@PHNX_Hockey Potential owner/owners should follow the plan Vegas used. Season ticket drive to secure interest and deposits. While securing deposits, finalize an arena location. Obviously, arena location is easier said than done.
The AZ hockey community has always been a tightly knit group. This event in Gilbert on June 17 affords that community an opportunity to make a statement & help keep youth hockey thriving in the Valley.
https://t.co/BREJdhitgt
@The_Anthony_P I live in Florida and have had no desire to watch the NHL since the Yotes left. I did enjoy the tournament but not watching again going forward.
@gregdunaway We are getting the same reaction and we are in South Florida. Panthers fans acknowledging that relocation was on the table for them and sad for us. Amazing what a stable ownership group can do.
@BallySportsFL @JeffChychrun@JessBlaylock@FlaPanthers
Thank you for taking a picture with Carson. Jeff he recognized you right away as Chychrum from the Coyotes dad ๐ We need to educate him that you also played ๐คฃ but for now your son is his generation ๐ #TimeToHunt
Buckle up, this one is going to be a doozy; but after seeing all the press conferences and Meruelo give all of his answers, I've come to a conclusion with Alex Meruelo.
I don't think he sold the team very willingly, and I really do feel like "doing right by the players" and sending them to Utah was never going to be something he came up with without a lot of pressure from Bettman. The NHLPA made enough noise to put pressure on the league, I don't see why this happens any other way. Although, part of me wants to agree that it is the best for guys like Keller, Crouse, guys who deserve a full financial commitment and a chance to win.
Craig made a really good point and I think this is where I saw some humanity from Meruelo finally - even though it would be beneficial to let us in on his struggles of losing money, Alex has the wherewithal to know that most people aren't going to shed a tear for a billionaire losing $60 mil. I agree with Craig that being open and honest about this kind of thing would probably win you some much needed favor, but I was intrigued by him keeping that to himself and not trying to play the victim (for that, anyway). Also, say what you will about Meruelo's more public follies, he did spend money in the areas it took to build a really good team, and we saw that first hand. There's a reason we're crushed by who we are losing. If we were handing over Brandon Gormley and Rob Klinkhammer to Utah, I don't think we'd be nearly as upset. That's something the Coyotes have NEVER had, so at least we know we can have that kind of investment again. I'm definitely not defending his fuck ups by saying this, but it wasn't all bad.
Meruelo did obviously say and do some dumb shit too. I think all of his problems are compounded by his literal ineptitude as a figurehead of a sports team. He tapped Gutierrez so fast to be his talking head it's obvious now how much he needs someone like that. I hope the next time around, he picks a hockey mind to really give him insight on how a hockey team should look and feel. I am now speaking directly to Alex Meruelo - this is what you need to do for starters:
1 - Do everything you said you'd do. From what I heard, I'm willing to believe you will do it. Win the land, build the arena, make good on your promises. I don't know if your intentions are pure, but if you happen to do everything in this list and make a tidy real estate profit, most everyone will be happy anyway.
2 - Learn from ALL of your mistakes so that they don't happen again. The horror stories and national embarrassment we've suffered as fans, the way staff have felt, the general aloof aura reported to be around the team - do whatever you need to do to never repeat those things.
3 - Make amends and bring on Shane Doan in any capacity as soon as possible. When the arena is done and it's go-time, Shane is the quickest and maybe only way you win back these fans. If Shane is comfortable supporting you, the fans will be more inclined to give you another chance.
4 - Reestablish a professionalism in social media and your outreach to fans. Social media is not a fun toy, it is the bridge to your fanbase, and it needs to be taken seriously and run by a professional. This applies to every avenue of connecting with the fans, not just social media posts. We all know what we're talking about here.
5 - Hockey needs to be #1. The fashion line is a cool idea, but it can't take precedent over the actual hockey, this goes for any other idea you have for this team. Hockey comes first, full stop. Taking attention away from a game or anything else to promote a purely aesthetic endeavor is not going to land with the fans. Keep that in mind.
Alex, you might have 5 years to get this done but there is a non-zero chance you can build the best arena in the world and nobody wants to support you. I really hope you win, but I really hope you've learned from your mistakes too. Now that you have a fresh start, it's all on you. #Yotes