Question Time: Is Arizona the Best Home for the Coyotes?
The question this week focuses on one of this years most improved sides, the Phoenix Coyotes, but rather than praising their play (which was done already!), my fellow blogger Mike's question focuses on something rather different.
"After 58 games, the Phoenix Coyotes are looking good for a wildcard playoff spot. This is testament to the reasonably strong season the team has had, especially compared to previous seasons. However the team is last in the attendance leagues, averaging just 13,269 for home games.
Phoenix has always struggled to fill the Jobing.com Arena and the teams' financial struggles have never been secret. Despite Gary Bettman's desire to see hockey in the desert, does the team need to move to better hockey market area in order to survive?"
There is a lot for me to consider on this one so away we go!
This team has the heart of a lion, there is no questioning that this year, but it seems no matter how hard they try, the fans just don't seem to be flocking to the Jobing.com Arena. So what's the reason for this? Could it be the ticket prices? Or is it just simply that hockey in Arizona just doesn't work? For years now the financial security of this team has been in question and frequently there has been talking of this franchise rolling their wagons elsewhere. Last summer the Ice Arizona Acquisition Co LLC took over ownership of the team which will official see them re-branded as the Arizona Coyotes from next season.
But is this company simply flogging a dead horse? In my honest opinion, yes they are indeed! Hockey in Arizona just isn't catching on and unlike the other successful franchises such as the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Arizona Cardinals, this brand of desert hockey is leaving the arena still half full. The Montreal Canadiens' practice sessions have garnered bigger attendances.
Personally, I believe this franchise is better served moving to a city where its impact will be truly felt, such as return to Quebec City, who after all these years are still waiting for their game to come back and having the Quebec Nordiques reform would make a lot of hearts sparkle. Seattle is another destination that I believe would be well served as aside from the Superbowl winning Seattle Seahawks and the Golden Globe winning Grey's Anatomy, that city has little else to cheer!
I admire the efforts of Ice Arizona for their attempts to resurrect the Coyotes, but you can't beat the sense that the clock will soon begin counting down again and it is going to take something truly spectacular from their side to make the fans come to these games. Gary Bettman may want hockey to stay out in the desert but it seems some fans just aren't as keen as their counterparts in California. We shall see how the Arizona Coyotes fare next season- give me some free tickets I might just show up!
Mike's edit: although the Coyotes might not be filling the arena every night, that's not to say that hockey is dead and buried in Arizona. I was pointed toward http://deserthockeydevelopment.org/ by a Coyotes fan on twitter, it's great to see organisations getting involved at a grass roots level to develop the next Sidney Crosby or Zdeno Chara. Proof, if it were needed, that hockey in the desert is a very real thing.
Don't get Alex or myself wrong. We don't want to see the team relocate, however each franchise is a business, and if the team isn't bringing in the money, it isn't going to survive. Thanks to @gfallar for the link.
"After 58 games, the Phoenix Coyotes are looking good for a wildcard playoff spot. This is testament to the reasonably strong season the team has had, especially compared to previous seasons. However the team is last in the attendance leagues, averaging just 13,269 for home games.
Phoenix has always struggled to fill the Jobing.com Arena and the teams' financial struggles have never been secret. Despite Gary Bettman's desire to see hockey in the desert, does the team need to move to better hockey market area in order to survive?"
There is a lot for me to consider on this one so away we go!
This team has the heart of a lion, there is no questioning that this year, but it seems no matter how hard they try, the fans just don't seem to be flocking to the Jobing.com Arena. So what's the reason for this? Could it be the ticket prices? Or is it just simply that hockey in Arizona just doesn't work? For years now the financial security of this team has been in question and frequently there has been talking of this franchise rolling their wagons elsewhere. Last summer the Ice Arizona Acquisition Co LLC took over ownership of the team which will official see them re-branded as the Arizona Coyotes from next season.
But is this company simply flogging a dead horse? In my honest opinion, yes they are indeed! Hockey in Arizona just isn't catching on and unlike the other successful franchises such as the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Arizona Cardinals, this brand of desert hockey is leaving the arena still half full. The Montreal Canadiens' practice sessions have garnered bigger attendances.
Personally, I believe this franchise is better served moving to a city where its impact will be truly felt, such as return to Quebec City, who after all these years are still waiting for their game to come back and having the Quebec Nordiques reform would make a lot of hearts sparkle. Seattle is another destination that I believe would be well served as aside from the Superbowl winning Seattle Seahawks and the Golden Globe winning Grey's Anatomy, that city has little else to cheer!
I admire the efforts of Ice Arizona for their attempts to resurrect the Coyotes, but you can't beat the sense that the clock will soon begin counting down again and it is going to take something truly spectacular from their side to make the fans come to these games. Gary Bettman may want hockey to stay out in the desert but it seems some fans just aren't as keen as their counterparts in California. We shall see how the Arizona Coyotes fare next season- give me some free tickets I might just show up!
Mike's edit: although the Coyotes might not be filling the arena every night, that's not to say that hockey is dead and buried in Arizona. I was pointed toward http://deserthockeydevelopment.org/ by a Coyotes fan on twitter, it's great to see organisations getting involved at a grass roots level to develop the next Sidney Crosby or Zdeno Chara. Proof, if it were needed, that hockey in the desert is a very real thing.
Don't get Alex or myself wrong. We don't want to see the team relocate, however each franchise is a business, and if the team isn't bringing in the money, it isn't going to survive. Thanks to @gfallar for the link.
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