Kessel's arrival with the Coyotes helped bump up visits to the team's website by 27%GETTY IMAGES
The Coyotes in the seven days following their acquisition of RW Phil Kessel from the Penguins (June 29-July 6) saw a "significant increase in ticket sales as well as online engagement," according to Brandon Brown of the PHOENIX BUSINESS JOURNAL. When comparing season-ticket sales with the exact same week-long period in '18, sales "were up 600% following the trade." Additionally, Coyotes "aggregated ticket package sales increased 550% during the same period." The team also saw the number of visits to its website "increase 27% compared with that same time frame" a year ago. Visits to the team's mobile app "increased 50% as well" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 7/10). Coyotes President & CEO Ahron Cohen said, "It's certainly satisfying and exciting to see us doing something as a franchise that we feel makes us a much more competitive team ... fans are seeing that, and they're jumping on board. It's good, positive momentum for this organization." In Phoenix, Richard Morin notes the Coyotes "feel they've reached a compromise with their 'Weekender' season-ticket package that grants the purchaser access to each of the team's Friday, Saturday and Sunday home games." Those packages have "seen a 184% increase in year-over-year growth." Meanwhile, the Coyotes are "not oblivious to the reality" of their situation at Gila River Arena. They "understand the need for a long-term solution in Arizona, and have been active in their search for one." The arrival of new Majority Owner Alex Meruelo will "undoubtedly be instrumental in that regard" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 7/11).
