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The big news in sports this week was not LeBron James winning the MVP, nor was it the Kentucky Derby, Manny Ramirez and his drug test have made a late run at story of the week, but I am giving the sports story of the week to the Phoenix Coyotes and the NHL. Let's start with the Coyotes. The team has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and it seems that the team is destined to move, although Commissioner Bettman (some who call him Fraudmissioner or Failmissioner) contends that won't happen. Rumors have the team pulling up roots and heading to Hamilton, Ontario - making the Coyotes round trip come back home (for those unfamiliar, the Coyotes started in Canada and were moved). I have long touted the Coyotes as one of the problems of the modern NHL. This is a team that is truly a fish out of water. Even with history stretching back to the halcyon days of the Winnipeg Jets, the team could not (or would not) be embraced by fans whose only exposure to ice was to watch it melt in their iced tea. The ownership was attracted to Phoenix because of the promise of big money, and boy did it backfire.
So, what's next for the Coyotes? The NHL insists that the team will not move, but how smart would that be? Let's keep a team in the city that wouldn't support it so it has to declare bankruptcy. Of course, smart moves aren't a benchmark of the Bettman era. Again, we could see the team move to Ontario, courtesy of Research in Motion Limited's (NASDAQ: RIMM) Jim Balsille. There is also the chance that the team could be relocated to a city like Las Vegas or Kansas City (which once had a hockey team). Let's see what happens with this situation.
In addition, there is now news that the New York Rangers may be up for sale thanks to Cablevision's (NYSE: CVC) economic struggles. There is no danger that the Rangers will move, as one of the original six teams can not (I repeat, can not) move. However, it will be interesting to see who steps up and makes an effort to purchase the team.
Unfortunately for the NHL, the timing of these announcements couldn't be worse. The NHL is in the news because of economic problems, not because of the compelling Stanley Cup Playoffs taking place. You have the Blackhawks and Canucks tied up, the Red Wings and the Ducks locked in a good series, the Hurricanes and the Bruins battling it out, and the best scenario possible for the league - Sidney Crosby (Sid "the Kid") leading his Penguins against Alexander Ovechkin and the Capitals. This battle of marquis names is the reason that the NBA is where it is today: Magic vs. Bird, Jordan vs. Everyone Else, Kobe vs. LeBron.
Of course, believing that any news is good news - at least people will be talking about the NHL after the season is over.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-08-2009 @ 5:39PM
Lee Gibson said...
At least four teams, including Phoenix, should shut down. Not move. Shut down. Too many teams. Not enough fans. Not enough good players, either. Teams in places like Arizona and Florida should go away.