Should the Coyotes Really Stay in Arizona?

With more reports coming out about the future of the Phoenix Coyotes, I’m left scratching my head.  Last week, it was reported in the Globe and Mail that the team has actually lost more than $60 million (roughly $20 million over the past three seasons)!

image: TSN

I can’t understand how anyone would:

• think keeping the team in Phoenix is a good idea
• offer to take over the team and keep it where it is
• believe that there is a viable market here for an NHL team
• feel it is a good investment
• etc, etc, etc….

Now, don’t get me wrong.  I know that there are some amazing fans in Phoenix and I wish that hockey was huge in every city but it’s just not realistic.  You can’t force people to go to the games, buy jerseys and become fans overnight (or ever).  It’s not even at the point where it’s underperforming anymore – this is outright failure and I’m sad about it.

It’s crazy to me to think that a group (headed by Jerry Reinsdorf) actually put in a bid on Friday to purchase the team for $148 million.  There’s another offer (or letter of intent, I should say) from a group headed by Canadian-born businessman, Daryl Jones.  He wants to bring the team to Canada.

I’ll admit that I am not particularly business-savvy but I can’t see how they think they can turn things around.  It’s the desert – a lot of people aren’t interested in seeing people fight in skates.  It’s an American city and although there are tons of U.S. fans and some successful teams, Arizona already has an NBA, NFL and MLB team.  Hockey just gets lost in the mix.

I know the NHL believes that the Coyotes could do well with better management and “a better product on the ice” but that’s a lot of variables that are beyond anyone’s control, really.  People take over teams all the time only to watch them go up in smoke (ahem… Tampa Bay).

I would be worried if I were Wayne Gretzky and/or any of the players on that team. I wish they would just get this settled as soon as possible so that everyone can move on and begin to deal with the fallout.

Do you think that the team should stay in Arizona?  If not, where should it go?