Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Kotz / Sports Fear Not, Predators Fans: The Phoenix Coyotes Are in Much Worse Shape
Posted by Pete Kotz on Tue, Mar 3, 2009 at 10:10 AM
click to enlarge
For Nashville Predators fans still worried that the team may eventually be spirited away to more fertile grounds, fear not. If anyone moves, it'll likely be the Phoenix Coyotes. 
While the Canadian press seems to assume the NHL's southern teams are soon to be extinct, the Globe and Mail offers a compelling case for why Phoenix would be the first. Its owner, Jerry Moyes, also happens to be chief of trucking giant Swift Transportation, which has taken a beating from rising fuel costs and a collapsing economy. That means he likely doesn't have the loot to cover the estimated $25-$35 million in losses the Coyotes will post this year. And since team's new arena is in a modest suburb distant from the homes of wealthier ticket buyers -- with sprawl land traffic rivaling LA -- one might suggest the Coyotes are terminally hosed.
But bad news for Phoenix is good for Nashville. No matter what our colleagues in Canada say, there aren't many realistic options for relocating an NHL franchise. Hamilton, Ontario is the most likely, but it would face opposition from both Buffalo and Toronto, which both collect fans from the area. Others -- like Kansas City and Seattle -- are no sure bet.
All of which may leave the Predators safely ensconced in Nashville, if for no other reason than there's no place else to go.
Comments (0)