Globe and Mail reports that NHL may be loaning money to Phoenix Coyotes

[Armchair_QB]

Saw a piece out there that Bettman will push expansion to 32 (and the ensuing fees) as a way of mollifying some owners for lost lockout revenues, with GTA and Quebec City mentioned. Also the Leafs would get a nice chunk of change for a team coming into its territory. Not sure how reliable it is.

Even though the GTA and Quebec make the most sense I can't see the league putting two expansion teams in Canada. One of the two will get a team and a US city that won't support a team but has a nice arena (Houston, Kansas City, Seattle) will get the other team.

My guess is the Yotes wind up in Seattle, Quebec gets the Canadian expansion team and we get the second coming of:

I can't see any scenario where KC gets a team. The market is already stretched thin with the Chiefs, Royals and Sporting KC. I get that KC has a larger geographic draw than many areas because of its relatively remote location, but its metro of 2 million isn't much more than Milwaukee and Indianapolis. At least with Seattle, you have a larger population -- and a wealthier population -- to make up for the saturation of pro sports in the area.

I don't disagree with any of that. I brought up KC because it seems to be the perfect fit for the NHL's policy of putting a team in a shirtty US market instead of a good Canadian one whenever possible.

 

[Captain Obvious]

Updating as there is a new attempt to keep the Coyotes in Glendale as the city and prospective owners have "reportedly" agreed to a framework for a lease that included $15 million per year for 15 years for management fees. The NHL also is reportedly allowing the new ownership group to defer $85 million of the $170 million sale price for five years.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/20130614ap-source-framework-in-place-for-phoenix-coyotes-lease.html

Seattle in the mix for team, in addition to Bettman threatening to put the team in hiatus for a year.

 

[Starman]

Threaten away, dork boy.

What are you going to do with the NHLPA jobs involved, just eliminate them?

If you have a "dispersal draft," send all the players off to other teams, then 'reactivate' the franchise, what you gonna do then? Have an "un-dispersal draft" and send them all back?

It's bullshirt, as are all similar threats.

 

[Liut]

Threaten away, dork boy.

What are you going to do with the NHLPA jobs involved, just eliminate them?

If you have a "dispersal draft," send all the players off to other teams, then 'reactivate' the franchise, what you gonna do then? Have an "un-dispersal draft" and send them all back?

It's bullshirt, as are all similar threats.

+1. Is anyone dense enough to believe a word Bettman says?

 

[wicked]

The NHL also is reportedly allowing the new ownership group to defer $85 million of the $170 million sale price for five years.

$85 million that will never get paid. The league will eat the cash.

 

[UPChip]

D-Day is basically July 2:

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/9430546/city-phoenix-moving-closer-decision-coyotes

AZ Republic lists the league's ransom demands:

http://www.azcentral.com/community/glendale/articles/20130627glendale-releases-draft-contract-phoenix-coyotes.html?nclick_check=1

Anyone closer to the situation know the odds Glendale actually swallows this poison pill?

Furthermore, is there a way by which the league can move to Quebec without FUBARing the whole realignment or does it have to be Seattle, or other?

 

[Captain Obvious]

I'm betting the lease gets approved. The plan has the support of three of the seven city councilors. The mayor might be the swing vote. If Glendale doesn't approve it, the NHL wants the $25 million owed to it by Glendale to cover the past season's operations to be paid immediately. If the lease gets approved, the NHL will allow the city to pay that amount on a five-year installment plan.

If the lease isn't approved and the team moves, Westgate likely becomes a ghost town.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

D-Day is basically July 2:

http://espn.go.com/nhl/story/_/id/9430546/city-phoenix-moving-closer-decision-coyotes

AZ Republic lists the league's ransom demands:

http://www.azcentral.com/community/glendale/articles/20130627glendale-releases-draft-contract-phoenix-coyotes.html?nclick_check=1

Anyone closer to the situation know the odds Glendale actually swallows this poison pill?

Furthermore, is there a way by which the league can move to Quebec without FUBARing the whole realignment or does it have to be Seattle, or other?

Story also says the Coyotes can leave after five years for any reason or if they "lose" $50 million (by whose books?). Meanwhile, the city would be out about $7-8 million a year after the team reimbursements, meaning they might be out $35-40 million.

And Glendale may mortgage City Hall to pay for the $30 million debt to the league.

http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/morning_call/2013/06/glendale-potentially-mortgaging-city.html

Screw that. Let them leave.

 

[Captain Obvious]

The city will be out by at least $5 million per year without the Coyotes to run the arena. Too bad there really isn't an accurate number (independent, non-partisan analysis) on how much revenue the team generates in Glendale than how much revenue would come in without the team.

 

[Starman]

Very very much on the Q-T, forces in Glendale should be very quietly laying the groundwork for a full-scale nuclear attack of antitrust, tax evasion, criminal conspiracy and fraud lawsuits with the ultimate aim of DESTROYING THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE. And leaving the extortionists in the other leagues hiding under their beds too.

Bring the whole thing down in forking legal armageddon.

 

[wicked]

I'm sure they wouldn't be thrilled about losing the NFL team for whom they just built a gazillion-dollar stadium.

 

[Starman]

They'll be threatened to lose them to LA within 6-8 years unless they build another one.