We don’t mean to sound rude, because we know it’s a big decision and there are lots of moving parts to things like this.
But come on, the Coyotes have been teasing an arena announcement for quite some time now. Back in November, they said things were “moving pretty quickly” with regards to a couple of options. In December, the status was upgraded to “very progressed.”
Then, in late January, team CEO Anthony LeBlanc said this: “I’m very positive that we will have something out in the community if not in the next month or two but certainly by the end of the regular season.”
Well, the regular season finished almost three weeks ago. So, what’s the deal? Are the Coyotes moving to Scottsdale? Are they moving to Tempe? As of March, those were reportedly the “two likeliest scenarios.”
Of course, since then, Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton has come out and said the Coyotes should move back downtown and share a new arena with the Suns.
“I think the most realistic option for the Coyotes is to make downtown Phoenix their long-term home, and if they can’t find a home in a year, they’re going to [relocate out of state],” Stanton told Arizona Sports 98.7 FM last week.
And now there’s been another development, as AEG has reached a deal to manage the Coyotes’ current home in Glendale. The company says it wants to keep the team as a tenant.
“We are looking forward to working with the Coyotes at Gila River Arena for this coming season and beyond,” AEG’s Chuck Steedman said in a statement.
“Glendale is known as a premier destination for high-profile entertainment and sports events, and with the exceptional lines of sight for hockey, along with its great fans, Gila River Arena provides the perfect setting for NHL games.”
How AEG intends to convince the Coyotes to stay remains to be seen, but maybe they can. Who knows?
Nobody knows!
Nobody ever seems to know.
So let us know, will you, Coyotes?
Thanks.