Balsillie Pushes Mediation In Coyotes Case; Reinsdorf Bid Near

Daly Expects Reinsdorf To Put In Firm Offer For Coyotes

BIDDERS' MARKET: In Phoenix, Carrie Watters notes Baum is “expected to hear arguments regarding the parameters of an auction Monday.” Tom Salerno, attorney for Coyotes Owner Jerry Moyes, said that he “wants to see as many bidders as ‘humanly possible.’” Salerno: “Obviously, we think in order to maximize value (of the team) we should be able to entertain all bids, not just those that keep it in Glendale.” Balsillie’s advisers said that the NHL “now will have more time to consider the relocation application that Balsillie submitted last month, as well as discuss the amount of a relocation fee” (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 6/17). Attorneys for Moyes told the court last week that they “expect one of the other groups the NHL claims are interested in buying the Coyotes to apply for due diligence, but that has yet to happen” (GLOBE & MAIL, 6/17). The GLOBE & MAIL’s Stephen Brunt writes the league “has won a battle here -- an expensive, embarrassing one.” But “claiming the spoils means returning to square one.” Brunt: “Still, the franchise is bankrupt. Still, the judge is going to be looking for an offer that satisfies the creditors. Still, there is nothing on the table that would keep the team in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale and greatly simplify Baum’s task.” Meanwhile, if Reinsdorf is “really in at all, [he] must be in bargain-hunting mode.” He “could have bought the team any time, but chose to wait for the Coyotes’ death throes before even beginning to kick the tires” (GLOBE & MAIL, 6/17).

How Much Is Balsillie Willing To Pay For Coyotes?

FUTURE HAZY: In Phoenix, Dan Bickley writes, “I worry about Gary Bettman’s sincerity.” Bettman “must prove he is as passionate about us as he was in defeating a rogue billionaire attempting to break in the NHL’s back door.” He “claimed there are four groups interested in buying the Coyotes, something [Baum] refuted as ‘hearsay.’” And none of the interested parties “have stepped forward and spoken publicly.” When “arguing that hockey was still viable in Arizona, Bettman also cited the work of an advocacy group, Save the Coyotes,” which consists of only a “small pocket of diehards.” By referring to this “small group as a beacon of hope, Bettman revealed himself as dishonest or completely out of touch,” and “neither bodes well for the future” (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 6/17). Meanwhile, in Hamilton, Ken Peters notes a planned rally in support of a hockey team is “expected to draw 5,000 fans” in the Hamilton on Friday. Hamilton City Councilor Terry Whitehead: “This is an opportunity for the community, with absolute unity, to deliver a strong message to Mr. Bettman and the board of governors that they need to resolve the differences and allow a team in the southern Ontario market and specifically Hamilton” (HAMILTON SPECTATOR, 6/17).

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