Oct 3, 2014; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Coyotes left wing Rob Klinkhammer (36) celebrates with right wing Shane Doan (19) and center Jeff Halpern (14) after scoring a goal in the third period against the San Jose Sharks at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Dear Andrew Barroway,
Welcome to Arizona, slightly prematurely. I hope you enjoy your stay.
According to the Weather Channel, it’s currently about 95 degrees in the city of Glendale. Don’t worry, though- should be cooling off by the time you arrive on Wedesday, to a nice, comfortable 81 degrees. Not quite what you’re used to in Pennsylvania, but think of it as a very late summer vacation!
Puck Prose
A couple of things I’d like to go over with you before you do your meet and greet with the Arizona Coyotes:
- We’d like to stay in Arizona, please. I, personally, enjoy having a team in the desert. It’s kind of cool, and a little bit hipster. Plus, we live in a global economy- people are moving for jobs all over creation every single day. Hockey Fans shouldn’t have to travel to California or Colorado to watch a game if they’ve been relocated to Arizona- and if they already live there? They deserve a piece of the NHL pie, too.
- Please help us turn a profit. We’re still a little unsure why you’re so desperate to buy a hockey team, but we’re sure all will become clear as we all get to know each other better. One thing we have learned about you, though, is that you’ve got money to burn- which, apparently, you’re doing right now. Is it true that you’re going to buy just over half the team for double what ICE Arizona paid for the whole team? Please say it’s true- this will alleviate at least some of our team’s debts, which puts us that much closer to finishing a season in the black.
- Help us grow our community. According to an article published over the summer, hockey in Arizona has grown by an estimated 17 percent in the past calendar year. That means that the Coyotes fanbase should be growing, too- but you know better than we do. I’ve done some intense internet stalking of you, and it looks like you come from an old hockey market- Philadelphia, correct? The Flyers have managed to sustain a significant fan base in a region that’s actually been seeing negative economic growth in recent years- surely you can bring some insight to an area that’s seeing more and more residents every day, but hasn’t always been thought of as the hotbed of hockey fandom.
Just to get you updated on the team you’re about to buy into, Mr. Andrew Barroway sir, we’ve seen economic losses for the past couple of years- and by that, I mean the past decade. No one will tell us exactly what we’ve lost, but the numbers seem to hover around ten to twenty-something million, annually. Hopefully, injecting a significant amount of economic stimulation into the team’s market will help jump-start a profit turn, but we never know.
Sincerely,
Catherine Silverman, and the Arizona Coyotes fans
(p.s.- buy a Shane Doan jersey. He’s the coolest dude out there.)