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Gary Bettman reveals biggest reason behind Arizona Coyotes relocation, provides hope for future of hockey in the Valley
The Arizona Coyotes are set to bid farewell to the desert and make their way to Salt Lake City. The NHL Board of Governors, in a unanimous decision, greenlit the $1.2 billion sale of the team from Alex Meruelo to Ryan and Ashley Smith, owners of the Utah Jazz.
NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman revealed the motivations behind the relocation, which is central to this seismic move.
Bettman was hopeful for an NHL-level arena for the Coyotes when they moved to Arizona in 2019. But he lost faith, as there was no imminent arena expected to be ready to accommodate the team. With the bidding date pushed, he said that it would've likely taken 4-5 more years.
"The prospect of playing playoff games or a Stanley Cup Final [at Mullett Arena] ... it just doesn't work." Gary Bettman said,
According to Bettman, Meruelo's initial reaction to the notion of relocation was one of reluctance.
"March 6th. That was the first time that Alex Meruelo heard anything about this (relocation). His reaction was, no, I don't want to do that," Bettman said.
Bettman highlighted the innovative approach from Meruelo and the Arizona Coyotes' ownership group in navigating the challenges of the Arizona market.
"We've created a scenario here that I don't think anybody has done before. This team is inactive but we didn't expand. We still have 32 active franchises," Bettman said.
Despite the impending relocation, Bettman offered a glimmer of hope for hockey enthusiasts in Arizona.
"Alex is free to attend board meetings, he's going to stay involved and I know he's committed to keeping professional hockey in Arizona," Bettman added.
After Arizona Coyotes' relocation to Utah, Team Owner Ryan Smith announced his plans
Ryan Smith, the new owner of the Utah NHL team, is diving headfirst into the challenge of preparing for the upcoming season.
“Ah jeez, Day 2 is definitely different than Day 1. The work starts!, I’ve been through this before," Ryan Smith said (via The Athletic.com).
Despite the compressed timeline, Smith's group is enthusiastic about the opportunity. Smith's prior experience as an NBA owner has prepared him for the workload involved. He's already engaging with NHL owners and has begun meeting with Arizona Coyotes players and staff.
The Utah market has shown tremendous interest, with over 20,000 season-ticket deposits received. Renovations to the Delta Center will accommodate hockey, although the team will begin with approximately 12,000 unobstructed seats. Notably, the squad is taking its time choosing a nickname, focusing on community input.
“This is a community asset, It’s for the community, and we want the community to have a say in what the name is. It’s not more complicated than that,” Smith said.
General manager Bill Armstrong will remain in place for continuity. Smith is confident in Utah's potential as a hockey market, citing its tech ecosystem and collective readiness to prove skeptics wrong.
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