Phoenix or Hamilton Coyotes?

Should the NHL & the City of Glendale block the sale of the Phoenix Coyotes keeping them in Arizona?

Billionaire & Blackberry RIMM co-CEO Jim Balsillie wants to buy the team & move them to Hamilton Ontario. He's been blocked before from buying the pens & predators.

The last time I saw a game in Phoenix, I was able to get ice level tickets, park within minutes of the arena, & the stands were barely full. Maybe thats changed? I did like the live band playing outside & not having to bundle up like an eskimo

Coyotes Head Coach & managing partner Wayne Gretzey thinks the team will do well in the Canadien market, (um, duh, no offense).
Balsillie already has commitments for 1500 season ticket holders if the sale is approved.

Hockey fans or not - Whadda you think? Stay or drop the gloves & let em go?

 

I've been following this as well Jude,interesting to see what happens.This is Balsillie's third attempt at purchasing and relocating an NHL franchise to Southern Ontario.In both instances prior,the City of Hamilton was specifically named,but in this case it was simply "An unserved market"......With the success of the Leafs,Sabers and Sens I'm not sure of how much of the market is unserved but anywho.....

Bettman seems to want to keep the organization in AZ,but a team facing bancruptcy being offered $212 Million I don't know.I know that Gretzky is a competitor and wants to win,but it begs to ask....Does he go with the team?Another huge issue is that of legalities-Leases,contracts etc.You can be assured a lot of lawyers are going to get fat off of this one.

A seventh club in Canada would be good for Hockey for sure,but as far as the "small market US teams" not doing well,the game I'm watching right now from Carolina would argue with that.(Go Bruins btw).

Another spin-off positive about one more Canadian team would be yet another club to despise the Habs.

 

I have been reading about this on a few Canadian based websites and I am not far off saying 100% of us hate Gary Buttman with a passion and think he's a complete idiot. I'm interested to see what Americans think about him.
Here are some numbers: Phoenix has lost $100 million in the last 3 years. In the last 8 years they have lost $200 million. Attendence is unimpressive. Does it sound like a good idea to keep this ice hockey team in the middle of the desert?
Yesterday he was quoted as saying "We (the NHL) don't run out on our cities". I guess he adapted that policy after teams in Winnipeg, Minnesota, Quebec City and Hartford moved down south.
The only thing this guy has on his agenda is force feeding a product to people who have no interest or need for it (hey maybe he should be running Chrysler) Clearly making money is not an issue for him if he wants to keep the team in Phoenix.
I'm looking forward to him presenting the Stanley Cup, as every time he has walked onto the ice to do that the past 15 years he has been booed no matter what the city.

 

Hockey?? Whats that

 

Spot on Marc & yes Carolina's Market does do well. I am sure Phoenix's market did a little better when they were winning & didn't play in the Suns old basketball arena but maybe they moved out of that place? All I remember is empty seats because you couldn't see, lots of empty seats. Anybody know if its the same arena?

The NHL has invested some money in the franchise now they are trying to save face. Agree, whenever I see him on TV, he gets muted on our TV or we clickerize him. I was bummed when all those teams left, especially Hartford. Still got some good farm teams in the area. Honestly, we all the sport opportunities in the US, hockey is not its top tier. I mean I have trouble finding its link tab on ESPN. I am sorry for any jobs lost in the Phoenix area if they do move.

Chris, I noticed that.

When my friend said he was getting tickets the day of the game I was like what? Then, when we parked in the near empty garage across the street I was like what? When he showed me the tickets we ice level seats I was like "dude I so love you right now "

Neon, of course, the food is typical stadium nachos, pretzels etc., not a original receipe on the menu.
The vendors could use an adaptation of bacon explosion or better bbq receipes.

 

Great point BH!.........What do you guys think about the theory that guys don't want to play for Canadian teams because they get paid in Canadian money as opposed to US funds?When you're making $26 Jillion a year like some the exchange doesn't really matter,but when you're a journeyman NHL player(like most are),does it play in?