The Bad, The Worse and the Ugly – Potential Buyers Surface for Phoenix Coyotes

Seats that need to be filled - Photo by Sharon Murphy

Cue the Clint Eastwood duel scene music because the financial situation with the Coyotes just gets scarier and scarier.

The Bad – The team got bailed out of bankruptcy by the NHL who is now in control and looking for a buyer. Despite Gary Bettman’s grandiose statements, nobody in Arizona (or anywhere else for that matter) believes there are as many interested buyers in the team as he claims. As hard as it is to face, the team has lost millions over the years and average fan attendance is in the range of about 5000 (minus the sellout opener and some nights with the Red Wings and Blackhawks)

The Worse – The interested Ice Edge Holdings group (who have been sniffing around the Yotes all summer) want to buy the team and “keep them here” but still want the team to play a “few” select games in Saskatoon. These games are like potato chips to Canadians..you can’t have just one. I forsee the games being a major success and the group then filling a Uhaul with equipment and fleeing across the border.

The Ugly – Two new potential buyers are being reported. One being the Canadian (again) group that owns the Toronto Argonauts. This is interesting in the fact that by all reports the Argonauts are a losing franchise and the group would have to sell them before making their bid on the Coyotes. How soon do you really think that is going happen?

And now a Montreal (are we seeing a pattern here?) businessman named Scott Stotland and his investors want to throw their hats in to the ring. According to the few reports out on this, he was also involved in the possible purchase of the Montreal Canadiens earlier this year.

The word is that the NHL is not interested in selling the team to anyone who won’t keep the team in Glendale. Even with my limited knowledge of sports business I know that no one in their right mind is going to commit to keeping a team in Arizona forever if the financials don’t work out.

And the sad part is we have a great product here. The team is looking sharper than it has in years under the direction of the new coach Dave Tippett and is winning games. Jobing.com is a great hockey arena and adjacent are shops, restaurants and bars making it a great entertainment spot.

Fan support and backing has been cited as the main reason the team keeps losing money. With attendance the worst in the NHL this quarter that could be a by product of not making the playoffs for the last, oh 7 years? The location of the arena has been also blamed for the lack of fan support.

I suggest that The Phoenix Coyotes suffer from a different lack of support..the local media. Instead of championing one of their home town teams the local news has opted to do one of two things…ignore the Coyotes or make fun of them. The only time I’ve heard mention of the team has been to talk about the bankruptcy or the financial troubles. Scores are never mentioned on mainstream radio (although you find Cardinals or Suns or Diamondback scores) The NHL has been scrambling to find ways to get fans into the arena and local media could have somewhat of an effect. If a casual or non-fan hears that the Coyotes won again last night or their impressive record or how the great promotional ticket prices are, it might just spark some interest.

Sandstorm ticket prices of select lower level seats at $25, Coyotes Express shuttle from the East Valley for $30 (including ticket, We Win, You Win game nights and various promotional days, the team is finding interesting ways to draw fans.

Let’s hope it works!