And then there were three?...
by AhwatukeeCoyote on Jan 26, 2012 6:43 PM MST
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You'll probably see more on this in the daily links tomorrow, but Gary Bettman let it slip today that there is a third group now looking into purchasing the Coyotes. More on this after the jump...
As much as I dislike reporting more speculation about the Coyotes future, I came across this on the Washington Post and couldn't ignore it. In response to what must be the fifteenth billion question Gary Bettman has had to field about this franchise, the Commish said,
"There are probably three different groups that are taking a serious look at buying the Coyotes to keep them where they’re located,"
First of all, what does "probably" even mean? I don't particularly care for that little piece of ambiguity among an already ambiguous statement. Regardless, the NHL is continuing to keep discussions close to the belt. The other part of this that I thought was particularly intriguing was the reference to the City of Glendale. Going into further detail he said,
"The City of Glendale is also very much a part of the equation".
This doesn't bode well in my opinion. I don't think there's much of a need to reference the CoG unless what's going to come out of the negotiations is going to be difficult to swallow. It does however vindicate Mayor Elaine Scruggs, who has been asserting for the better part of 2-3 months that the NHL is the one who has to make the next move. Sorry to get your hopes up for very few details, but the Board of Governors is meeting this Saturday in Ottawa, with a press conference to be held with the Commissioner afterwards. How much he divulges remains to be seen, but we may finally be moving into the endgame for the ownership saga that has plagued this team for over 3 years.
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Does not change a thing imo
This is at least the 6th confirmed possible ownership group (that I am remembering) right now in the last 2 years. I don’t think this group will be any different from the last several. The fact that selling price seems to be immovable along with the fact that Glendale is not going to be able to float bonds to finance the purchase will likely kill just about any deal.
The really cynical part of me believes that the NHL is floating whatever good news they can in only to increase hope and ticket sales among the fanbase in order to minimize their losses.
I think the obstacle to the Coyotes moving is the fact that the Colisee may not be suitable and cities with a suitable arena lack any kind of ownership. Another issue may be the increasing likelihood of an impending lockout. Is any owner going to want to purchase a franchise when a lockout is coming, or only if it appears likely to not happen or end?
It would seem to me that a prospective owner for an NHL franchise would rather place a team in a location that has not seen NHL hockey after a lockout. Current NHL fans may be upset by the lockout and I would expect many teams to see an attendance decrease. This would not be an issue in a ‘new’ NHL market. How big of a pawn are the Coyotes (or expansion/moving franchises) going to be in any negotiations with the NHLPA? Or am I overestimating the importance of the CBA?
Personally, I am not expecting the Coyotes to exist in 2 years, and maybe as soon as 4 months. I feel even more negative than I did after the postseason ouster last April. I am not the only one. The hope that many STH’s in my section had in October/November has disappeared in the last 8 weeks. I used to hear ‘When we get ownership….’ when discussing the team. I now hear ‘I am going to enjoy this while it lasts, even if they are playing horribly,’ from people when others are leaving before the final horn.
I love this team. I want them to stay here. I will be at every home game the rest of this season and will try to enjoy every moment (that Derek Morris is not giving away the puck). They may be the greatest source of enjoyment and emotion I get in my very dull life. That said, I can’t bring myself to hope anymore, knowing that chances are my heart will be ripped out.
At this point, I would put no belief in a rumor that Warren Buffet were to buy the team after he appears at the arena and sings Margaritaville at intermission.
(yeah, I know. I just had to add a joke to my otherwise depressing post)
well
I really wish he would have gone a little bit further in his explanation and maybe named the third group which would imply they are serious about the bid. Until something happens though I am going to be cautiously optimistic about their future here in Phoenix.
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