There are rumors of NHL relocation to Seattle, which made us remember five really good reasons the Coyotes need to move there.
Gary Bettman tried to get hockey into the desert by moving the Winnipeg Jets to Arizona. While the Arizona Coyotes started off strong, they haven’t been able to drum up support like other teams. Yes, their lack of success in recent years is a huge factor. But the fact remains they’re losing money down in Arizona.
The franchise already went bankrupt once in 2009. Simply put, the NHL is failing in Arizona. It’s probably not even Arizona’s fault, but it is what it is. Reportedly, management has been looking at Seattle as a possible relocation option. While they looked at Portland, Oregon as well, Seattle is clearly the better option of the two.
Washington is still hurting from losing out on an expansion team on numerous occasions. Losing the Seattle Supersonics has been dreadful for the city. But maybe getting an NHL team can give the city something to be proud of. Here are five reasons the Coyotes should move to Seattle.
Mar 5, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Arizona Coyotes mascot Howler poses with fans wearing retro uniforms before facing the Vancouver Canucks at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
5. They’re Losing Money In Arizona
At the end of the day, owners view sports teams as businesses. They view them as a way to make money, so anytime a team is consistently losing money, it’s not a good thing. Something has to be done in Arizona for the Yotes to start making money. Making the playoffs could help, as they’ve gone four years without an appearance and are on pace to make it five.
However, the Yotes are rebuilding. A playoff appearance isn’t too likely in the near future. So other options have to be considered. At the very least, management has to take Seattle as a serious option for relocation. It’s not like things could get much worse than they currently are in Arizona.
KELOWNA, CANADA – FEBRUARY 8: Jared Pelechaty #3 of the Seattle Thunderbirds skates against the Kelowna Rockets on February 8, 2016 at Prospera Place in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Marissa Baecker/Getty Images)
4. Seattle’s Ready For An NHL Team
Seattle has been screwed over as far as sports teams go. Sure, the Seahawks have made two Super Bowl appearances recently and even won one. But outside of that, Seattle hasn’t had too much to cheer about as far as professional sports. The Mariners are eternally stuck between contending and mediocrity. Not only that, the Supersonics left right before the franchise started winning a ton of games. That’s rough for anyone to deal with.
But now they aren’t getting taken too seriously as a potential relocation spot. Heck, Las Vegas is getting an NHL team before Seattle. While Vegas built an arena, it would be nice for Seattle to receive some confirmation that if they built an arena, they’d get a team. This is where the Coyotes come in.
Seattle has the potential to be an awesome sports city. Their fans are very passionate and will support their teams no matter what. There were special circumstances surrounding the Supersonics. Also, want proof Seattle can handle a hockey team? The Seattle Thunderbirds ranked in the top 10 in WHL attendance in 2015-16. Moreover, they are in the top 10 this season as well. The Northwest is also a largely untapped market, as only the Vancouver Canucks, California teams, and Minnesota Wild are close by.
Feb 4, 2017; Tucson, AZ, USA; A general view of Kino Sports Complex before the Portland Timbers play the Seattle Sounders. The game ended in a draw 1-1. Mandatory Credit: Casey Sapio-USA TODAY Sports
3. Finances
Seattle, Washington is a better market than virtually any city in Arizona. For argument’s sake, let’s compare Seattle to Phoenix, Arizona’s capital city. A few things jump out when you look at the numbers. First of all, Seattle is a growing city. Its economy is trending upward, as the unemployment rate is around four percent, while Phoenix is at 5.5 percent. While Arizona has the upper hand in future jobs, the important thing to look at is the average income.
As far as average income per capita, Seattle is much better than Phoenix. In fact, Washington’s ($44,167) is nearly twice Arizona’s ($24,057). This suggests Seattle would be an excellent market, or at least a better one than Phoenix. The household income is also noticeably better.
Seattle’s a fast rising city that should be taken very seriously as a relocation option for the NHL. It should be the Coyotes main priority to try to find a way to move there. Especially if you consider the uncertain future the team has in Arizona. Would it be certain in Seattle? No. But it’s hard to imagine it being worse off in Washington than in Arizona. Seattle’s one of the few rising cities in America with a pretty strong economy.
Mandatory Credit: Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images
2. Optimizes Pacific Division
Right now, the Pacific Division makes a lot of sense geographically. It consists of all West Coast teams. While the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames could be farther west, it’s fine because they’d make even less sense in the Central Division. Arizona’s a bit too out of the way though, as it’s pretty far south. It might be nice for the California teams to not have to travel far to get there, but imagine how the Oilers, Flames, and Canucks feel. Seattle makes sense for the division geographically and makes it more optimal for traveling.
Sure, it’s not as close to California as Arizona, but it’s still a very manageable trip (roughly 1,160 miles from Anaheim). From Los Angeles, it’s 1,135 miles and from San Jose, it’s roughly 840 miles. More difficult? Sure. But it’s more manageable than Arizona is for the Canadian teams. Calgary would shave nearly a thousand miles a trip while Edmonton would shave about 900 miles.
Seattle would even have some natural geographical rivalries. Vancouver is very close to it (142 miles) and the two cities share a bit of an MLS rivalry. California and Washington share a rivalry in several sports, so an NHL rivalry would be natural. Seattle makes sense for all parties.
Jan 7, 2017; Seattle, WA, USA; General overall aerial view of CenturyLink Field before the NFC Wild Card playoff football game between the Detroit Lions and the Seattle Seahawks. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
1. A 12th Man Winter Classic? Yes Please.
This is the closer right here. The Winter Classic is one of the NHL’s biggest games. It shows off two NHL teams playing in a gorgeous outdoor stadium. Few stadiums would make more sense than CenturyLink Field in Seattle.
First of all, there’s a retractable roof. This solves the issue of Seattle having constant precipitation. No more delays because of sunlight or rain. Even with the roof closed, it would be pretty darn sweet. Secondly, with how the noise echoes at CenturyLink, even with the roof open, it has the feel of a hockey arena. This has been an issue with football stadiums. Gillette Stadium felt empty and boring. The first time someone calls CenturyLink “empty and boring” will be the first time anyone has called it that.
Thirdly, Seattle fans love sports. They’d happily embrace hockey. Just ask the Seattle Sounders about how much support they got from day one. A Winter Classic is perfect for the city and their fans. After losing the Supersonics, they deserve to have a team want to come to Seattle. The puck’s in your zone, Coyotes. Make the right shot by moving to Seattle.
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