Fate of Coyotes decided in 2 decades(?)

[jyoung]

Florida actually did really really well in attendance this year, selling out all but one of their home games.

I'm sure their ticket prices aren't very high, but at least they are filling up the building.

[DrJones]

Quote: Originally Posted by jyoung

Florida actually did really really well in attendance this year, selling out all but one of their home games. I'm sure their ticket prices aren't very high, but at least they are filling up the building.

Except, as has been pointed out above, a very large percentage of those fans are tourists/snowbirds. Panthers games on Fox Sports Florida average between 7000-9000 total viewers (not households), far and away the worst in the league. By comparison, the Lightning average about 70,000 viewers per local broadcast.

[Money99]

Quote: Originally Posted by DrJones

Except, as has been pointed out above, a very large percentage of those fans are tourists/snowbirds. Panthers games on Fox Sports Florida average between 7000-9000 total viewers (not households), far and away the worst in the league. By comparison, the Lightning average about 70,000 viewers per local broadcast.

Not to mention that a lot of their tickets are probably given away.
Everytime I watch a Panther home game it looks like I'm watching a Flint Tropics game.

[SPTO]

Just move the bloody team to Quebec City and get it over with!

[BunnyHardaway]

The Panthers have a ridiculously good lease deal that pretty much ensures they won't move, unfortunately.

[DaRK]

Quote: Originally Posted by jyoung

Florida actually did really really well in attendance this year, selling out all but one of their home games. I'm sure their ticket prices aren't very high, but at least they are filling up the building.

I don't know. I feel like with a few good draft picks, Florida is ready to burst into a real team, with Jonathan Huberdeau leading the way.

I'd personally rather see a move back to Quebec.

[RagingTrav]

Full stadiums = more sponsorship money.

[Coug00]

Quote: Originally Posted by Seattle's NHL Facebook Page

HNIC now saying that there is another bidder for Coyotes willing to pay $220 million AND move them to Seattle if the Gosbee group can’t work out a deal to stay in Phoenix. The new group wants to put Jeremy Roenick in the front office to run operations. Also claiming that Vancouver wanted to move their AHL affiliate to Key but they were blocked. They were told that Key wasn’t available for hockey. Apparently this has all come together in the last 48 hours. Things are all over the place. Buckle up and hang on, looks like its going to be a wild ride!!

and this...

http://www.sbnation.com/nhl/2013/6/1...wnership-group

Quote:

According to CBC's Hockey Night in Canada Hotstove (which is always connected on these sort of things), there will be a city council meeting to potentially approve a deal on June 25. However, if the deal doesn't work out and isn't approved, the Coyotes may be gone within the week. On July 2, an ownership group led by New York Yankees minority owner Ray Bartoszek and investor Anthony Lanza will take the team to Seattle.

The best part of that article...

Quote:

Even stranger: you may see Coyotes draft picks at the 2013 NHL Draft wearing the jerseys of a team that might not exist anymore two days later.

Not too strange