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Arizona Coyotes moving to Salt Lake CIty
- Thread starter DarrenVision
- Start date
What is the Roadrunners future in Arizona?
Alex Meruelo will maintain ownership of the Tucson Roadrunners after the sale of the Coyotes to Ryan Smith, with the Roadrunners continuing to serve as the
gophnx.com
Either stay or move to Mullet Arena, the other question is will he can afford to bid for the North Phoenix land near Scottsdale?What is the Roadrunners future in Arizona?
Alex Meruelo will maintain ownership of the Tucson Roadrunners after the sale of the Coyotes to Ryan Smith, with the Roadrunners continuing to serve as the
He's a billionaire. He can afford to buy the land and build an arena and surrounding infrastructure. Assuming he's not outbid, of course. Then, all bets are off.
ABC15's take on what we know about the Coyotes move to Utah so far.
The sale to Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith is expected to be approved by the NHL Board of Governors tomorrow. RIP, Arizona Coyotes (1996-2024). 
arizonasports.com
Arizona Coyotes sale to Ryan Smith expected to be approved
The sale of the Arizona Coyotes to Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith was agreed to Thursday pending approval from the Board of Governors Thursday.
arizonasports.com
It's now official. The Arizona Coyotes franchise is temporarily (we hope) defunct, and its hockey team (players, coaches, etc.) is officially based in Salt Lake City. Name to be determined.
Alex Meruelo keeps the Coyotes name and trademarks, the minor league Tucson Roadrunners, and $1B ($200M of the sale price is the relocation fee that the NHL distributes to the other teams). The Roadrunners may be moved to Tempe, but nothing is official yet. He has 5 years to buy land and build an arena somewhere, in order to keep the rights to an expansion team.
arizonasports.com
Alex Meruelo keeps the Coyotes name and trademarks, the minor league Tucson Roadrunners, and $1B ($200M of the sale price is the relocation fee that the NHL distributes to the other teams). The Roadrunners may be moved to Tempe, but nothing is official yet. He has 5 years to buy land and build an arena somewhere, in order to keep the rights to an expansion team.
Coyotes will move from Arizona to Utah with sale to Jazz owner
The Arizona Coyotes officially announced the franchise was sold to Jazz owner Ryan Smith and will relocate to Salt Lake City, Utah.
arizonasports.com
The big date towards this possibility of the NHL returning is June 27th, that's when the land auction for the space where the possible new NHL arena will be in North Phoenix near Scottsdale will takes place. In regards to ramifications in the interim for TV in regards to local NHL coverage of possibly neighboring teams (Vegas perhaps, maybe L.A. & Anaheim or even the Utah franchise?), it'll be interesting to see what we end up getting.It's now official. The Arizona Coyotes franchise is temporarily (we hope) defunct, and its hockey team (players, coaches, etc.) is officially based in Salt Lake City. Name to be determined.
Alex Meruelo keeps the Coyotes name and trademarks, the minor league Tucson Roadrunners, and $1B ($200M of the sale price is the relocation fee that the NHL distributes to the other teams). The Roadrunners may be moved to Tempe, but nothing is official yet. He has 5 years to buy land and build an arena somewhere, in order to keep the rights to an expansion team.
Coyotes will move from Arizona to Utah with sale to Jazz owner
The Arizona Coyotes officially announced the franchise was sold to Jazz owner Ryan Smith and will relocate to Salt Lake City, Utah.
Vegas or the new Utah Coyotes or even both for KASW perhaps?
Broader perspective here: NHL board approves relocation of Arizona Coyotes to Utah
Condolences to Arizona hockey fans, though the Coyotes were, from a business perspective, a total gong show over the last 28 years. I have a family member who worked for them for a year, and left because of all the uncertainty surrounding the franchise. Oh, and that was almost 15 years ago.😣😖
Unclear whether the Utah team will be considered a continuation of the 52 year old franchise, or something new, as in the Cleveland Browns/Baltimore Ravens situation.
I’m in Houston where our AHL Aeros got run out of town by the NBA Rockets in 2013, and the #6 TV market has had no hockey at any level since then. I feel the pain of Arizona hockey fans, though I do go to see the NHL Dallas Stars and AHL Texas Stars several times each season.
I did watch the entire KASW/Scripps Sports broadcast of the Coyotes final game last night via ESPN+. A lot of emotion from both the broadcast staff and fans.
Condolences to Arizona hockey fans, though the Coyotes were, from a business perspective, a total gong show over the last 28 years. I have a family member who worked for them for a year, and left because of all the uncertainty surrounding the franchise. Oh, and that was almost 15 years ago.😣😖
Unclear whether the Utah team will be considered a continuation of the 52 year old franchise, or something new, as in the Cleveland Browns/Baltimore Ravens situation.
I’m in Houston where our AHL Aeros got run out of town by the NBA Rockets in 2013, and the #6 TV market has had no hockey at any level since then. I feel the pain of Arizona hockey fans, though I do go to see the NHL Dallas Stars and AHL Texas Stars several times each season.
I did watch the entire KASW/Scripps Sports broadcast of the Coyotes final game last night via ESPN+. A lot of emotion from both the broadcast staff and fans.
The team name/trademarks wasn't included in the sale. It can't be the Utah Coyotes.
If 32 is the maximum amount right now for both NFL and NHL, I think the silver lining that Phoenix might fill the void might looking at potential expansion team for MLS, NWSL or even the UFL.
Strong speculation that the NHL will go to 34 teams via expansion, eventually going to 36. Although the NHL has 32 teams, only 25 are in the U.S., fewer than the other major sports leagues.
Atlanta and Houston are the most frequently mentioned cities for expansion. Arizona 2.0 is in the mix. Portland and San Diego are future possibilities.
Kansas City, Quebec CIty, 2nd Toronto team, Hamilton, Milwaukee?
KC has a nice arena with no tenants. The Scouts failure was a long time ago. Somewhat risky but not out of the question.
Beautiful newish arena, passionate fanbase, but small market. Would be great for French language media in Canada. Would it suffer from the same issues that forced the Nordiques out of town?
Would be a huge financial success but the Maple Leafs ownership group—a partnership between two massive Canadian communications conglomerates (Rogers and Bell) probably won’t ever allow it.
Territorial issues with the Sabres and Maple Leafs, though I would think a team would be successful.
Minor league hockey has been there forever. Might have opposition from the Blackhawks.
Quebecor has 2 TVA Sports channels and probably might launched a third assuming if they don't battle with BCE carrying a new channel on Bell TV/Bell Fibe/Bell Alt Fibe/Virgin Plus TV which competes with Quebecor's Videotron, KC might use Patrick Mahomes, Houston Rockets owner would've bid for the team, Portland might use Moda Center or the current Lloyd Center site, the site of the Pechanga Area in San Diego might be the right solution. I admit as a San Diegan myself living here, I do want a NBA, WNBA and a UFL team there too but I'm not sure if Snapdragon Stadium will fit a new NFL team to offset the lost of the Chargers.
It appears the Utah NHL team is considered an expansion franchise, with the existing Coyotes franchise going dormant. If no new NHL team is awarded to Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo in the next five years the franchise will be cancelled.
Essentially the same arrangement with the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens in the 1990s.
Also means only three former WHA teams are now still active in the NHL.
Edit to add: The last two NHL franchises taken inactive were the Montreal Maroons in 1938 and the New York Americans in 1942. Neither ever returned and were eventually cancelled. The Seals/Barons franchise was immediately cancelled after the merger with the Minnesota North Stars in 1978.
Essentially the same arrangement with the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens in the 1990s.
Also means only three former WHA teams are now still active in the NHL.
Edit to add: The last two NHL franchises taken inactive were the Montreal Maroons in 1938 and the New York Americans in 1942. Neither ever returned and were eventually cancelled. The Seals/Barons franchise was immediately cancelled after the merger with the Minnesota North Stars in 1978.
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When the New Orleans Jazz moved to Salt Lake City they kept the name JAZZ. I never understood that one. Utah isn't exactly a mecca for Jazz musicians.
The Coyotes were the Winnipeg Jets. Why not swap back with Winnipeg? The Atlanta Thrashers (now the Jets) could become the Utah team. Phoenix gets an expansion franchise (Coyotes). Hartford and Quebec City still need reparations for the Whalers & Nordiques. The Minnesota North Stars left for Dallas, and Minneapolis later got the Wild franchise. Many NHL cities have lost teams only to acquire another. Maybe Utah will go with "Salt Flats" as the new name...😑
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