Can the NHL just move the Coyotes already?

Things just keep going from bad to worse for the Arizona Coyotes. First, the City of Glendale, where the Coyotes play, announced it would not renew its lease agreement with the Arizona Coyotes following the 2021-22 season. The mid August announcement signalled the end of what most describe as a tumultuous 18-year relationship between the city and the team. And that’s putting it gently. The more accurate way of describing it would probably be something closer to a dumpster fire.

The team never really took off in popularity since re-locating from Winnipeg in the 90’s. The team has changed ownership multiple times already, and was almost sold in 2009 to Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie, who intended to purchase the team out of bankruptcy and move it to Hamilton, Ontario. The NHL responded by stripping Jerry Moyes, then owner of the club, of his remaining ownership authority.

The league ended up taking control of the team until a suitable buyer could come forward. The NHL then negotiated with Chicago Bulls and Whitesox owner, Jerry Reinsdorf and his group, Ice Edge toward a deal with Glendale. Ice Edge signed a letter of intent to purchase the team from the NHL, while Reinsdorf had won the approval of the City of Glendale. On May 7, 2010, ESPN.com reported the Reinsdorf bid had fallen apart and that the City of Glendale was working with Ice Edge to purchase the team in a last-ditch effort to keep them in Arizona. That deal also fell apart.

Due to the team's bankruptcy status since 2009 and the annual revenue lost each year, the NHL planned to move the Coyotes had a deal with the city for a new lease and new ownership not been decided by July 2, 2013. On July 2, 2013, by a vote of 4–3, the Glendale City Council approved a 15-year lease agreement with Renaissance Sports and Entertainment (RSE), which would purchase the team from the NHL for US$225 million by August 5, 2013. They weren’t out of the clear yet. The Coyotes have since struggled to draw attendance, TV ratings, or significant sponsorships, and COVID hasn’t helped an already shaky financial situation.

This is all just summary by the way, there’s a lot more chaos and hilarity in this story, I’ve just covered the key bits so far. Which brings us to this week. Katie Strang from the Athletic reported that Coyotes could be locked out of home arena by City of Glendale for unpaid arena charges, delinquent tax bills. Not ideal. The report states that the Coyotes owe taxes dating back to June 2020. Yikes.

The Coyotes have since paid the over $1 million owed in taxes back to the city. But it doesn't end there because of course not. The Arizona Coyotes may have settled the $1.3 million in outstanding arena payments that threatened to lock them out of their own arena by Dec. 20 on Thursday morning, but the franchise's financial woes are far from resolved. According Glendale City Manager Kevin Phelps, the Coyotes have presented cheques that make them current on the 2020-21 season & game expenses for the 2021-22 season. HOWEVER, they have NOT paid rent for Gila River Arena. Regardless of whether the team does pay the outstanding rent or not, the Coyotes mist still find a new home for next season, something they have yet to do. Speaking at the NHL's GM meetings in Florida on Thursday evening, commissioner Gary Bettman weighed in on the matter, stating that there was "no problem" with the Coyotes arena situation that leaves the franchise he helped install without a home rink for 2022-23.

I don't know what Gary constitutes as a problem, but if someon can't pay their taxes or rent, that's usually a cause for concern. For the love of God, can we please just move this team already? It hasn’t worked. It’s never going to work. This franchise can’t get out of its own way. They’ve been mediocre on the ice for most of their existence, and even worse off the ice for their whole existence. I get wanting to grow the game of hockey and coming to new markets. I’m all for it. This one just isn’t working, but the NHL, and more specifically, commissioner Gary Bettman, won’t swallow their pride and admit they got this one wrong.

It’s okay. The NHL hit home runs in Tampa, Nashville, San Jose, Dallas, and even Vegas. Those are all non very traditional hockey markets. It’s okay to say you missed the boat on this one. Houston, and even Quebec City, but my money is on Houston, have the facilities and potential ownership groups waiting to take this self-inflicted problem, off your hands. Just get it over with, because this getting kind of painful, and downright ridiculous.