The NHL in Las Vegas: Three Reasons Phoenix Isn’t Moving There
1. The team needs MORE financial stability, not less
Oct 3, 2013; Glendale, AZ, USA; (left to right) Phoenix Coyotes alternate governor Anthony LeBlanc NHL commisioner Gary Bettman and governor George Gosbee during a press conference prior to the game against the New York Rangers at Jobing.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
This seems like a no-brainer, but just in case, let me go over why this is a valid argument against the relocation rumor.
Everyone’s biggest complaint about Arizona is that the team isn’t financially stable. This may be true, it may not- the teams are privately owned, so no one has full access to the team’s financials. We can only guess as to what level of truth this complaint holds, although Forbes suggests that the team is nowhere near as financially destitute as nay-sayers make them out to be.
I digress. Whether the team is financially stable or not, though, there is one uncontested truth to all of this- the Arizona Coyotes’ finances are talked about in the league more than any others’. Therefore, it would seem foolish- on the part of the league AND the franchise- to relocate the team to another city that isn’t guaranteed to be financially supportive of a franchise.
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But, but… Las Vegas has shown immense interest in becoming host to a team! Cry the fans who are pro-LV. Look at all the news reports!
Funny thing about news- it may be informative, but it’s also fickle. Houston, Texas has a hockey-themed bar downtown- and during the playoffs, it was standing room only during practically every game. One could easily get hundreds of people to openly support the relocation of a franchise there- and the same could easily be said of any city, Las Vegas included. Using the ‘popular support’ for a franchise in the Nevada city as a valid argument for relocating the Coyotes is uninformed and, quite frankly, a little ridiculous. Looking at the finances instead, there’s really no evidence to suggest that LV would be a more financially stable home for the ‘Yotes- especially since the city has no sports franchises presently to use as a financial precedent.
Moving on.