A Maricopa County (Ariz.) Superior Court judge on Friday granted the Coyotes' request "for a temporary injunction to keep Glendale from killing their arena deal," according to Corey & Corbett of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. Judge Dawn Bergin "granted the motion for a temporary injunction and set another hearing on the dispute for June 29." The next move will be tomorrow, when the Glendale City Council "meets in executive session and decides whether to send the team a letter confirming its vote to sever the agreement" (AZCENTRAL.com, 6/13). SI.com's Allan Muir wrote the injunction, a "victory" for the Coyotes, "sets the stage for what is expected to be a series of legal actions with one or more lawsuits seeking monetary damages" in excess of $200M as compensation for the alleged breach of contract by Glendale (SI.com, 6/12). NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said that the schedule for the '15-16 NHL season will "be released later this month," and "no contingencies have been made" regarding the Coyotes' arena situation (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 6/14).
RAZING ARIZONA? In Phoenix, Corbett & McLellan wrote under the header, "Glendale's Sports Dream Sours Amid Coyotes Deal Conflict." The effect of the arena dispute "on selling season tickets is unclear." Coyotes President & CEO Anthony LeBlanc said that new sales for season tickets are up more than 10% from this time last year, while renewals have increased 5%, though he "expects a change." LeBlanc: "That is definitely going to slow down, if not stop" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 6/14). Meanwhile, Phoenix-based KMVP-FM's John Gambadoro reported there has "been discussion" among Coyotes ownership about a move to "reduce" Majority Owner & Chair Andrew Barroway's shares in the team. He "would stay on" as a co-owner and governor (TWITTER.com, 6/12).
PULL THE PLUG: In N.Y., Larry Brooks wrote there is "no reason other than the NHL’s institutional ego to maintain the franchise in Glendale that has been a money pit and source of unending drama essentially from its inception" in '96. The question now is "whether the NHL hierarchy will stop taking Arizona so personally and accede to both common sense and business sense by moving the Coyotes out of the desert to either Seattle or Quebec," unless the latter is "reserved for Carolina, the next existing bull’s-eye for trouble on the league map" (N.Y. POST, 6/14). In Vancouver, Ed Willes writes the NHL "simply doesn’t work" in Glendale "unless taxpayers subsidize the franchise to an alarming degree and it now appears the political will to keep the Coyotes alive has evaporated." The Coyotes and the NHL at some point "have to realize it’s a battle they can’t win." Why they "continue to fight it reveals much about" NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman’s ego, "but even he must realize the joke’s over" (Vancouver PROVINCE, 6/15). In Nashville, Adam Vingan wrote the Coyotes' legal battle with Glendale "once again clouds the franchise's future." The ongoing situation will "again bring into question the Coyotes' standing as an NHL franchise and the validity of so-called 'nontraditional' markets" (TENNESSEAN.com, 6/13). The GLOBE & MAIL's David Shoalts wrote there are "several options" for the Coyotes and Bettman. None of them "are perfect, but most are at least doable." The NHL "could potentially move the Coyotes and still preserve cities such as Las Vegas and Seattle for the fat expansion fees" of $400M-plus, "as opposed to a much smaller relocation fee." The "best option is Quebec City, where a new arena will open in September." Other possibilities "are Houston, Kansas City and, admittedly a long shot, the Greater Toronto Area" (GLOBE & MAIL, 6/13).
LOCAL SUGGESTION BOX: An ARIZONA REPUBLIC editorial wrote the Coyotes moving to "downtown Phoenix, where the team began its Arizona legacy," is "intriguing." Being downtown "helps to locate your arena in the middle of your fan base." If ultimately the Coyotes are "unwelcome in Glendale, the next best option is elsewhere in the Valley," and downtown Phoenix "should be the first place to look" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 6/14). In Phoenix, E.J. Montini wrote Glendale's investments in the Cardinals and Coyotes "have been made." Montini: "The Cardinals are there. The Coyotes are there (for now). Why not partner up and make the best of it?" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 6/13). But the REPUBLIC's Doug MacEachern wrote there "aren't any real re-use options" for Gila River Arena -- "a hockey arena in a part of the Valley that not nearly enough hockey fans are willing to venture to regularly." It "can't be transformed into condos," and no "smarter-than-thou re-use developer is going to change that" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 6/13).
