. No one, including players, terribly interested in the game. Yuck. I expect Utah will be much the same.

 

[SharpieB]

That sucks but you need a big arena IMO. Especially if/when they make the playoffs.

The greater Toronto Area could easily host another team. Unfortunately The Maple Leafs and Buffalo Sabres can veto any expansion within their protected area. If they allowed it, the penalties would be in the hundreds of millions of $$$. 100 square miles IIRC. So no chance for Hamilton, Markham, Vaughan, etc.

 

[Mojo88]

I'm surprised they lasted as long in Phoenix as they did. Begs the question, why introduce a new team (Kraken) when the yotes could have moved there? The writing was already on the wall for a loooong time at that point.

Just seat of the pants thought, but Utah is a small market, smaller for hockey, will take a lot of work to cover salaries.

It’s ironic that billionaires can move a franchise and then complain it’s a small market and the teams are never competitive . It’s like having a Ferrari and saying you don’t have enough money for gas. Right now the Browns are discussing a possible move. I will guarantee they want tax breaks and public funding.

 

[SharpieB]

@brucered it's crazy. Same story in Calgary. I've had the opp for great seats thanks to corporate season tickets on occasion.

The AHL team's tickets are much more palatable out of pocket for sure.

I have a friend that has Leaf season tickets and buy a couple of sets a year for my kids for Christmas or BDays. $200-250 a seat and they are quasi-nosebleeds. Plus $10 hot dogs, $8 Cokes, $20 beers, $$$ for parking or train, etc. Crazy. OHL Oshawa Generals are $20-ish for great seats and it is good hockey.

Luckily I also get to a few Leaf games a year with work in a private box, but I really don’t get to watch the games as I am talking to customers. Sad as many families (including mine!) would kill for the opportunity to see a game in a box and most will never get to.

 

[Mojo88]

I have a friend that has Leaf season tickets and buy a couple of sets a year for my kids for Christmas or BDays. $200-250 a seat and they are quasi-nosebleeds. Plus $10 hot dogs, $8 Cokes, $20 beers, $$$ for parking or train, etc. Crazy. OHL Oshawa Generals are $20-ish for great seats and it is good hockey.

Luckily I also get to a few Leaf games a year with work in a private box, but I really don’t get to watch the games as I am talking to customers. Sad as many families (including mine!) would kill for the opportunity to see a game in a box and most will never get to.

We go to the Monsters games. The Blue Jackets are a 1000.00 day. I just can’t justify it.

 

[mcee_sharp]

It’s ironic that billionaires can move a franchise and then complain it’s a small market and the teams are never competitive . It’s like having a Ferrari and saying you don’t have enough money for gas. Right now the Browns are discussing a possible move. I will guarantee they want tax breaks and public funding.

The City of Calgary is funding ~50% of the costs for a new arena for the Flames ownership group. Tough to swallow that half billion, that will likely swell prior to it being completed.

 

[SharpieB]

We go to the Monsters games. The Blue Jackets are a 1000.00 day. I just can’t justify it.

Agreed.

it is actually cheaper for my family to drive 100 miles to Buffalo to watch the Leafs. That accounts for gas and one night in a hotel as well.

Only really expensive place I ever saw a NHL game was about 7-8 years ago in Nashville. About $80 including food (hot dogs, pretzels, popcorn, etc.) and all you can drink beer/wine. I think it was a good game.

 

[Mojo88]

Agreed.

it is actually cheaper for my family to drive 100 miles to Buffalo to watch the Leafs. That accounts for gas and one night in a hotel as well.

Only really expensive place I ever saw a NHL game was about 7-8 years ago in Nashville. About $80 including food (hot dogs, pretzels, popcorn, etc.) and all you can drink beer/wine. I think it was a good game.

Totally off topic. But my wife and I were in Nashville a few years ago and decided to see the Predator's stadium. As we were walking down the street by the stadium a huge unknown bug bit my wife. The spot where it bit her was the size of a quarter. We left and on the way home it had doubled in size, it showed no signs of slowing down and had doubled in size again. We ended up in the ER and the doctor asked her what happened. The only we could think of was that a predator had bit her. We explained the situation and he couldn’t stop laughing. Finally, he gave her a cortisone injection and it stopped spreading. When we visit Nashville she always is on the lookout for predators.

 

[Bosh Hog]

I think there are way too many teams. It takes a bit away from the game.

 

[snowman]

I enjoy the couple of games we go to a year, but I agree with all of the comments here about cost. Its absolutely absurd. On the other hand, Xcel Energy stadium in St Paul sells out just about every game no matter how the Wild are doing that year. They will miss the playoffs this year and I believe they are averaging around 19,000 fans per game. Its crazy.