Coyotes Announce Plans for New Arena (Phoenix, Glendale: law, horse, friendly)

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by azriverfan.

Vast majority of fans are transplants. Natives didn't grow up around the game. Seemingly the only natives that are into hockey are the kids of transplants. Even if they have a "home" team, they still support the Coyotes until they play their home team.

The roadrunners? We natives had hockey before NHL. And at one point the Coyotes sold tickets.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

The roadrunners? We natives had hockey before NHL. And at one point the Coyotes sold tickets.

We used to go to RR games with people from work. RRs were cheaper, better promoted, and much more fun than Coyote games. The location was much better too, at least for where I was working. Being young and kidless was probably the biggest factor, though.

[Bondurant]

Originally Posted by ElleTea

The Blackhawks are a draw for anyone anywhere, regardless of where you are from because THEY WIN!

The Coyotes need to take a lesson.

This is a recent phenomenon. There was a time within the past 15 years when the United Center had more visiting fans when Detroit and St. Louis came to town and they did not always have success in drawing here.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by JGMotorsport64

The roadrunners? We natives had hockey before NHL. And at one point the Coyotes sold tickets.

You are comparing the roadrunners to an NHL team? A lot of small cities including Oklahoma City have had a minor league hockey team for over 20 years. That doesn't mean hockey was a part of the Oklahoma lexicon. Hockey didn't really become embraced by the community until the Coyotes arrived. I was around when the RR were here. The RR were a novelty on the same level as the Rattlers...hardly the same. When the Coyotes arrived, it took it to another level. More ice arenas were built. Both high school and recreational leagues started to emerge.

[phoenixmike11]

well in related news- Suns ownership says it prefers to renovate Talking Stick than to build a new joint arena with the Coyotes (although I guess this position might change)

Suns owner: We want to stay put in renovated NBA-only arena, or else … something | Field of Schemes

Phoenix Suns' Robert Sarver says Coyotes-Suns shared site 'highly unlikely'

[locolife]

Originally Posted by phoenixmike11

well in related news- Suns ownership says it prefers to renovate Talking Stick than to build a new joint arena with the Coyotes (although I guess this position might change)

Suns owner: We want to stay put in renovated NBA-only arena, or else … something | Field of Schemes

Phoenix Suns' Robert Sarver says Coyotes-Suns shared site 'highly unlikely'

I'm glad to hear they've got a dose of reality, a new stadium would've been a long shot.

[Finger Laker]

Originally Posted by JohnSoCal

The Coyotes shared the same arena as the Suns until 2003. Why don't they still share it? Sharing the same arena is pretty common.

The location of the arena has been talked to death on this thread. I think a West Valley location is absurd. One thing that people haven't said regarding this issue is the demographics. The East Valley is more affluent meaning more people can afford to attend the games.

When I lived in Phoenix, hockey was fairly popular. I played amateur hockey there.

My wife and I go to the Ducks and Kings games a lot. When we lived in San Jose, we went to the Sharks games. It may seem strange but I am a fan of all the 3 teams. I am more a fan of the game itself than a team worshipper.

The shared arena was awful fur hockey. Aside from the financial issues off being a guest, it was just bad. Capacity was low, many seats were restricted view where in the upper level you couldn't see a goal

The NHL has done a terrible job with stewardship. Combine that with 1 season where they actually won a playoff series and many more in the basement, a lockout, an economic crash, bad/unstable ownership - a whole lot to overcome to be a draw

[Ztonyg]

Originally Posted by Finger Laker

The shared arena was awful fur hockey. Aside from the financial issues off being a guest, it was just bad. Capacity was low, many seats were restricted view where in the upper level you couldn't see a goal

The NHL has done a terrible job with stewardship. Combine that with 1 season where they actually won a playoff series and many more in the basement, a lockout, an economic crash, bad/unstable ownership - a whole lot to overcome to be a draw

The best thing for everyone involved (except for hockey fans in the Valley) is for the Coyotes to move somewhere else and for the Suns to renovate the downtown arena.

A new arena for hockey (without the Suns) is going to be a colossal waste of money with no guarantee of success. Even if a new arena is built, there's still a chance that the team will still be on shaky ground financially and may still skip town in 10 years (and then over the course of 25 years we'll have built 2 arenas for them with no team).

The arena in Glendale could have a 2nd life as a mixture of a Main Event type place or an amateur sports facility (see what is happening to the Kemper Arena in Kansas City as an example):

Mosaic Arena |

[JGMotorsport64]

Originally Posted by Ztonyg

The best thing for everyone involved (except for hockey fans in the Valley) is for the Coyotes to move somewhere else and for the Suns to renovate the downtown arena.

A new arena for hockey (without the Suns) is going to be a colossal waste of money with no guarantee of success. Even if a new arena is built, there's still a chance that the team will still be on shaky ground financially and may still skip town in 10 years (and then over the course of 25 years we'll have built 2 arenas for them with no team).

The arena in Glendale could have a 2nd life as a mixture of a Main Event type place or an amateur sports facility (see what is happening to the Kemper Arena in Kansas City as an example):

Mosaic Arena |

The only option IMO should be that the Coyotes work out a partnership with ASU or the Suns and build in either Tempe or Phoenix or just leave.

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by Ztonyg

The best thing for everyone involved (except for hockey fans in the Valley) is for the Coyotes to move somewhere else and for the Suns to renovate the downtown arena.

A new arena for hockey (without the Suns) is going to be a colossal waste of money with no guarantee of success. Even if a new arena is built, there's still a chance that the team will still be on shaky ground financially and may still skip town in 10 years (and then over the course of 25 years we'll have built 2 arenas for them with no team).

The arena in Glendale could have a 2nd life as a mixture of a Main Event type place or an amateur sports facility (see what is happening to the Kemper Arena in Kansas City as an example):

Mosaic Arena |

That's why a stadium has to be in the east valley. The team is going to be bad for the next 3-4 years. People won't drive to downtown for the same reasons they won't drive to Glendale. The overwhelming majority of fans are in the east valley. If the team is in the east valley, they will still watch games even if the team is bad because of proximity. But move that stadium to downtown and those same east valley fans will just stay home because it's not worth sitting in traffic to watch a game. My guess is they will work out a deal with the tribes in Scottsdale.