Headlines

  • Flyers To Re-Sign Cam York To Five-Year Contract
  • Sabres, Mammoth Elect Salary Arbitration With Bowen Byram, Jack McBain
  • Players Still Eligible For Offer Sheets
  • Eleven Players Elect Salary Arbitration
  • Lyndon Byers Passes Away At 61
  • Blue Jackets Re-Sign Dmitri Voronkov
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • MLB Trade Rumors
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors

Pro Hockey Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • Atlantic
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Central
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Dallas Stars
      • Minnesota Wild
      • Nashville Predators
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Utah Mammoth
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • Metropolitan
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Pacific
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Partners
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Gary Bettman Says Coyotes “Cannot And Will Not” Stay In Glendale

March 8, 2017 at 10:04 am CDT | by Gavin Lee 10 Comments

While the Arizona legislature debates and then votes on Bill 1149, which would see public funding for a new arena for the Arizona Coyotes, Gary Bettman sent a strong letter telling the law makers that the team is not financially viable in their current Glendale location. The letter, published by KTAR News in Arizona, details the struggles the league and private ownership have had over the past fifteen years in trying to make the Coyotes work, and gives an ultimatum about their future.

For the past 15 years, a succession of ownership groups and the League have tried everything imaginable to make the Glendale location financially sustainable. Our combined efforts have all yielded the same result—a consistent economic loss. The simple truth? The Arizona Coyotes must have a new arena location to succeed. The Coyotes cannot and will not remain in Glendale.

Bettman goes on to site a study (Elliot D. Pollack & Company) that posits a new arena in downtown Phoenix or the East Valley would create over 2,500 jobs and have an impact of $600MM. Before closing his letter by outlining where exactly the new arena should be built, Bettman does include a sort of veiled-threat about the future of the Coyotes in Arizona at all.

While the Coyotes ownership has consistently promised to explore every possible option to keep the franchise in Arizona, no business can afford to be in financial and marketing limbo.

As the commissioner says, the Coyotes have long needed a new home closer to their fans and the city core. The bill as it currently stands would provide at least $225MM of public funding towards the expected cost of $395MM for a new arena, and would instantly make the Coyotes a more viable option for investors. Unfortunately the bill looks like it will not pass, as Craig Harris of AZCentral reports.

If it doesn’t go through, it doesn’t yet mean the end of the Coyotes in Arizona but it does deal them a vicious blow. With the commissioner coming out so candidly against staying in Glendale, if there is no private investor that comes to their rescue they may end up moving elsewhere. Though relocation rumors have been shot down as quickly as they’ve popped up over the past year, losing another court battle would likely spark them up again. As Harris reports, Bettman was the one who fought to keep the Coyotes in Glendale in 2009 when there was a bid to move them to Ontario—he said at the time that the right owner could make it work in the Phoenix suburb.

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email

Utah Mammoth Gary Bettman

Morning Notes: Concussion Protocol, Tynan, AHL
Main
Day Three Decisions From The GM Meetings
View Comments (10)

Comments

  1. Brew city 13

    8 years ago

    Move them to Milwaukee for 2018/19. New arena opening in downtown Milwaukee. Move Carolina to Québec City, and let Portland and Seattle battle for 32nd team. That creates 4- 8 team Divisions.

    Reply
    • acarneglia

      8 years ago

      That’s a really good idea actually. I wanna keep the Canes in Raleigh though, or move them to Charlotte, so I can see them play the Rangers twice a year.

      Reply
    • Hannibal8us

      8 years ago

      I’ve always thought it was a travesty that Milwaukee didn’t have a pro hockey team. They support the Admirals better that AZ supports the Coyotes.

      Reply
    • staypuft

      8 years ago

      I like it

      Reply
  2. bobcavic

    8 years ago

    Bettman is the problem. He insisted on making the NHL a national sport rather than a regional one, where it was very successful. His insistence on pulling teams from Quebec, Minnesota, Hartford, Winnepeg and relocating some to warm weather climates and awarding expansion teams to small, unproven markets caused the leagues decline.

    Accept your blame, Bettman. You can’t stick a team in AZ and blame them for not drawing.

    As far as I’m concerned (with very few exceptions): If you don’t get snow, you don’t get NHL Hockey.

    Reply
    • KCelts

      8 years ago

      I wouldn’t really say it’s the sole cause of the decline, but when you put it that way, it makes a lot of sense as to why the NHL has been on the decline.

      Reply
    • StillMadAboutGame6

      8 years ago

      Well, the Stars have done pretty well sense leaving and Minnesota got a new team shortly after the stars left, Atlanta was never going to work because it’s Atlanta, Winnepeg has a tram, and it looks like Quebec and Seattle will be getting expansion teams soon.

      Reply
  3. Jay 20

    8 years ago

    They really need the #1 pick for a few years.

    Reply
  4. Jimmykinglive

    8 years ago

    Austan Matthews is from Arizona, just saying moving to a different part of the country has expanded opportunities for youth hockey

    Reply
  5. James 19

    8 years ago

    I think Kansas City Missouri would be a great place to move the team.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

    Top Stories

    Flyers To Re-Sign Cam York To Five-Year Contract

    Sabres, Mammoth Elect Salary Arbitration With Bowen Byram, Jack McBain

    Players Still Eligible For Offer Sheets

    Eleven Players Elect Salary Arbitration

    Lyndon Byers Passes Away At 61

    Blue Jackets Re-Sign Dmitri Voronkov

    Mammoth Begin Extension Talks With Logan Cooley

    Blues Pushing For Bowen Byram Trade

    Hurricanes Sign Nikolaj Ehlers To Six-Year Deal

    Sharks Sign Dmitry Orlov, Claim Nick Leddy

    Recent

    Flyers To Re-Sign Cam York To Five-Year Contract

    Submit Your Questions For The #PHRMailbag

    Five Key Stories: 6/30/25 – 7/6/25

    West Notes: Zellweger, Mintyukov, Suchanek, Canucks, Ritchie

    Blues Re-Sign Vadim Zherenko And Hunter Skinner

    Rangers Re-Sign Brendan Brisson

    Metropolitan Notes: Vladar, Barkey, Penguins, Ilyin

    Sabres, Mammoth Elect Salary Arbitration With Bowen Byram, Jack McBain

    Maple Leafs Interested In Jack Roslovic

    Players Signed To AHL Contracts For 2025-26

    Rumors By Team

    Rumors By Team

    • Avalanche Rumors
    • Blackhawks Rumors
    • Blue Jackets Rumors
    • Blues Rumors
    • Bruins Rumors
    • Canadiens Rumors
    • Canucks Rumors
    • Capitals Rumors
    • Devils Rumors
    • Ducks Rumors
    • Flames Rumors
    • Flyers Rumors
    • Golden Knights Rumors
    • Hurricanes Rumors
    • Islanders Rumors
    • Jets Rumors
    • Kings Rumors
    • Kraken Rumors
    • Lightning Rumors
    • Mammoth Rumors
    • Maple Leafs Rumors
    • Oilers Rumors
    • Panthers Rumors
    • Penguins Rumors
    • Predators Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Red Wings Rumors
    • Sabres Rumors
    • Senators Rumors
    • Sharks Rumors
    • Stars Rumors
    • Wild Rumors

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • 2025’s Top 50 Unrestricted Free Agents
    • Sam Bennett Rumors
    • Nikolaj Ehlers Rumors
    • Mitch Marner Rumors
    • Marco Rossi Rumors

    Pro Hockey Rumors Features

    Pro Hockey Rumors Features

    • Support Pro Hockey Rumors And Go Ad-Free
    • 2025 Free Agent Focus Series
    • 2025 Offseason Checklist Series
    • 2025 NHL Free Agent List
    • 2026 NHL Free Agent List
    • Active Roster Tracker
    • Coaching Staff Directory
    • Draft Pick Tracker 2025
    • Key Offseason Dates
    • Offseason Trade Tracker
    • Pro Hockey Rumors On X
    • Pro Hockey Rumors Polls
    • Waiver Claims 2024-25

     

     

     

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives

    PHR Info

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Commenting Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

    scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version