Here is my exec summary of the news over the last couple weeks:
- Sacramento looks close to coming up with a finance deal for a new arena. The tax payers are probably going to get fleeced since it isn’t going to a vote. There are so many hidden $ in these deals it is hard to know what is really going on.
- Memphis, New Orleans and possibly Charlotte would be next in line but probably not happening this year.
- Coyotes appear to be close to a deal with the Jamison group to purchase the club and keep it in Glendale.There is an activist group in AZ (Goldwater Institute) that usually threatens a civic lawsuit every time they get close to a deal and usually scares potential owners away. In other words this still has some hurdles. How in the world the Coyotes turn a profit or at least sustain themselves in the desert is beyond me.
- Coyotes have been drawing well at the gate lately but the Average ticket price for the Phoenix Coyotes in 2010-11 season was $36…avg for Canucks $68
- The Islanders are still my dark horse to relocate. Seems crazy with the history, fan base and population but they have no arena plan and dwindling support. (Nassau County Stadium is a dump if you’ve never been there).
- Seattle has been a great leverage play for both leagues. Whether it is intentional I don’t know but the timing of the Seattle plan seems a little suspect as both the Kings and the Coyotes were marching toward a March 1st deadline to get a new arena or new owners respectfully.
- This deal looks less and less likely to happen anytime soon. I said a week ago, it happens in the next three weeks or it happens in 3+ years. (I am not an expert here just my prediction & I just want it to happen).
In other news…go out and support the various local Seattle hockey teams and players playing in the RMHC Hockey Challenge this weekend…great event and great cause. http://www.rmhcseattle.org/content/hockey-challenge
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