Thread: Balsillie makes offer on Coyotes

There has been a new development. The judge has ordered the NHL and Moyes to seek mediation to determine who controls the team. That means they must come together to a mutual agreement- btw, I don't understand how the judge believes that could happen? However, court is always the last resort so this path is actually typical. If they can't come to an agreement, then the judge will make a ruling.

The judge has also stated he will try to avoid the "hot button" issue of moving the team, but that must be resolved before the team is sold.

TheStar.com | Sports | NHL and Coyotes owner ordered into mediation

Another update...

Relocation hearing on June 22.

That pretty much guarantees the Coyotes stay in Phoenix one more season.


Question I have is, who is going to fund the $$$ loses over the next season? Maybe once the Boad of Governors (teams) begins to bleed their own money into Phoenix they will come around to Balsillie's way of thinking. It's just not feasible to have a team there.

Originally Posted by Greg33

Another update...

Relocation hearing on June 25.

That pretty much guarantees the Coyotes stay in Phoenix one more season.


Question I have is, who is going to fund the $$$ loses over the next season? Maybe once the Boad of Governors (teams) begins to bleed their own money into Phoenix they will come around to Balsillie's way of thinking. It's just not feasible to have a team there.

Yup, Yotes should be in Phx another year the way this is dragging out. Im guessing they'll be gone in 2010 though. The NHL will get tired of paying millions for the franchise to stay afloat.

The losses next season will surely be worse. Fans arnt gonna turn out to see a team that wont be back the following season. Not to mention, Im guessing there wont be any big name players brought in to try and entice the fans to show up (like they attempted last year with the Jokinen trade). It'll be Doan, Jovo, Bryz, and a bunch of SA Rampage players. Next season will be a death march... not much more.

Originally Posted by Wile E.

Next season will be a death march... not much more.

That's a good way of putting it. I don't like that the NHL had to of been involved in the Calgary- Jokinen trade, and all future deals. Here's the latest from the Toronto Star

TheStar.com | Sports | Coyotes ruling: Keep talking

sports.theglobeandmail.com: Balsillie gets boost in court

The longer this goes on, the better Balisille's chances, and the closer we get to Bettman being shown the door.

This whole thing reminds me of the Raiders vs. NFL case that eventually went to Anti-Trust court:

Prior to the 1980 season, Al Davis attempted unsuccessfully to have improvements made to Oakland Coliseum, specifically the addition of luxury boxes. That year, he signed a Memorandum of Agreement to move the Raiders from Oakland to Los Angeles. The move, which required three-fourths approval by league owners, was defeated 22–0 (with five owners abstaining). When Davis tried to move the team anyway, he was blocked by an injunction. In response, the Raiders not only became an active partner in an antitrust lawsuit filed by the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (who had recently lost the Los Angeles Rams), but filed an antitrust lawsuit of their own.[24] After the first case was declared a mistrial, in May 1982 a second jury found in favor of Davis and the Los Angeles Coliseum, clearing the way for the move.[25][26][27] With the ruling, the Raiders finally relocated to Los Angeles for the 1982 season to play their home games at the Los Angeles Coliseum.

And another interesting wrinkle:

Dreger: Players have stake in Coyotes' bankruptcy case

For example, captain Shane Doan has a no-movement clause. So does that literally mean he's not going to move? Does that mean a breach of contract? Doan negotiated that deal because he and his family want to stay in Phoenix. They built a house there, they raise horses there and they're a significant part of that community. And he has three years remaining on his contract at $4.55 million per season.

Originally Posted by Birdman

And another interesting wrinkle:

Dreger: Players have stake in Coyotes' bankruptcy case

I would assume that a no movement clause pertained to the franchise and not the city. Shane Doan has been great to the Phx community and Im sure he'll be just as good wherever the Yotes end up. Of all the Yotes, Ill be the most sad to Doan go... same franchise his entire career, great guy, and an even better player. He deserves better than Phx though.