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Post by Ric O. on Jan 14, 2009 22:29:02 GMT -5
Darren Dreger to talk about Failing Coyotes Frachise after either the 1st OR 2nd Period tonight on TSN. ( Ottawa VS Atlanta ) Someone might want to tape that.....Anyone else see this? What a waste of HD bandwidth! It sounded like a Bettman-approved press release. No mention of the long-term lease with the three-quarter-billion dollar penalty, no mention of the NHL being in control of economic decisions, and a lot of time spent talking about how the Blackhawks turned it around and how Phoenix could potentially do the same. They did say that current owner Moyes will likely sell out within two months, but would retain up to 20% of the team. The disaster in the desert continues... m. Usual hard-hitting journalism from Dreger. I don't know why they keep that guy. Brutal.
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Post by buffalobrian on Jan 14, 2009 22:31:13 GMT -5
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Post by dbp1990 on Jan 14, 2009 22:37:33 GMT -5
Where do you find this conversation on their page?
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Post by TheDeuce on Jan 14, 2009 22:54:15 GMT -5
Where do you find this conversation on their page? I get the following: "Wednesday: Steve Nash, Phoenix Suns guard and two-time NBA MVP; commissioner of the CFL, Mark Cohon; Globe and Mail columnist, Stephen Brunt." Nothing about the Coyotes. m.
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Post by dbp1990 on Jan 14, 2009 22:56:11 GMT -5
Same here!
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Post by TheDeuce on Jan 14, 2009 23:14:37 GMT -5
"Coyotes may be first in NHL bankruptcy stakes" By Cam Cole, Vancouver Sun January 13, 2009 Right across the street from where the Arizona Cardinals are going to play the Philadelphia Eagles in next week's NFC Final, the woeful Glendale Coyotes -- a hockey team that Wayne Gretzky deserves some kind of award for having coached into playoff contention at the NHL season's midpoint -- are in considerable danger of being the first in a series of American markets to go bankrupt. Even as the NHL pretends to be unconcerned that almost every scrap of Coyotes' assets are in hock to a New York equity-fund company, because the league believes the franchise is worth more than its debt, it may be time to question that belief. What would a bankrupt team be worth, when it can't move because it's locked into a 30-year lease in a remote arena located miles from its nearest fan, a site chosen because it was part of a real-estate speculation that failed? What is any franchise worth unless there is a buyer interested in having it, and which buyer would that be -- and in which market -- as long as Gary Bettman and his influential backers on the Board of Governors keep snubbing RIM founder Jim Balsillie because they are running scared of the Toronto Maple Leafs? You wouldn't want to swallow the oft-bandied-about figure of $30 million in annual losses since the franchise left Winnipeg, but the Desert Dogs are clearly a failing business, as are several other NHL expansion franchises. That the league has chosen, so far, to put earrings on these pigs and call them beauty queens says more about the expansion-fee pyramid scheme than it does about the health of the industry outside of Canada and the northern States. - Things are also rotten in Florida -- between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers, there is not so much as a glimmer of hope -- and Nashville, and Atlanta and ... but these are tales for another day. - The one thing I admired about the Canadian Football League's ill-fated expansion into U.S. cities was that when it was time to admit defeat, the CFL said: "Okay, we gave it a shot, and it didn't take." Nobody died as a result, unless you count Larry Smith's commissionership, and the CFL survived for a while on the original cash influx, and then sanity returned and it went back to being a Canadian league. But that can't happen in the NHL because Bettman is seen as the architect of '90s expansion, and its fate and his are inextricably linked. Of course, the commissioner is also seen as having gained the eternal gratitude of the governors for winning the war with the players over a salary cap. And that's sure how it looked at the time. Except a closer examination of the cap reveals that, that like the system that preceded it, it has only worked well for the wealthiest clubs. Teams that were struggling to meet $20 million payrolls are now forced, because of the salary "floor" that's included in the CBA, to pay double that in salaries. - Which makes you wonder: what was the reason, again, that the small-market teams went to war, if the terms of peace were worse? - It makes you wonder, too, about all those fans who write emails urging the NHL to go back to Winnipeg and Quebec City, now that teams are proving to be flops in several U.S. markets. The truth? Quebec and Winnipeg couldn't afford to be in a league that now mandates a minimum $40 million payroll. Geez, he was doing so well until that last point. m. www.vancouversun.com/sports/hockey/vancouver-canucks/Coyotes+first+bankruptcy+stakes/1171615/story.html
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Post by Ric O. on Jan 14, 2009 23:26:06 GMT -5
Sounds like a job for Mythbusters!
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Post by wagner3 on Jan 15, 2009 0:15:36 GMT -5
a Dreger article: The Phoenix Coyotes believe Arizona is a strong hockey market and are convinced this NHL team isn't going anywhere.
However, the Coyotes are in a deep financial crisis, propped up by the National Hockey League with short-term financing protection and operating loans helping Phoenix manage cash flow to sustain their business for the remainder of the season.
It's unclear how long the league will continue to carry this team, although league sources say contraction or a dispersal draft haven't been discussed or considered.
Sources say the team is expected to be sold within the next two months with current owner Jerry Moyes retaining as much as 20 percent.
One of the many issues the Coyotes face is its agreement with the city of Glendale, which controls most of the revenue generated at Jobing.com Arena. It's an agreement that team executives have been negotiating to change for months.
The Coyotes receive nothing for parking and pay the city a percentage of every game ticket sold.
The average ticket price in Phoenix is about $34, the second lowest in the NHL and far below the league average of nearly $57.
The short-term expectation for the Coyotes is to minimize expenses and inch towards break-even. Lofty goals, considering the Coyotes will lose more than $30 million dollars this season, for a fourth straight year.
There are no further plans for layoffs and both the team and the league believe this franchise has the capacity to improve financially with a new lease, a playoff drive, and enhanced corporate support.
Hope for the franchise comes from the recent success of other teams, such as the Chicago Blackhawks, who one year ago had a dismal season ticket base of 3,500. The revitalized Hawks now boast over 14,000 season ticket holders.
Granted, Chicago is a traditional and much larger hockey market, however the Blackhawks are proof a quick turnaround is possible in the NHL.
The survival of the Coyotes may depend on it.www.tsn.ca/columnists/darren_dreger/?id=263200
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Post by TheDeuce on Jan 15, 2009 1:10:47 GMT -5
a Dreger article: The Phoenix Coyotes believe Arizona is a strong hockey market and are convinced this NHL team isn't going anywhere.
However, the Coyotes are in a deep financial crisis, propped up by the National Hockey League with short-term financing protection and operating loans helping Phoenix manage cash flow to sustain their business for the remainder of the season.
It's unclear how long the league will continue to carry this team, although league sources say contraction or a dispersal draft haven't been discussed or considered.
Sources say the team is expected to be sold within the next two months with current owner Jerry Moyes retaining as much as 20 percent.
One of the many issues the Coyotes face is its agreement with the city of Glendale, which controls most of the revenue generated at Jobing.com Arena. It's an agreement that team executives have been negotiating to change for months.
The Coyotes receive nothing for parking and pay the city a percentage of every game ticket sold.
The average ticket price in Phoenix is about $34, the second lowest in the NHL and far below the league average of nearly $57.
The short-term expectation for the Coyotes is to minimize expenses and inch towards break-even. Lofty goals, considering the Coyotes will lose more than $30 million dollars this season, for a fourth straight year.
There are no further plans for layoffs and both the team and the league believe this franchise has the capacity to improve financially with a new lease, a playoff drive, and enhanced corporate support.
Hope for the franchise comes from the recent success of other teams, such as the Chicago Blackhawks, who one year ago had a dismal season ticket base of 3,500. The revitalized Hawks now boast over 14,000 season ticket holders.
Granted, Chicago is a traditional and much larger hockey market, however the Blackhawks are proof a quick turnaround is possible in the NHL.
The survival of the Coyotes may depend on it.www.tsn.ca/columnists/darren_dreger/?id=263200That's verbatim what he said during his second intermission diatribe during today's Ottawa-Atlanta game. m.
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sharksphan
Veteran Member
No, I'm not a transplanted Canadian... I just play one on TV
Posts: 112
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Post by sharksphan on Jan 15, 2009 2:46:32 GMT -5
There are no further plans for layoffs and both the team and the league believe this franchise has the capacity to improve financially with a new lease, a playoff drive, and enhanced corporate support. And where is this "new lease" coming from? Why on earth would anyone other than the Coyotes be interested in renegotiating the lease? From what I read, everyone else involved has a pretty sweet deal. Hope for the franchise comes from the recent success of other teams, such as the Chicago Blackhawks, who one year ago had a dismal season ticket base of 3,500. The revitalized Hawks now boast over 14,000 season ticket holders. Granted, Chicago is a traditional and much larger hockey market, however the Blackhawks are proof a quick turnaround is possible in the NHL. Proof that an NHL team can turn around quickly if its iron-fisted owner dies and his extremely unpopular, anti-fan policies (i.e. local tv blackouts, etc.) lapse. I very much doubt that Phoenix is in the position to assassinate its owner and experience a Chicago-like turnaround.
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Post by djk on Jan 15, 2009 8:38:43 GMT -5
Absolutely useless information from one of TSN's proclaimed 'insiders'. The notion that Phoenix could experience a Chicago-like turnaround is pretty ludicrous to me. Making the playoffs will be a short term salve for them. It will not fix their long term problems.
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Post by Charon2000 on Jan 15, 2009 11:47:17 GMT -5
Unless Dreger thinks they can airlift Jobing.com arena to the east of Phoenix, there will be no turnaround.
And even then...
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Post by dbp1990 on Jan 15, 2009 11:49:44 GMT -5
Scott Taylor on 92 CITI this morning talked about the Yotes financial situation again. But this time said that the NHL is "quietly" talking about possible cities for Phoenix to re-locate to. And yes, one of those cities is obviously the place where they first came from: WINNIPEG! Anyone else hear this?
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Post by pbonomo on Jan 15, 2009 13:07:23 GMT -5
Sounds like a job for Mythbusters! Chris commented on the article this morning: (I cleaned it up for readability -- the comments on the site were all bunched together...)
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Post by NewJets on Jan 15, 2009 13:35:07 GMT -5
Scott Taylor on 92 CITI this morning talked about the Yotes financial situation again. But this time said that the NHL is "quietly" talking about possible cities for Phoenix to re-locate to. And yes, one of those cities is obviously the place where they first came from: WINNIPEG! Anyone else hear this? Taylor mentioned it twice on 92 this morning (7:15 and at around 7:34 am). He also mentioned that Jerry Buckhiemer is said not go anywhere near an NHL team and bring it to Las Vegas. So scratch Vegas off the list. Kansas City was mentioned, but not sure if they are being eyed as favorites for Phx re-location. What does that leave?? Well, Southern Ontario, Wpg and to a lesser extent, Quebec.
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Post by NewJets on Jan 15, 2009 13:38:07 GMT -5
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Post by subwayscoundrel on Jan 15, 2009 13:39:49 GMT -5
There are no further plans for layoffs and both the team and the league believe this franchise has the capacity to improve financially with a new lease, a playoff drive, and enhanced corporate support. And where is this "new lease" coming from? Why on earth would anyone other than the Coyotes be interested in renegotiating the lease? From what I read, everyone else involved has a pretty sweet deal. In this case, the city of Glendale has a lot to loose. Which is better, have a bankrupt team that does not use the arena that they basically own, along with a huge development around it that drives a lot of tax revenue? Or loosen up on some of the lease issues to give the team some breathing room (not much) and see if a playoff run helps. I say the city comes to the table. With the arena a big part of what is Westgate, a huge tax base for Glendale that is half built with farmland across the street prime for expensive development, I say they come to the table to deal. Just my humble opinion.
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Post by TheDeuce on Jan 15, 2009 13:54:54 GMT -5
Same link, further down (Jan 8th): 7:15 NHL REPORT Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Hockey League Report. Brought to you by MAACO Collision and Auto Painting at 983 Wall Street. Got an interesting telephone call from a friend in Phoenix last night. Apparently, Phoenix Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes has opened talks with Glendale arena management to renegotiate the lease to provide more revenue opportunities (keeping parking, concessions, beer sales etc.) to make the team financially viable. How familiar does that sound? That’s exactly what Barry Shenkarow wanted to do in Winnipeg. Of course the familiarity stops there. The Coyotes will lose at least $40 million this season. That’s about $34 million more than the losses in Winnipeg in 1996. Is that true? Were the Jets, in their darkest days, only losing $6 million versus $30+ million in the desert? m.
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Post by NewJets on Jan 15, 2009 14:13:04 GMT -5
Same link, further down (Jan 8th): 7:15 NHL REPORT Hi everybody, it’s the Coach Scott Taylor and it’s time now for the 92-CITI-FM National Hockey League Report. Brought to you by MAACO Collision and Auto Painting at 983 Wall Street. Got an interesting telephone call from a friend in Phoenix last night. Apparently, Phoenix Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes has opened talks with Glendale arena management to renegotiate the lease to provide more revenue opportunities (keeping parking, concessions, beer sales etc.) to make the team financially viable. How familiar does that sound? That’s exactly what Barry Shenkarow wanted to do in Winnipeg. Of course the familiarity stops there. The Coyotes will lose at least $40 million this season. That’s about $34 million more than the losses in Winnipeg in 1996. Is that true? Were the Jets, in their darkest days, only losing $6 million versus $30+ million in the desert? m. Yes, pretty much. Steven Glukstern (one-half of the guys who purchased the Jets from Barry in '96 to bring them to Phx) actually commented not too long ago that he would be losing less money had he left the franchise in Wpg then in Phoenix. Glukstern, as we know, sold the Yotes to Jerry Moyes.
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Post by NewJets on Jan 15, 2009 14:18:17 GMT -5
Phoenix's financial problems is ironically and hauntingly similar to what was going on with the Jets in 1994-95.
Phoenix Coyotes owner Jerry Moyes is talking with Glendale arena management to renegotiate the lease to provide more revenue opportunities (keeping parking, concessions, beer sales etc.) to make the team financially viable.
You can substitute "Jerry Moyes" and "Glendale arena management" with "Barry Shenkrow" and "Winnipeg Enterprises" (circa 1995).
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